Gower Handbook of Project Management (3rd ed.)

Gower Handbook of Project Management (3rd ed.)

Edited by Rodney Turner and Stephen J. SimisterGowerISBN 0 566 08128 5£75

Keywords: Project management, Management development

This is a thoroughly restructured and revised edition of a highly successful book. The new content is shaped by, and linked to, the body of knowledge produced by the International Project Management Association and the Project Management Institute of the USA and is therefore particularly relevant to anyone studying to a qualification validated by either of these bodies. However, the book covers material which is of interest to practicing managers as well as those more formally studying the subject. Obviously in a book of this kind you get contrasting styles from different contributors. This can either be refreshing or distracting – but in this case the quality of the contributions makes up for any lack of coherence of style. The coverage is best described by listing the seven parts that make up the book:

• 1.

  systems of project management;

• 2.

  the context of projects including political, economic, social, technical,legal and environmental issues;

• 3.

  the management of performance including functionality, quality, time, cost,risk and safety;

• 4.

  the management of the project life-cycle;

• 5.

  the management of commercial issues including appraisal and finance;

• 6.

  the management of contracts;

• 7.

  the management of the people involved.

This broad and complete coverage makes this a veritable encyclopaedia for the discipline.

Phil Harris