Chapter 3 Project Management SB & Quiz

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.

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

Dedicated

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

Platform

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

The project manager recruits project team members.

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

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

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.

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

2

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. Reason: Referred to in the text as "internal strife", there can be real animosities developed between "special" project team members and peers doing routine work.

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.

Organizations that have few projects as part of their normal business operations would generally be fine using which type of project management structure?

A less formal structure A dedicated project team on an as-needed basis

Which organizational structure works best for projects?

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

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

Authority

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

Autonomy Authority

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

Budget and time constraints Stability of resource requirement Environmental complexity

Identify the disadvantages of a functional project organization.

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

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

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

Culture influences project structure.

Match these weaknesses with using a matrix structure for projects with their descriptions. Instructions

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.

Evaluation of individual factors will clearly define company culture.

False

Which of the following project factors should lead an organization toward a dedicated project team structure?

High strategic importance Tight time restrictions Large project size

What is an advantage of the functional organization structure?

In-depth expertise is available.

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

Infighting Slow Stressful Dysfunctional conflict

What are the weaknesses of the project team approach?

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

When projects are completed using a functional project management organization, it typically takes ___ to complete projects through this functional arrangement.

Longer

The ___ structure evolved out of the necessity to share resources across multiple projects and functional domains while creating legitimate project leadership.

Matrix

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

Matrix management structures are highly dependent upon company culture.

Research suggests that there are 10 primary characteristics that, in aggregate, capture the essence of an organization's culture. Match these characteristics with their descriptions. Instructions

Member Identity -> The degree to which employees connects with the organization as a whole rather than with their type of job or field of professional expertise. Team emphasis -> The degree to which work activities are organized around groups rather than individuals. Management Focus -> The degree to which management decisions take into account the effect of outcomes on people within the organization. Unit Integration ->The degree to which units within the organization are encouraged to operate in a coordinated or interdependent manner. Control ->The degree to which rules, policies, and direct supervision are used to oversee and manage employee behavior.

Match the key dimensions that define an organization's culture with the elements on their continuum.

Member identity- > Job and Organization Team emphasis -> Individual and Group Unit integration -> Independent and Interdependent Management focus -> Task and People

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

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

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

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?

In the case of firms where projects are the dominant form of business the entire organization is designed to support project teams. This type of organization is referred to in the literature as a ___ organization

Projectized

Quiz Start

Quiz Start

Match the key dimensions that define an organization's culture with the elements on their continuum. Instructions

Risk Tolerance -> Low and High Reward Criteria -> Performance and other Control -> Loose and Tight Open-System Focus -> Internal and External

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. Instructions

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.

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

Seeing how people act to achieve career success.

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

Simpler Faster

Of the three types of matrix organizations, which has the best chance to diminish internal power struggles within team members?

Strong

___ and ___ are adjectives used to denote a culture in which the organization's core values and customs are widely shared within the entire organization.

Strong thick

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

Strong project focus Efficient use of resource

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 diverse departments To be able to interact with external stakeholders

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

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

Match these PMO types with their functions. Instructions

Weather Station -> Its primary function is to track and monitor project performance. Control Tower -> Its primary function is to improve project execution. Resource Pool -> Its goal is to provide the organization with a cadre of trained project managers and professionals. Command and Control Center -> This type of PMO has direct authority over projects.

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.

As set forth by Casey and Peck (2001), the primary function of a PMO is to improve project execution.

control tower

As set forth by Casey and Peck (2001), the primary function of a ______ PMO is to improve project execution.

control tower

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

dominant interest dominant role

The advantages of a functional project organization include:

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

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.

functional

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 resources will be allocated. how project outcomes will be used.

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

hybrid

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

incremental

For organizations that cannot afford to tie up critical personnel on individual projects, a ___ system would appear to be appropriate.

matrix

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

normal channels

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

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

self - sufficient

Even within a strong organizational culture, there are likely to be ___, , often aligned within specific departments or specialty areas.

subcultures