Arras People Press Releases
Professional Practitioners and the Professionalisation of PPM
Jun 29th
The Best Practice Showcase 2010 held recently at Victoria in London provided a lively day of discussion, networking and learning for the Arras People team and the many programme and project personnel who attended. Attracting over 500 delegates, the format of the event was highly interactive and Arras hosted a series of round table discussions during the day on the subject of professionalism as well as running a short survey on the subject.
The aim of the discussion was to explore professionalism and its many aspects in terms of the field of PPM (Programme & Project Management) and with specific reference to the APMs (Association for Project Management) push for professional recognition.
The starting point for the discussion was to explore the views of the individuals involved in the discussion to ascertain their personal views regarding their own status and that of PPM in the wider community. Unsurprisingly the consensus was that the groups saw themselves as professionals and the art of programme and project management as a profession. However there was significantly less confidence that the wider world shared their view, the majority agreeing that it is still seen as an occupation.
The groups further explored the reasons why they saw themselves as professionals and identified many elements that are widely accepted as being indicative of this status. The list included;
- Specialist Skills
- Accreditation
- Accountability
- Responsibility
In summary, we agreed that as individuals the group all possessed levels of applicable knowledge, the know how to apply this knowledge and a commitment to our field of expertise. After further discussion we also agreed that we had some sort of personal code of ethics against which we set our standards of behaviour and also judge others.
Pushing further the point of Accountability and Ethics we discussed the next level of influence which impacts how we operate as professionals, namely our environment. Be this the employer if you are an employee or the company within which you are operating as a contractor; our environment has a significant impact on our professionalism at all levels. The highest impacting element of environment being the rules and regulations which we are requested to adhere to, which may formalise or go against the code of ethics which we personally used to define our own professionalism. As a member of a community we may still have personal freedom in our pursuit of professionalism, though this may well be constrained or influenced. In all probabilities we will also be subject to levels of accountability which we have no control over.
So we have moved from being an individual to being a member of a community, though this may well be a community of one! Our professionalism at this level is still not consistent, nor measurable, as environments A to Z may all define their standards differently.
Taking the issues of standards to the next level we examined the external influencers who look to shape or impact the way programme and project management develops both in the UK and internationally. The list of influencers differs by sector or discipline within PPM, so we kept it simple for the cause of the discussion. In this band we included the APM-Group/OGC, PMI, APM and the IPMA all of whom are relatively well known in the PPM space in the UK. Again this group look to influence our state of professionalism, offering us shrink wrapped knowledge, bodies of knowledge, badges, access to continued professional development and even their own brands of ethics and accountability.
As individuals we may choose to adopt any of these offerings as we see fit, within the context of our own professionalism. Our environment may also influence how we see and interact with these influencers as organisations and markets adopt their standards or cherry pick what they feel is applicable. The wider environment may also impact on us individually, such as the situation caused by Prince2 becoming for many a defacto standard in project management.
Each organisation brings along a brand, theme or flavour of PPM which is aligned to their individual thinking; all of them being aimed at shaping the market with the offer of consistency. Unfortunately though, we are still left in a position where we do not have a singularly recognisable path to become a profession, we may align as individuals and organisations but once again fragmented consistency takes it toll.
To take the discussion forward we looked at the question of consistency in terms of traditionally recognised professions such as Doctors, Dentists and Accountants where this is progressed through the act of formal charter. The major differences that these professional grouping would appear to have over PPM are:
- Public recognition & acceptance
- Practitioners recognition & acceptance
- Acceptance as a regulatory body
- Defined entry criteria for practitioners
- Accepted and publicly accessible disciplinary procedures
- Longevity of the practice
There would appear to be differing methods of implementation such as the GMC which registers doctors to practice medicine in the UK, with the stated purpose of to protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine. Accountants meanwhile have six accountancy institutes which operate under Royal Charter which make up a singular body CCAB (Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies).
Whatever the form, these bodies are seen as the monopolistic controller(s) of the individuals who choose to operate within their domain with influence over all matters of professionalism and particularly accountability and ethics.
Ultimately it would seem that if we wish to move on from our state of individual professionalism to that of being a recognised member of a profession, we will have to be willing to give up some of our personal freedoms.
Maybe this is a step too far at this stage for PPM practitioners, though maybe as the domain matures suitable bodies will evolve who can gain the trust and respect of practitioners and the wider population to secure this advancement in the field of programme and project management.
Survey Results
Throughout the day at the Best Practice Showcase 2010 Arras People conducted a mini survey entitled PPM Professional? which questioned practitioners about their views on professionalism. There were 48 respondents and the data was compared against the 2010 Arras People Project Management Benchmark report to check for consistency.
When asked for their primary function the respondent groupings were as follows:
Compared to the 2010 PMBR the demographic for this mini survey has an increase in the percentage of Programme / Project Support practitioners whilst the Project Managers are consistent. In terms of status the number of contractors is down by 10% which may be a reflection of the audience drawn by this kind of event.
When asked about their membership of a professional association they grouped as follows;
This breakdown is again roughly consistent with the PMBR 2010 responses in that of those that are members 59% are associated with the APM, whist PMI has 22%. The numbers of those who are not associated at 44% is 10% lower than the PMBR, which is probably influenced by the narrow respondent group.
*One note of interest is the ongoing confusion regarding membership of the APM where it still appears that some practitioners believe they are members when in fact they are confusing this with their dealings with the APM-Group.
Moving on to the key question of professionalism we asked the respondents to identify how the see themselves, as either practitioners or professionals?
Overall the professionals have the vote with 54%, though as can be seen from the table the more senior the role status the higher the classification as a professional. Programme Managers being the highest group with 71%. This result suggests that respondents see themselves as professional as they accumulate the skills and knowledge required to undertake their assigned roles and climb the career ladder as identified in previous surveys and the PMBR 2010.
We then asked the respondents to identify how the see Project Management, as either an occupation or a profession?
Once again the respondents fell heavily on the side of a profession, with a 80/20 split in favour of Project Management as a profession.
This would suggest that within the group of respondents there is the aspiration to achieve the recognition and status of professionals.
Finally in this group of questions we asked the respondents how they believe the market views Project Management at this time.
The respondents offered a result that once again presented an 80/20 split though this time in favour of the market seeing Project Management as an occupation.
So we have a result that suggests we have a situation where the individual practitioners aspire to be professional, they believe their function deserves professional recognition but are realistic enough to realise that the market (their employers) currently see the function as an occupation!
It would appear that we still have much work to do if we are to raise the bar and achieve the goal of professional recognition. The outer circles of our diagram are still evolving and need to push on to drive the profession forward not only with the family of practitioners but also in the wider public domain if this vision is to become a reality.
Arras Peoples Lindsay Scott Named Top Project Influencer
Apr 22nd
Manchester, UK, 21 April 2010 – Arras People co-Director Lindsay Scott has been named one of ten key influencers in the project management industry by the Association for Project Management (APM) in the April 2010 edition of Project magazine.
Scott, who has served with the the project management recruitment firm based in Heywood since its 2002 inception, was praised for her contributions to the project management market, lauding Scott for her work in social media, stating she has “blazed a trail in social media, working with project managers online to share knowledge and promote professionalism.”
“Outlets like LinkedIn, Twitter, blogging and online resources are very important for us as a business,” Scott says in the article, which has been re-printed in the PM Industry Notes section of the Arras People website. “We’re project managers first and it’s to our advantage to enhance the professionalism of the industry in any way we can. Social media is another great tool to push the message. We work with like-minded project managers to spread the message and share knowledge of how to go about it the right way.
“When we learn, hear or observe things through other project managers in our networks, and that includes social media, that we deem to have integrity, we want to share that with the wider project management community. We use our own social media platform to enable project professions to share their experiences through things like blogging and newsletters.”
Twitter has been a particular boon to career-minded personnel, and Scott maintains a strong network of project management compatriots on Twitter under the identity of @projectmgmt (http://twitter.com/projectmgmt). A former project management office (PMO) guru with Hewlett-Packard, Scott regularly tweets and re-tweets links to blog posts, slideshows, articles and more from some of the industrys leading figures, including those from Arras People and their variety of social media outlets.
Scott believes that despite the current economic struggles, continuing advances in social media gives candidates and clients alike the capacity for growth and success.
“I believe that social media is still in its infancy and will certainly increase its influence in the field of programmes and projects, not to mention recruitment over the coming years,” she says. “Communication and collaboration are the cornerstone of effective programme and project management, so how could it not?”
Arras People’s Lindsay Scott featured in Project Magazine
Apr 6th
Lindsay Scott of Arras People was featured in the April edition of Project magazine as one of the UK's most influential personalities in project management.
Lindsay Scott, co-Director of Arras People, the project management recruitment people, was honoured in the April 2010 issue of Project magazine as one of the 10 “most influential figures in project management” this week. In a profile article titled “Social Climbing”, Lindsay’s prowess in the social media marketing field was lauded by Project “for blazing a trail in social media, working with project managers online to share knowledge and promote professionalism.”
Lindsay, who has spent nearly the entirety of her professional career in and around projects since being hired by Hewlett-Packard 12 years ago out of university, has since gone on to build a unique social media profile using popular tools including Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs in such an effective manner as to inspire a re-think about how social media can influence PPM professionals in a positive manner.
“Outlets like LinkedIn, Twitter, blogging and online resources are very important for us as a business,” Lindsay told Project. “We’re project managers first and its to our advantage to enhance the professionalism of the industry in any way we can. Social media is another great tool to push the message. We work with like-minded project managers to spread the message and share knowledge of how to go about it the right way.”
“When we learn, hear or observe things through other project managers in our networks, and that includes social media, that we deem to have integrity, we want to share that with the wider project management community. We use our own social media platform to enable project professions to share their experiences through things like blogging and newsletters.”
In addition to the possibilities for marketing and knowledge sharing, Lindsay senses great opportunities for better collaboration in project teams through improvements in online and social media communication tools.
“Project managers and their project teams should really look closer at the tools and software which allow for better collaboration. There’s a bounty of tools (which just keep getting better and better) for project professionals to pick up and use to drive better communication in a project setting. It’s what many projects have been waiting for really, something that helps improve that key element of successful project delivery – communication.”
The Project article on Lindsay is available primarily to subscribers, but those wishing to read the original article in its entirety can do so through the Arras People PM Industry Notes webpage. Further details on Lindsay Scott are available on About Arras People’s Directors page. You can collaborate with Lindsay via social media portals including Twitter (twitter.com/projectmgmt), the How to Manage a Camel blog and LinkedIn.
Key Programme and Project Management Competencies, are you Competent?
Feb 24th
Arras People will be sponsoring and presenting at the Programme and Project Support Office Specialist Interest Group (PPSO SIG) conference on the 19th March 2010. The one day conference at the Open University in Milton Keynes will look at what competencies are required for the varying roles within the Programme and Project Office.
The Conference will provide the opportunity for you to discover your own individual competence levels; understand more about how competency and competencies affect your career within the PMO; practical advice on developing competency profiles for you and the PMO team; and the opportunity to hear what your peers are currently doing in the area of PMO competence models.
Each delegate will receive their own individual competence assessment with a FREE copy of the APM Competence Framework, helping them to identify their own personal areas for development.
The conference provides expert led presentations and interactive sessions combined with networking and discussion groups on key topics such as competence frameworks for the PMO, role profiles in the PMO, understanding your own competence assessment and how competence and competencies are viewed and used in the real world.
Lindsay Scott, one of the leading Project and Programme Management recruitment specialists, will provide information on how the industry is using competence as the basis for recruitment and what are the key competencies being requested. Lindsay said;
Its important that the PMO world continues on the road to professionalisation, programme and project managers have competency frameworks available to them but there is nothing for the PMO professional. Im looking forward to being involved in the conference and seeing what the PMO profession is doing in this key area
| Date: | Friday 19th March 2010 |
| Venue: | Open University Campus, Milton Keynes |
| Prices: | 115.00 per person |
To find out more and book your place visit: http://www.ppsosig.co.uk/Events.php
Arras People Plans to Help Aberdeen APM Members Improve CVs
Jan 29th
Arras People, the Project Management Recruitment specialists, will host a CV Workshop at the Association for Project Management (APMs) Aberdeen branch conference in February. Leading project management consultants Michael Hides and Gary Holmes from Arras People will conduct the session as part of the “Development Your Skills for Successful Projects” one day conference.
The conference will feature a series of forums and practical assistance sessions in addition to the CV workshop from Arras People. Sessions from the event intend to address:
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and preparing for Chartered Status
- Assessing competence in a project team
- APMs competency framework
- Assessment of the attendees CPD profile
- Planning your CPD
Arras People have offered free CV workshops & reviews previously at Project Challenge in Birmingham last March, and were overwhelmed by the immediate response. Similar to the Project Management Careers Clinics on offer from Arras People, next month’s CV Workshop opportunity aims to help project professionals improve their attractiveness of their CVs in an increasingly cutthroat job market.
Hides, a chartered engineer that has worked on projects and in organisations large and small, joined Arras People in 2007, bringing with him relevant skills and experience from project management and in sectors including engineering and manufacturing.
“The CV Workshops for the APM are based on our popular project management careers clinics,” Hides said. “The session will be targeted directly at project management professionals which makes the opportunity pretty unique for conference attendees, there is no other careers advice and CV workshops specifically for project management professionals available in the marketplace.”
Holmes brings a solid background in Project Coordination and PMO Support to his work in helping candidates build and develop their CVs for better client attraction. Having worked primarily in the Financial Services sector, Holmes has experience using best practice processes and procedures whilst serving as the lone coordinator of the entirety of projects within a single programme.
“The advice we give to project management professionals is based on eight years experience of working within the project management recruitment field,” Holmes said. We know what organisations and employers want to see in professional CVs so the session is all about passing on advice, hints and tips that help job seekers make the most of their CV.”
The event is scheduled to be held from 9am-5.30pm 16th February at the Hilton Treetops Hotel, Aberdeen.
NOTES ABOUT THE ABERDEEN APM MEETING
“Developing Your Skills for Successful Projects” is not open only to members of the APM or even Aberdeen APM branch members. To learn more about booking your place at the event, go to www.apm.org.uk/scotland/eventDevelopi2.asp?pdate=0-0&branch=9.
For more information on the project management careers clinics at Arras People
www.arraspeople.co.uk/cand/careers_clinics.html.
Arras People to Attend BPUG Congress
Jan 8th
Arras People, the Project Management Recruitment Specialist are delighted to announce they will be exhibiting at the forthcoming International Congress for Project, Programme and Risk Management 2010, taking place at the Royal Lancaster, London on 9th 10th February 2010. www.bpugcongress.com
BPUG Congress now in its third year, is established as the UK’s number one event for project, programme and risk managers who actively look forward to an intense 48 hours of meeting, networking and sharing ideas on project, programme and risk management. Arras People is particularly proud to be taking part in the BPUG Congress especially as it has become widely recognised for its impressive speakers and ample opportunities for delegates to actively learn about key Project, Programme and Risk Management issues.
Lindsay Scott Director at Arras People said; BPUG Congress is one of the best conferences you could attend in the Project/Programme/Risk Management field today. It has fantastic experienced speakers talking about the real project management themes which are important for project practitioners today. There is also great networking opportunities available to meet peers who work in leading public and private sector organisations.
ARRAS PEOPLE PROVIDING 1-2-1 ADVICE AND FEEDBACK
Delegates attending the Congress will also have the opportunity to meet Arras People. Arras will be providing 1-2-1 feedback sessions on CVs and advice on the current Project and Programme management climate. Arras will also share newly released information on issues PM professionals are currently facing from their 2010 Project Management Benchmark Report. Now in its fifth year, the 2010 Report takes an in-depth look at current issues and hot topics within the PPM field, issues such as work/life balance, gender equality, public vs. private sector, training and accreditation, along with data points on salaries, remuneration and market rates.
Whether youre a candidate looking for market information or a client who wants an informal chat on future business requirements and resourcing needs, Arras will be available between seminars sessions and talks said Lindsay Scott.
It really is a great event which makes the most of breaks and networking opportunities.
BPGU Congress highlights;
Building on the 2009 event run by BPUG, this years congress will be:
- Case study led – featuring actual project, programme and risk managers from leading public and private sector organisations
- Highly relevant – with focused workshops on key issues such as methodology refreshes, making change happen, adding value and making the most of your qualifications
- Inspiring – with keynote sessions led by practitioners on real, practical lessons learned, warts-and-all
- Immediately useful – covering the core topics that we are all facing: gaining stake holder buy-in, benefits realisation, change management and strategic risk management and many others
- Comprehensive covering all the major methodologies including M_o_R, MSP, PRINCE2, Agile, P3M3, P3O and OGC Maturity Models.
The opening keynote speaker on day one is Sir Nicholas Montagu who will lead a session on:
Lead & Manage in Complex Organisations
Lessons & inspiration for people at all levels A UK Civil Servant for 30 years, Sir Nicholas Montagu led the Inland Revenue through the greatest change in its 200 year history. This session will outline the key challenges he faced and how he confronted them, tackling issues such as bureaucracy and apathy, working with limited time and resources, and facilitating leadership at all levels.
Other impressive speakers include:
- Tony Smith, Regional Director, UK Border Agency – London and the South East, The Home Office
- Lucinda Garrett, Head of New Business and Change, Upstream Production & Development, Centrica
- Richard Tucker, Advisor to the CIO of the US Governments Department of Education, USA
- Amanda Comber, Head of Programme Office, Rabobank
- Glyn Evans, Director of Change, Birmingham City Council
- Keith Berryman, Managing Director, Crossrail
- Peter Taylor, EMEA Project Management Office Director, Siemens
Both BPUG congress and Arras People look forward to meeting project professionals in February
Arras People’s Director Named Expert For Guardian Careers Live Forum
Jan 7th
Lindsay Scott, Director of Recruitment at Arras People, will answer your questions about project management live online Tuesday from 1-4pm GMT.
Arras People, the Project Management Recruitment specialists, can reveal that one of their leading PM experts has been formally invited by Guardian Careers to participate as an expert panellist in an online Live Q&A about project management next week.
Lindsay Scott, Director of Recruitment at Arras People since the companys 2002 inception, will serve as one of four renowned experts during the live online question and answer session on Tuesday, 12th January between 1pm 4pm. Details of how to join in the live forum are listed below.
Noted for her expertise in project offices and project co-ordination recruitment and skills, Ms Scott previously worked for Hewlett-Packard as a Project Co-ordinator and later as a Project Office Manager. Her service with HP led to the development of skills working with a variety of markets, including e-commerce, retail, telecoms, public sector and defence. As Project Office Manager, Ms Scott established and fine-tuned the UK project office for HP while also guiding and supporting the companys European project office functions.
A tireless student & expert on project office support issues, Ms Scott is also an active member of the Programme and Project Support Office Specialist Interest Group (PPSO SIG). This endeavour has allowed her to provide voluntary assistance in areas such as web development, media and conference arrangement.
As a project management recruitment specialist we provide advice to job seekers everyday so taking part in the Guardian Careers Forum will be an extension of that, Scott said. Im looking forward to providing advice to a cross section of people and hopefully Ill be able to provide some real practical hints and tips for people looking for a career in project management.
Ms Scotts expertise has been in demand in recent years. She has contributed worldwide to periodicals including Project Manager Today, Project Management Institute (PMI), Project Magazine and PM Network, as well as blogging regularly at Arras Peoples project management weblog, How to Manage a Camel. That demand results in large part due to the success of Arras Peoples annual Project Management Benchmark Report, a survey of UK project management professionals on the trends and issues currently affecting the profession. The 2009 report covered matters including salary, rates, experience and working climate in the recession. Data from that survey revealed that 84 per cent of PMs feel that they have a significant role to play in helping the UK economy out of its current economic difficulties.
The 2010 report, the fifth annual edition of the survey findings offered by Arras People, is due out on February 1.
The report has been a really useful guide to project management professionals in the UK over the last four years, Scott said. Its particularly useful for people wanting to gain a deeper understanding of the current project management marketplace and the salary or contractor rate levels for the sectors.
Other panellists include Tarquin Bennett-Coles, director of RSA Interims; Fergus OConnell, founder of ETP; and Steve Armstrong, lecturer and chair of the project management course at the Open University.
NOTES ABOUT THE LIVE Q&A
The session can be found by clicking the Project Management link under the Live Q&A page inside the Forum tab on the Guardian Careers website. The full URL is available here: http://careers.guardian.co.uk/forums?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3afbe1954f-19a7-4006-82a3-08b5319f4c1dForum%3a7296f258-6ce7-4743-b359-795e7661e245Discussion%3ace5d8eb3-4138-497c-9756-8b007c6a68e1
Arras People Study Concludes Public Sector Needs Serious Changes in PPM Talent Attraction & Retention Approach
Jul 10th
Having delved into their own research to find out more the need to find, attract and retain top project and programme management talent, project management consultancy firm Arras People have determined that the public sector will need to pay the market rate for permanent project & programme managers.
The study cites data from the Arras People 2009 Project Management Benchmark Report that shows significant efforts in the public sector to pay the going rates for contractors at the higher levels of project management seniority, but a significant drop off in similar commitment to long term permanent seniority hires.
The hits the project management industry could take for these discrepancies are significant. Arras People have concluded from the data that;
The Public sector will continue to have serious issues in attracting and retaining permanent programme and project management talent unless they take a serious look at the pay structures that they can offer in order to be competitive with the Private sector.
The Public sector will continue to have to pay a premium over market rate to attract interim and contract senior programme and project management professionals to work in their sector.
Senior programme and project management professionals will continue to leave the civil service and return as premium rate contractors if it is perceived as the only way to bridge the pay gap.
The Public sector’s inability to ensure sustainable long-term, permanent Senior Project professionals could significantly affect the knowledge-transfer back into the Public sector department of the projects left behind by the departing contractors following the successful completion of projects by said contractors.
After reviewing data compiled for contractors and interims supplied through the survey (see figure below), a very clear picture emerged in terms of the spread when measured by average day rate attained. For contractors, the first point of convergence between public and private day wages occurs at around the 325 per day rate, where typically senior support / project managers are operating. To the left of this mean, higher levels of Public sector contractors are working at the lower levels of pay than Private counterparts, whilst after this convergence point the Private sector kicks in to open a wide differential to the 450/day mark.
But the most interesting point of convergence occurs around the 600/day point, after which the Public sector begins to pay more than the market rate. This point remains interesting because, as future data will show, senior permanent employees in the Public sector are simply not rewarded nearly as handsomely as those senior employees in the Private sector. Considering one side (Public) could be perceived to be merely a feeder system for the larger scale opportunities on the other side, permanent project management professionals cannot be blamed for looking at whats available to them in the real world.
Again using key data from the Arras People 2009 Project Management Benchmark Report, it was discovered that the data for the salary scale for permanent project management showed a noticeable pattern when cut by Public / Private sector respondents (see image below).
While there is a very neat convergence in the project manager area around 42,000, which is recognised as a current median for project manager pay, the scales tip on either side of the convergence. To the left of the convergence, there are more respondents in the Public sector in the lower pay levels bracket than those working in the Private sector. On the right of the median, the opposite happens between the elevated pay levels from 42,000 to 90,000 range, as the numbers in the Public sector fall significantly below both the mean and the pay levels achieved in the Private sector.
Arras People concluded:
Public sector project management professionals that successfully deliver high-profile public projects are later jumping ship to the private sector to reap the rewards.
There are plenty of lower paid roles in the Public sector which remain competitive (if not advantageous when the benefits packages are added) through to the market median for a project manager.
For more senior roles, the Public sector is unable or unwilling to match the rates that the Private sector will pay for the more experienced PPM professionals.
The Public sector appears willing to eat the short-term senior level wages and the complications of handover instead taking on long term, senior level personnel that can manage long-term sustainability in an effective manner.
Whilst Arras People recognise that in the modern world pay is not the only element which drives talent recruitment and retention, it is still a big part of any decision-making process. Coupled with pay, PPM professionals are also looking for a career path and commitment to training and advancement in their chosen careers. As such, Arras believes that the Public sector needs to overhaul its approach to PPM professionals and conduct a root and branch review of where it sees this crucial talent pool.
Most, if not all, government departments are in the business of delivering projects and need to firstly recognise this fact. They then need to restructure their approach to PPM. By building PPM communities across the whole of the civil service and putting in place career structures, development paths and market matching salary levels, the Public sector can build PPM Centres of Excellence (CoE) that people will want to be a part of and, more crucially, remain within. These CoEs should drive the quality and standards associated with delivery and, in the longer term, provide an excellent return on investment, whilst reducing the amount of spend on contractors who ultimately take away their knowledge and experience.
The PPM Council, under the sponsorship of the OGC (Office of Government Commerce) and headed by Nigel Smith, would appear to have recognised some of these issues; but given that its broad area of interest and lack of ability to mandate, individual departments will need to address these challenges if they are not to be left behind in the PPM stakes.
