I was asked to:

1. Identify the project stakeholders and what stake each one has on the project?

2. What are the sources of project stakeholder conflict in this case study and explain how Zain's communication approach with project stakeholders is influencing the conflict, pros and cons, in the execution of the project?

CASE STUDY: KEHINDE TECHNOLOGY

Kate is the newly appointed plant manager for Kehinde Technology's (KT) new Logistics warehouse that VSD Industrial was designing and building for KT in Luanda, Angola. She is currently based at KT's headquarters in Durban, South Africa, but will be relocating to Angola as soon as construction started.

Kate:

• Kate's call to Zain. "This is Kate calling again. It is Wednesday 9am. I need to talk to you. I have not heard from you in a while, and I need an update on the project. There are also some changes to the equipment placement in the building that I need to discuss with you. I have tried to email you several times in the past couple of weeks, but I receive an undeliverable message notification. Are you having problems with your email? Please urgently return my call today. I have to present a report to the board of directors on Monday and I need to know the status of the project".

Kate ended the call after leaving voicemail. She was not happy as she had been trying to get in touch with Zain for several weeks. She thought to herself, "That's it! If he does not return my call today, I am escalating to his boss first thing tomorrow morning".

Zain is the project manager for VSD Industrial, the prime contractor for the design and construction of the new warehouse. His office is in Mombasa, Kenya. Even though he had previously managed several projects they were smaller and in the Mombasa area. He knew most of the subcontractors from working with them on various projects. The KT project in Angola was by far the largest and most complex project ever assigned to him. For example, on this project two of the major subcontractors were located in Germany and Japan.

When the project started Zain called a brief team meeting and confidently told them the following:

Zain:

• "Luanda and Durban are no different from Mombasa, and as far as the German and Japanese subcontractors are concerned my approach will be straight forward. Build the equipment and facility according to our specifications and deliver on time, or they do not get paid. It is as simple as that. No excuses, and no negotiations. The KT contract has a bonus clause for early completion, and I intend to get that bonus. So we have got to play hard ball with all our subcontractors, we cannot let any of their delays screw up our chances for the bonus. And another thing, we need to be very tough on entertaining any changes from the customer. That will give them a reason for delays and an excuse for not paying the bonus."
• "We have got some pretty good senior people assigned to this project so we should be able to start fast. Everyone should pretty much know what needs to be done, so we should not have to spend a lot of time in meetings discussing and figuring things out. We can focus all out time doing the job rather than talking about it. Do not bog me down with paperwork or emails. I will have enough to do tracking our budgets and schedules, keeping on top of our subcontractors, keeping KT from making a bunch of changes, and keeping our own management off our backs".

When Zain came back to his office after lunch, Wanjiru, his administrative assistant advised him that she has checked his voice messages and Kate had left another one where she said she needs to talk to him about some changes, and that his email was not working.