Project Management- Chapter 3

Which of the following are strengths of the dedicated project team approach?

-A high level of motivation and cohesiveness often emerges within the project team. -Specialists from different areas work closely together and become committed to optimizing the project.

Which organizational structure works best for projects?

-A system that balances the needs of the project with those of the parent organization

Which aspects of organizational culture bind people together and create shared meaning?

-Beliefs -Norms -Values -Assumptions

If an organization has very few projects, then a less formal arrangement is probably all that is required. ____ ____ could be created on an as-needed basis and the organization could outsource project work.

-Dedicated -Teams

Which are the primary benefits of using a dedicated project management structure.

-Simpler. -Faster.

Which of the following are means to determine an organization's culture?

-Study the physical characteristics of an organization. -Interpret stories and folklore surrounding an organization. -Observe how people interact within an organization.

Identify a true statement about a balanced matrix.

-The functional manager is concerned with how the task defined by the project manager can be accomplished.

Why do project managers have to be aware of organizational culture to help guide a project to success?

-To be able to interact with external stakeholders -To be able to interact with diverse departments

What are the key reasons project managers have to be able to "read and speak" the culture in which they are working?

-To develop responses that are likely to be understood and accepted by stakeholders -To develop strategies that are likely to be understood and accepted by stakeholders

There is empirical evidence that project success is directly linked to the amount of ____ and ____ project managers have over their projects.

-autonomy -authority

The metaphor the textbook choose to describe the relationship between organizational culture and project management is that of a riverboat trip. ____ is the river and the ____ is the boat.

-culture -project

A functional structure is best suited when a single department has a:

-dominant role. -dominant interest.

The advantages of a functional project organization include:

-easy post-project transition. -maximum flexibility in the use of staff.

When deciding on a project management structure, the needs of the parent organization and the project have to be balanced in terms of:

-how authority will be delegated. -how project outcomes will be used. -how resources will be allocated.

What are the weaknesses of the project team approach?

-is characterized by difficulty in post-project transition. -It is expensive. -It limits technological expertise.

A ____ ____ ____(PMO) is a centralized unit within an organization or a department that oversees and supports the execution of projects. (Use the abbreviation to fill the blank.)

-project -management -office

Who typically coordinates a project when one functional area plays a dominant role, or has a dominant interest, in a project being executed with a functional organization structure?

A high ranking manager from that area.

This type of PMO has direct authority over projects.

Command and control center

____ helps define what is permissible and inappropriate behavior.

Culture

Which statement best describes the connection between corporate cultures and project management structure for success?

Culture influences project structure.

Evaluation of individual factors will clearly define company culture.

False

No single organizational culture can guarantee project success, however it is clear that ___.

an optimal culture would balance success with process.

Under adverse cultural conditions, to succeed, a project manager's authority of a project team should ___.

be "significant", such as a strong matrix or a dedicated project team.

The lack of horizontal (direct) lines of communication in a functional project organization will generally cause a longer project completion time due to...

delayed realization of the impact of other team members work.

In a functional organization, coordination of projects is maintained through _____.

normal channels

If large percentage of work involves projects, then an organization should consider a fully ____ organization.

projectized

As set forth by Casey and Peck (2001), the goal of a ______ PMO is to provide the organization with a cadre of trained project managers and professionals.

resource pool

As an employee, which best describes how to define corporate culture?

Seeing how people act to achieve career success.

Which of the following is a characteristic responsibility of the project manager on a dedicated project team?

The project manager recruits project team members.

What differentiates a strong matrix project management structure from a functional project management structure?

The strong matrix has a formally designated project manager.

Which of the following are true about companies that are predominantly project organizations, such as construction or software firms?

-Functional departments exist to be support staff for project teams. -The organization is structured around projects. -Personnel may work on multiple projects at the same time.

Identify the disadvantages of a functional project organization. (Check all that apply.)

-Lack of ownership. -Conflict between "routine" work and "project" work.

Which of the following factors, identified by Hobbs and Ménard (1993), influence the choice of project management structure?

-Size of project -Number of departments involved -Strategic importance -Novelty and need for innovation

As identified by Hobbs and Ménard (1993), which of the following factors influence the choice of project management structure?

-Stability of resource requirement -Environmental complexity -Budget and time constraints

Which of the following are problems or weaknesses with using a matrix structure for projects?

-Stressful -Infighting -Slow -Dysfunctional conflict

List the primary benefits of using a matrix type of project management structure.

-Strong project focus -Efficient use of resources

How long, according to experts, does it take for a matrix system to fully mature?

3-5 years

What is considered a potential negative result of utilizing dedicated project teams, especially in a historically functional organization?

A "we-they" attitude.

____ project teams operate as units separate from the rest of the parent organization.

Dedicated

____ projects are low-risk, short-term projects that involve minor adjustments in existing products and processes.

Incremental

What is the main role of functional departments in organizations where projects are the dominant form of business, such as construction and software?

Provide support/assistance as needed.

Match the key dimensions that define an organization's culture with the elements on their continuum. Risk tolerance----> Reward criteria----> Control----> Open-system focus---->

Risk tolerance----> -Low and High Reward criteria----> -Performance and Other Control----> -Loose and Tight Open-system focus----> -Internal and External

Project management systems need to balance the organizational structure and that of the project group with respect to ___.

authority.

A key goal for an organization using a matrix structure of project management is ___.

to create a project focus along with maintenance of functional duties.

A key goal for an organization using a matrix structure for project management is ___.

to optimize resource utilization.

In a matrix organization, ____ for projects can be shared across multiple projects as well as within functional divisions.

-resources

When the dominant organizational culture inhibits collaboration and innovation, it is advisable to insulate the project team from the dominant culture. Here it becomes necessary to create a ____ - ____ project team.

-self -sufficient

A ____ or ____ culture is one that is not widely shared or practiced within a firm.

-thin -weak

In a matrix system, there are usually how many chains of command

2

Match these weaknesses with using a matrix structure for projects with their descriptions. Dysfunctional conflict----> Infighting----> Stressful----> Slow---->

Dysfunctional conflict----> The matrix approach is predicated on tension between functional managers and project managers who bring critical expertise and perspectives to the project. Infighting----> Any situation in which equipment, resources, and people are being shared across projects and functional activities lends itself to conflict and competition for scarce resources. Stressful----> Matrix management violates the management principle of unity of command. Slow----> Decision making can get bogged down, as agreements have to be forged across multiple functional groups.

True or false: Matrix organizations face their greatest challenge in post-project transition.

False

What is an advantage of the functional organization structure?

In-depth expertise is available.

Which statement best describes the connection between corporate culture and project management structure for success?

Matrix management structures are highly dependent upon company culture.

____ projects are medium-risk projects involving system upgrades that yield new products and processes.

Platform

In the context of a matrix structure, match the following roles in project management with their responsibilities.

Project Manager----> -What has to be done? -When should the task be done? -How much money is available to do the task? Functional manager----> -How will it be done? -How will the project involvement impact normal functional activities? -How well has the functional input been integrated?

Research suggests that there are 10 primary characteristics that, in aggregate, capture the essence of an organization's culture. Match these characteristics with their description. Risk tolerance----> Reward criteria----> Conflict tolerance----> Means versus ends orientation----> Open-systems focus---->

Risk tolerance----> -The degree to which employees are encouraged to be aggressive, innovative, and chance taking. Reward criteria----> -The degree to which rewards such as promotion and salary increases are allocated according to employee performance rather than seniority, favoritism, or other nonperformance factors. Conflict tolerance----> -The degree to which employees are encouraged to air concerns and criticisms openly. Means versus ends orientation----> -The degree to which management focuses on outcomes rather than on techniques and processes used to achieve those results. Open-systems focus----> -The degree to which an organization monitors and responds to changes in the external environment.

One of the approaches to organizing projects is to simply manage them within the existing ____ hierarchy of the organization, which involves delegating different segments of the project to respective functional units. (Enter only one word per blank.)

functional

Matrix management is a _____ organizational structure, in which a horizontal project management structure is overlaid on the normal functional structure.

hybrid