Anatomy of a Project: Influential Factors on a Greenfield Power Generation Project at Caterpillar's Seguin, Texas Facility

In 2016 Caterpillar Inc. made the corporate decision to close the Newberry, SC manufacturing facility and move a portion of their power generation product line to the engine assembly facility in Seguin, TX. This case study documented and evaluated the project management strategy utilized to execute the transition. The case study aimed to understand the power generation project’s effectiveness. The case study’s research questions included:

1. What factors facilitated or hindered the power generation transition project?

2. How did the project team develop the project plan, prepare for the execution, and ultimately execute the project?

3. How was the team developed from project management to initial leadership?

Utilizing qualitative research methods available in NVivo 12 Pro, including analyzing the project’s details and reviewing similar project methods in Seguin, the research summarized the project and presented an evaluation to understand project management within the facility. The resultant themes aligned with Olivier Mesly’s (2016, p. 14) project management “four P’s,” including “plan,” “process,” “people,” and “power.” In addition, “challenges” was added as an additional theme to capture important influences on the project.

The resultant research culminated in recommendations that organizations within Caterpillar Seguin can use to execute large-scale, complex projects.