Project Management Final

Which of the following administrative promises can a project manager make to functional employees who are still attached administratively to their line managers? A) Salary increases B) Promotions in grade C) Overtime pay D) Added responsibility on the project E) None of the above

E

In line-staff project management, the ultimate authority on the project resides with the division manager. A) True B) False

A

Historically, project management resided only in _____________. A) Computer industries B) Health care industries C) Non-project-driven industries D) Project-driven industries E) Hybrid industries

D

At remote locations, functional employees take technical direction from the project manager. This situation would also exist at the home office for: A) Tiger Team projects B) Matrix projects C) Projects in the manufacturing life-cycle phase D) All of the above E) b and c only

A

Broadly speaking, effective project management requires an understanding of which three major areas?A) Quantitative tools, organizational behavior, organizational structures B) Quantitative tools, marketing, working with people C) Customer relations, planning skills, cost control D) Managing your customer, employee relations, scheduling E) Scheduling techniques, wage and salary administration, organizational behavior

A

Absolute factors that describe conditions that alternatives must meet are called: A) Objectives B) Requirements C) Selection criteria D) Constraints E) None of the above

D

The reporting level of the project manager is often dependent upon: A) The dollar value of the project B) Who the customer is C) The risk to the company D) Whether the organization is project- or non-project-driven E) All of the above are possible

E

Project management is designed to overcome the __________________ gaps between the various levels of management. A) Class or prestige B) Marketing C) Marketing and engineering D) Executive E) None of the above

A

Project management restructuring allowed companies to manage projects that _____________. A) Could not be handled by the traditional organization B) Had undefined objectives C) Did not require effective cost control D) Require little functional integration

A

Project manager selection is usually made by the: A) Senior levels of management B) Customer's selection process C) Line management based upon cooperation on past projects D) Voting by the team members

A

Project team members often feel threatened by the possibility of the cancellation of the project. In which organizational form is this threat the greatest? A) Projectized B) Strong matrix C) Balanced matrix D) Weak matrix

A

Proper implementation of project management allows decisions to be: A) Made at a lower level in the organization B) Made by committees rather than individuals C) More time-consuming D) All of the above E) b and c only

A

Strange as it may seem, project managers should encourage conflicts to take place during recruitment and staffing. A) True B) False

A

Successful project management is often based upon how well the ____________ keeps his/her promises to the project. A) Line manager B) Functional employee C) Project sponsor D) Customer interface E) All of the above

A

Successful project management requires a good daily working relationship between project and line managers. A) True B) False

A

The best way to minimize project risk is to: A) Perform better planning B) Select a project manager who has advanced degrees C) Select a project manager who is a technical expert D) Have a senior executive assigned as the sponsor E) Implement a project management cost control system

A

Which of the following is generally not one of the five processes that historically were integrated into an enterprise project management methodology? A) Manpower staffing B) Total quality management C) Scope change management D) Risk management

A

Which of the following is not one of the three critical terms to consider when looking at organizational workflow? A) Span of control B) Authority C) Responsibility D) Accountability

A

Which of the following is the role of the PM rather than the role of the functional manager? A) What work will be done B) How the work will be done C) Who will do it D) Where it will be done

A

Which of the following is usually not a major concern for the PM during the organizational staffing process? A) Union versus nonunion personnel B) Where the resources will come from C) Skill level of the resources D) Type of organizational structure for the project?

A

Which of the following techniques led to the acceptance of project management principles? A) Ineffectiveness of over-the-fence management B) Total quality management C)Six Sigma D) The need for better management of smaller projects

A

Determining "who" will do the work, "where" the work will be done, and "how" the work will be done is most often the responsibility of the: A) Project manager B) Line manager C) Senior levels of management D) Customer interface E) All of the above

B

During the past few years, which project management skill seems to have outpaced all other skills? A) Technical skills B) Business conceptual skills C) Behavioral skills D) Problem-solving skills

B

In a weak matrix structure, teamwork is not vital for project success because the team members are under the control of their functional manager. A) True B) False

B

In sequential order, the Stages of Team Development are ________, ___________, ____________ and ____________. A) Forming, Storming, Norming, Reforming B) Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing C) Forming, Norming, Storming, Reforming D) Forming, Norming, Storming, Performing

B

In which of the following structures is budgeting and cost control easier to perform? A) Strong matrix B) Classical C) Balanced matrix D) Weak matrix

B

In which organizational form does the project manager have the greatest authority over the assigned resources? A) Traditional B) Projectized C) Strong matrix D) Weak matrix

B

Once an employee is assigned to a project, the project manager has the authority to provide team members with work assignments above their pay grade so that they can get promoted. A) True B) False

B

Professionally trained people with advanced degrees often prefer: A) To work on project tasks alone B) To work in groups with people devoted to their discipline C) To work in groups with people not devoted to their discipline D) Never to work on project teams

B

Project expeditors generally have authority over the funtional managers. A) True B) False

B

Projects accomplished by one organization unit are ____________ projects. A) Individual B) Staff C) Special D) Matrix E) Any of the above

B

Successful project management does not require that people understand how to report to multiple bosses. A) True B) False

B

The major difference between projects and programs is usually: A) Cost B) Time C) Technology requirements D) Quality requirements

B

The primary advantage of systems is the __________effect. A) Profitability B) Synergistic C) Extended D) Resource-reduction E) All of the above

B

Under most situations, functional employees that are assigned to a project take their technical direction from: A) The project manager B) Their line manager C) The project sponsor D) The customer's in-house representative E) All of the above

B

Which individual has to cope most frequently with an unplanned absence of resources, breakdown of resources, loss of resources, and turnover of personnel? A) Project manager B) Line manager C) Senior management/sponsor D) Customer interface E) All of the above

B

Which of the following is normally not part of a team member's role? A) Accepting responsibility for a deliverable B) Sharing information with the sponsor C) Sharing information with the team D) Completing the work at the earliest possible time.

B

Which of the following is not a major benefit of using life cycle phases? A) Providing structure to project management B) Easier task of selecting the project manager C) Standardizing planning, scheduling and control D) Structured decision making

B

Which of the following is not necessarily an obstacle to effective project management? A) Changes in technology B) Changes in project sponsorship C) Increased project complexity D) Unstable economy

B

Which of the following is not one of the integration mechanisms considered when creating work integration positions? A) Rules and procedures B) Project manager's rank and pay grade C) Planning processes D) Direct contact

B

Which of the following is often regarded as the best way to train project managers? A) Formal education B) On-the-job training C) Seminars D) Personal readings

B

Which of the following is reflective of the changes in project management according to Dr. Thamhain? A) Moving from dynamic to linear processes B) Moving toward full utilization of information technology C) Moving away from the use of an enterprise-wide methodology D) Moving from effectiveness to efficiency

B

Which of the following three types of deliverables discussed in the book would be used to classify the final report that must be presented to the customer at the end of the project? A) Hardware deliverables B) Software deliverables C) Interim deliverables D) Validation deliverables

B

Which of the follwing most likely represents a project champion rather than a project manager? A) manages people B) seeks perfection C) willing to take risks D) prefers to work in groups

B

Which organizational structure generally retains team members long after they are needed? A) Strong matrix B) Projectized C) Balanced matrix D) Weak matrix

B

With a line-staff organizational structure, department managers will readily accept instructions from the project manager. A) True B) False

B

Factor(s) that appear to accelerate the acceptance of project management include: A) TQM B) Concurrent engineering C) Empowerment D) All of the above E) a and c only

D

Forces that lead executives to the recognition for the need for project management are called: A) Imperative forces B) Leading indicators C) Forces of expectations D) Driving forces E) Perception factors

D

Improper project administrative planning can create a situation that requires: A) A continuous revision and/or establishment of company and/or project policies, procedures, and directives B) A continuous shifting in organizational responsibility and possible unncesessary restructuring C) A need for additional staff to support new knowledge and new skill requirements D) All of the above E) a and b only

D

In a line-staff organizational structure, the person heading up the project is called the: A) Project supervisor B) Project leader C) Project coordinator D) Project division leader

D

In departmental project management, the person that ultimately ends up managing the project, assuming several departments are involved, is the: A) Project manager B) Project leader C) Department manager(s) D) Division manager above all of the departments

D

In which organizational form do we usually have a sharing of authority and responsibility? A) Traditional B) Projectized C) Line-staff D) Matrix

D

In which organizational form do we usually have the best balance among the time, cost and performance constraints on a project? A) Traditional B) Projectized C) Line-staff D) Matrix

D

In which organizational form is response to the customer's needs the slowest? A) Weak matrix B) Projectized C) Strong matrix D) Traditional

D

Non-project-driven organizations are characterized by: A) A minimum number of projects B) Decision delays because of the vertical chain of command C) More approvals being required D) All of the above E) a and c only

D

Probably the greatest risk to a project manager on a long-term project is to receive the best employees and then: A) Have them seek perfection rather than just meeting the requirements B) Find that your costs are escalating C) Being unable to motivate them D) Losing them to other projects at an inopportune time

D

Project managment is designed to be: A) A unity of command methodology B) A methodology with maximum authority resting with the project manager C) A methodology with maximum responsibility resting with the line managers D) Shared accountabliity between project and line managers E) None of the above

D

Successful project management can be defined as achieving project objectives: A) Within time B) Within cost C) At the desired performance/technology level D) All of the above E) a and b only

D

The PM's role with regard to interface management does not include interfacing: A) Within the project team B) Between the project team and functional organizations C) Between the project team and senior management D) Between senior management and various external stakeholders

D

The most difficult decision for a sponsor at the gate review meetings is to: A) Allow the project to continue without an increae in the budget B) Allow the project to continue with a budget increase C)Approval of scope changes D) Cancel the project

D

The person most qualified to assess the overall risk in a work package activity in a project is the: A) PM B) Sponsor C) Team member D) Team member and/or line manager

D

The primary difference between formal versus informal execution of a project is the: A) Time constraint B) Budgetary considerations C) Need for a breakthrough in technology D) Amount of paperwork

D

The wrong people are often selected as project managers because of: A) A belief that project management maturity comes with age B) A belief that someone who knows the customer well will make the best project manager C) A belief that entrepreneurial skills are always necessary D) All of the above

D

Typical cost overruns on government contracts in the early years of project management reached: A) 20% B) 50% C) 100% D)300%

D

Under which of the following situations can an employee be terminated from the project? A) Failure to follow rules, policies, and procedures B) Failure to accept formal authority C) When professionalism is more important than company loyalty D) All of the above

D

Which of the following is a job-related characteristic that a PM should possess or may be expected to possess? A) Necessity for feasibility studies B) Project's priority and risks C) Requirement for complex technical expertise D) All of the above

D

Which of the following is directly controlled by the project manager? A) Money B) Manpower C) Information/technology D) None of the above

D

Which of the following is normally not one of the traditional components of the triple constraint? A) Within time B) Within cost C) Within performance (scope, technology or quality) D) Accepted by the customer

D

Which of the following is not a present view of project management? A) Accomplishing more work in less time and with fewer people B) A reduction in power and authority struggles C) Improvements in quality D) Providing good products rather than business solutions

D

Which of the following problems affects the functional manager's ability to staff and support a project during execution? A) Limited availablity of resources B) Predetermined deadlines C) Unscheduled changes to the project plan D) All of the above

D

Which people generally receive no visibility or credit for a job well done? A) Project sponsors B) Project managers C) Project team members D) Functional managers

D

With the project expeditor organizational structure, the expeditor is usually brought on board: A) At the beginning of the project B) At the end of the first life cycle phase C) When the project is 50% complete D) When a problem arises

D

Company resources generally include all of the following except: A) Money B) People C) Equipment and facilities D) Information and technology E) All of the above are resources

E

Executives are often reluctant to properly support project management because: A) Of the authority that must be delegated downward B) Of the decision-making that must be delegated downward C) Of a fear of losing control of resources D) Of a poor understanding of project management E) All of the above

E

Formal project management may be required if: A) The activities are complex B) Cross-functional integration is required C) The environment is dynamic D) The constraints are tight E) All of the above

E

Improper project management can result in: A) Decreased profits B) Late introduction of new products into the marketplace C) An inability to cope with new technology D) Increased labor requirements E) All of the above

E

In which type of projects do organizations generally have a poor cost monitoring/control system? A) In-house R&D B) Small construction C) Management information systems D) Pure engineering E) All of the above

E

Project management restructuring may be beneficial in that it permits companies to: A) Accomplish tasks that could not be handled effectively by the traditional structure B) Eliminate executive involvement in projects C) Accomplish one-time activities with minimal organizational disruption D) All of the above E) a and c only

E

Project management restructuring may be detrimental if: A) Project priorities disrupt the ongoing business B) Competition for project talent disrupts the ongoing business C) Long-range planning is disrupted because of short-term projects D) Shifting people from project to project hinders their growth and development within their field of specialization E) All of the above

E

The boundaries of systems, programs, and projects were first defined by: A) Military organizations B) Government agencies C) Construction companies D) All of the above E) a and b only

E

The role of the executive sponsor is to help the project manager. This help includes: A) Priority setting B) Assistance in conflict resolution C) Development of the master project plan D) Setting proper project objectives E) All of the above

E

Organizational complexities are increasing because of: A) Increasing technologies B) Less money invested into R&D C) Lengthening of product life cycles D) All of the above E) b and c only

A

Other than the traditional structure, which organizational form has strong communication channels? A) Projectized B) Strong matrix C) Balanced matrix D) Weak Matrix

A

A typical short-term project would be: A) Three months B) Six months C) One year D) Less than two years E) Dependent on the company and/or industry

E

Historically, which functional organization provided the greatest resistance to project management implementation? A) Sales & Procurement B) Procurement & Manufacturing C) Information Systems/Technology & Human Resources D) Engineering & Research and Development

A

In which life cycle phase do project sponsors become most actively involved in the project? A) Initiation B) Execution C) Monitor and control D) Closure

A

In which organizational form are the formal and informal organizations well established? A) Traditional B) Strong matrix C) Balanced matrix D) Weak matrix

A

In which organizational form is it highly unlikely that project management would be a career path? A) Traditional B) Projectized C) Strong matrix D) Weak matrix

A

In which organizational form is there quite often no customer focal point? A) Traditional B) Projectized C) Strong matrix D) Weak matrix

A

It is usually easier to manage one large project on a full-time basis than to manage multiple small projects at the same time. A) True B) False

A

Line managers generally manage _____________ projects. A) Individual B) Staff C) Special D) Matrix E) Any of the above

A

Matrix structures allow for workers to be shared on multiple projects and at a lower than usual cost. A) True B) False

A

Most people seem to believe that the most common driving force for maturity in project management is: A) Survival B) Executive understanding C) New Product development D) Customer expectations

A

Most people seem to believe that the number one behavioral issue in project management is multiple-boss reporting. A) True B) False

A

You have just been awarded a contract in which you told the customer that a certain employee would be assigned full time on the project. Once the project begins, you discover that the employee is splitting his time between two projects per the instructions of his functional manger. You should: A) Determine the impact on the project and discuss with the functional manager B) Determine the impact on the project and discuss it with the project sponsor C) Determine the impact on the project and discuss it with the customer D) Do nothing

A

A benefit of project management is the _________ identification of problems so that ______________ can follow. A) Rapid, executive involvement B) Early, corrective action C) Untimely, contingency plans D) Executive, project replanning E) Rapid, customer notification

B

According to Grinnell and Apple, organizational restructuring was needed because management was unhappy with technical skills though projects were being completed within time and cost. A) True B) False

B

According to John Kenneth Galbraith, as technology increases, the commitment of time and money becomes: A) Easier to do B) Inflexible C) Easier to find D) More difficult to manage E) An executive responsiblity

B

As organizations mature in project management, emphasis is placed on ______________ project management. A) Formalized B) Informal C) Communication-free D) Customer-led E) None of the above

B

Before becoming a project manager within a matrix organization, training should be provided in all of the following except: A) Matrix operations B) Wage and salary administration C) Problem-solving D) Role definitions

B

A typical project office (not to be confused with a project management office) responsible for the management of a large project includes the project manager and the: A) Project sponsor B) Project sponsor and assistant project managers C) Assistant project managers D) Assistant project managers and functional managers

C

According to the text, the "next generation" project manager must exhibit skills in all of the following except: A) Integration skills B) Risk management skills C) Wage and salary administration skills D) Knowledge of the business

C

Accountability can be defined as: A) Responsibility without authority B) Authority without responsibility C) Authority plus responsibility D) Pure responsibility

C

After a contract award, a customer requests that some of the senior workers in the functional areas be assigned to the project team. You priced out the project assuming the average worker would be assigned and furthermore assumed that the average worker could do the job effectivelhy. You should discuss this first with: A) The average workers B) The senior workers C) The project sponsor D) The functional manager

C

Companies can become reasonably mature in project management by designing the right support system. In general, how much time usually elapses after maturity before a company becomes excellent in project management execution? A) 1 year B) 2 years C) 5 years D) 10 years

C

During the 1970's and 1980's, formal project management practices were put in place because the constraints were ____________ and _____________ boundaries had to be crossed. A) loose; several B) loose; few C) tight; several D) tight; few

C

Historically, companies that have restructured for better project management have _________tasks and must compete in a __________________ environment. A) Complex, static B) Complex, dynamic C) Complex, static or dynamic D) Simple, dynamic E) Simple, static

C

In a strong matrix structure, employees take daily direction from: A) Project manager only B) Functional manager only C) Both, but the project manager has greater influence D) Both, but the functional manager has greater influence

C

In project management, the need for interpersonal skills increases when the operational environment becomes _____________ and the type of tasks becomes __________. A) Dynamic, simple B) Static, simple C) Dynamic, complex D) Static, complex E) Static, multifunctional

C

Industries that have __________ tasks and operate in a ________ environment demonstrated the greatest need for project management. A) simple; dynamic B) simple; static C) complex; dynamic D) complex; static

C

Maturity in project maganement is the implementation of a (an) ____________ such that there exists a high likelihood of repeated success: A) Executive champion B) Executive sponsor C) Standard methodology D) Policy and procedure manual E) None of the above

C

Setting a project selection criteria and establishing project priorities is the responsibility of: A) The project manager B) Line managers C) Senior management D) Customers E) All of the above

C

Some companies assign employees to a project management position as a lateral transfer move without a salary increase because: A) The project is short term in nature B) The project may be canceled C) The employee must demonstrate performance first D) The employee reports to a functional organization

C

Theoretically, project management should work best if the project manager: A) Is the highest salaried individual on the project team B) Has complete authority over all assigned resources C) Views the line managers as peers D) Views the line managers as subordinates E) Reports higher up on the chain of command than the line managers

C

Which is NOT a decision from the OSU Academic Integrity Panel for the student's alleged violation: A) The student is found Not responsible for a violation of academic integrity. B) The student IS found responsible for a violation of academic integrity and the sanction is appropriate. C) The student is immediately dismissed from OSU for any violent act of academic dishonesty. D) The student IS found responsible for a violation of academic integrity and the sanction is NOT appropriate. The panel may uphold, increase, or decrease the sanction.

C

Which of the following is a potential benefit of using project management? A) Maximization of continuous reporting B) No need for identification of functional responsibilities C) Identification of time limits for scheduling D) No need for a project management methodology

C

Which of the following is generally not considered as a personal attribute of a project manager? A) Honesty and integrity B) Energy and toughness C) Poor coping skills D) Decision-making skills

C

Which of the following is not part of the project sponsor's role? A) Conflict resolution B) Priority-setting C) Selection of project team members D) Monitoring performance at a high level

C

Which of the following is not usually an option for a PM dealing with an incompetent worker? A) On-the-spot appraisals B) Reassignment to less critical activities C) Removal from the company D) Removal from the project

C

Which of the following organizational forms provides the least career path opportunities for project personnel? A) Balanced matrix B) Strong matrix C) Projectized D) Weak Matrix

C

Which type of projects generally possesses highly detailed levels of planning? A) In-house R&D B) Management information systems C) Aerospace/defense/construction D) Pure engineering E) All of the above

C

Who determines grade level of the employee needed to accomplish a task? A) Project sponsor B) Project manager C) Functional manager D) A consensus vote during the project's kickoff meeting.

C

With departmental project management, the person assigned to head up the project is called a: A) Project head B) Project manager C) Project leader D) Projecgt supervisor

C

A project is a series of activities and tasks that: A) Have a specific objective B) Have defined start and end dates C) Have funding limits (if applicable) D) Consume resources E) All of the above

E

The stool of success in project management has three legs. These legs include the: A) Project manager, customer, and senior management B) Project manager, line managers, and functional employees C) Executive sponsor, functional employees, and the project manager D) The project manager, the project manager's sponsor, and the customer's project sponsor E) None of the above

E

There are major differences between project managers and project champions. Project managers will ____________ whereas project champions will _______________. A) Prefer working individually, prefer to work in groups B) Seek perfection, seek what is possible C) Manage things, manage people D) Seek to exceed objectives, seek to meet objectives E) Take risks, avoid risks by testing everything

E