An Assessment of Project Management Practices in the Meralco Process & Standards Team: Activities and Challenges Throughout the Project Lifecycle

Abstract

This study assessed project management practices of the Meralco Process & Standards Team, focusing on awareness, application, challenges across the project lifecycle, and factors relevant to project success. A descriptive mixed-methods design involved 30 purposively selected Business Analysts. Data were collected through a Likert-scale questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, observations, and reviews of internal project documents. Quantitative responses were summarized descriptively, while qualitative accounts were thematically examined and triangulated with documents. The instrument demonstrated excellent overall internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .97). Respondents were highly aware of lifecycle practices (overall mean = 4.50), particularly execution (4.78) and initiation (4.63), whereas practices were often applied (overall mean = 3.86), with execution highest (4.09) and monitoring and control lowest (3.63). Perceived challenges across ten knowledge areas were neutral overall (2.59), with schedule management receiving the highest challenge mean (3.35). The qualitative findings identified clear objectives, defined scope, communication, leadership, and teamwork as important perceived conditions for project success; document review highlighted effort-intensive documentation, stakeholder alignment, and testing. Findings indicate an awareness–application gap and support standardized work-planning tools, progress reporting, stakeholder coordination, and practical capacity-building. These recommendations respond to the team’s identified process needs rather than establishing causal effects on project outcomes.