MGMT 4120 midterm true/false Practice
1) A professional certification for project managers is a Project Management Professional (PMP).
True
100) Only activities that occur at the end of a chain of activities can have free slack.
True
102) In developing a project network, neither looping nor conditional statements are permitted.
True
103) It is acceptable for arrows to cross one another in a network diagram.
True
104) Gantt charts are popular because they represent an easy-to-understand, clear picture on a time-scaled horizon.
True
106) Using free slack does not delay any following activities and requires no coordination with managers of other activities.
True
108) An activity cannot begin until ALL preceding connected activities have been completed.
True
11) Projects typically require the combined efforts of a variety of specialists.
True
110) Different activities along the same path can have different total slack.
True
111) Burst activities have more than one activity immediately following them (more than one dependency arrow flowing from them).
True
113) The old-fashioned view of managing projects emphasized directing and controlling subordinates; the new perspective emphasizes managing project stakeholders and anticipating change as the most important jobs.
True
114) Strong leadership, while usually desirable, is not always necessary to successfully complete a project.
True
116) Inspiration-related currencies derive from people's burning desire to make a difference and add meaning to their lives.
True
117) Being the focal point of information allows the project manager to have the information available to them to appropriately manage expectations on a project.
True
118) Managing upward relationships involve project managers become skilled at the art of persuading superiors.
True
121) One advantage of creating a dedicated project team is that it reduces dependencies, especially within the organization.
True
122) Delivering accurate information is just as important as delivering bad news to a stakeholder.
True
123) Overcoming cultural difference can pose a challenge to geographically distributed teams.
True
124) Team members can be upset and dissatisfied with conflict, but as long as the disagreement furthers the objectives of the project, then the conflict is functional.
True
126) Group decision making should be used when strong commitment to the decision is needed and when there is a low probability of acceptance if only one person makes the decision.
True
127) Co-location of team members, team names, and team rituals are common vehicles for establishing a team identity.
True
128) Synergy can be both negative as well as positive.
True
129) Conflict is inevitable and can be a desirable part of project work.
True
130) The norming stage of team development is one in which close relationships develop and the group demonstrates cohesiveness.
True
131) The storming stage of team development is complete when conflicts are resolved and leadership roles are accepted.
True
133) One of the characteristics that separate project management from other endeavors of the organization is that there are specific time, cost, and performance requirements.
True
134) Contrary to on-going duties and responsibilities of traditional jobs, projects have a defined endpoint.
True
137) The 10 primary characteristics of an organization's culture all exist on a continuum.
True
139) Certain aspects of the culture of an organization support successful project management while other aspects deter or interfere with effective management.
True
14) The fundamentals of Project Management are considered universal across most businesses and professions.
True
140) The matrix form of project management structure is a good choice when resource usage needs to be optimized by having individuals work on multiple projects while still performing functional duties.
True
141) There are strong connections among project management structure, organizational culture, and project success.
True
142) There are often considerable differences in how projects are managed within certain firms, even when similar project management structures are being used.
True
147) The project charter provides the project manager with written authority to use organizational resources for project activities.
True
149) There is a strong correlation between project success and clear project scope definition.
True
151) Organization culture can significantly influence project time and cost estimates.
True
153) The ideal approach to estimating project time and costs is to use both the top-down and the bottom-up approach.
True
154) One guideline to follow when estimating time, cost and resources is to use several people to make the estimate for a task.
True
156) Estimates that are typically based on estimates of elements found in the work breakdown structure are called bottom-up estimates.
True
160) The backward pass through a project network determines slack or how long an activity can be delayed without impacting the completion date of the project.
True
161) Even though a project costs time and money to develop, it is worth the effort.
True
163) If a network has more than one critical path but noncritical activities have very little slack, the network is considered to have a high level of sensitivity.
True
164) Through a project manager's behavior, he or she can influence how others act and respond to a variety of issues related to the project.
True
166) Optimism, integrity, and even being proactive are not developed easily if there is not already a predisposition to display them.
True
167) A successful project manager must build a cooperative, mutually beneficial network generally governed by the law of reciprocity.
True
17) One of the defining characteristics of project management is that the projects are not confined to a single department but involve several departments and professionals.
True
171) Two of the biggest challenges involved in managing a virtual project team are developing trust and effective patterns of communication.
True
173) Project scope describes what you expect to deliver to your customers when the project is complete.
True
175) Estimates are supposed to be based on normal conditions. While this is a good starting point, it rarely holds true in real life.
True
176) Past experience is almost always used primarily in the initial phases of estimating.
True
177) Lags can be used to constrain the start and finish of an activity.
True
178) It is possible for a project network to have more than one critical path.
True
179) Experience suggests that when there are multiple starts, a common start node should be used to indicate a clear project beginning on the network. Similarly, a single project end node can be used to indicate a clear ending.
True
180) One of the things that distinguish project management from regular management is the sheer breadth and complexity of the relationships that need to be managed.
True
181) The first step to building a social network is identifying those on whom the project depends for success.
True
184) Groupthink refers to the tendency of members in highly cohesive groups to lose their critical evaluative capabilities resulting in quick decision making with little consideration of alternatives.
True
185) Most project managers advocate the use of group rewards rather than individual rewards.
True
187) An activity is an element of the project that always requires time.
True
188) Customers define the scope of the project, and ultimately, project success rests in their satisfaction.
True
189) Relationship-related currencies have more to do with strengthening the relationship with someone than directly accomplishing the project tasks.
True
19) Due to corporate downsizing, significant segments of project work have been outsourced to other organizations.
True
190) A project manager should be wary of people who know too much about a specific technology.
True
194) The first team meeting sets the tone for how the team will work together.
True
197) The level of leadership required to successfully complete a project may depend on the level of uncertainty involved.
True
198) A general guideline for running effective meetings includes starting the meeting on time regardless of whether everyone is present.
True
199) One important function of mapping dependencies and building a social network is to prevent project managers from being derailed because they were blindsided by someone whose position or power they had not anticipated.
True
205) One important factor that a project manager must acknowledge when recruiting project members is the management structure being used to complete the project.
True
206) Over the course of a project, the sources of conflict often change.
True
21) Not only is project management critical to many careers, the skill set is transferable across most businesses and professions.
True
24) Today, projects are the modus operandi or the method used for implementing organizational strategy.
True
26) A written mission statement provides focus for decision making when shared by organizational managers and employees.
True
27) Organizational objectives set targets for all levels of the organization, not just for top management.
True
28) If a proposed project does not meet one of the designated "must" objectives, it is immediately removed from consideration.
True
29) One way to offset the influence of politics on project management within an organization is to have a well-defined project selection model.
True
3) Most people who excel at managing projects never have the title of project manager.
True
30) Studies have shown that companies using predominantly financial criteria to prioritize projects yield unbalanced portfolios and projects that aren't strategically aligned.
True
31) The assessment of the external and internal environments is called the SWOT analysis.
True
34) One benefit of project portfolio management is that it can justify killing a project that doesn't support organization strategy.
True
35) Strategy formulation ends with cascading objectives or projects assigned to lower divisions, departments, or individuals.
True
40) A proposed project that ranks high on most criteria may not be selected because the organization's portfolio already includes too many projects with the same characteristics.
True
41) Opportunities and threats can be viewed as flip sides of each other; that is, a threat can be viewed as an opportunity, and vice versa.
True
42) Project management historically has been preoccupied solely with the planning and execution of projects while strategy was under the purview of senior management.
True
44) Strategy is implemented through projects.
True
46) Restricting project proposals within an organization may lead to missed opportunities.
True
49) When determining the most appropriate project management structure, considerations need to be made at the organizational level and at the project level.
True
5) At first glance, project managers perform the same functions as other managers. That is, they plan, schedule, motivate and control.
True
52) One of the major disadvantages of the projectized form of project management structure is that it tends to be more expensive than other forms of organization.
True
53) The projectized form of project management structure is a good choice when speed of completion is important and the project needs to be implemented without directly disrupting ongoing operations.
True
55) Within a matrix project management structure, the extent to which the project manager has direct authority over project participants depends on whether the matrix is weak, balanced, or strong.
True
56) Generally, the more autonomy and authority the project manager and the project team need to be successful, the more appropriate to implement either a dedicated project team or a strong project management structure.
True
57) A disadvantage of using the functional form of project management structure is that projects generally take longer to complete.
True
59) Organizational culture refers to a system of shared norms, beliefs, values, and assumptions which bind people together.
True
6) Project governance means applying a set of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a collection of projects in order to move the organization toward its strategic goals.
True
61) In a balanced matrix form of project management, the project manager is responsible for defining what needs to be accomplished while the functional managers are concerned with how it will be accomplished.
True
64) In the projectized form of project management structure, there is limited technological expertise when compared to the functional or matrix organization.
True
65) A matrix project management structure is a hybrid organizational form in which a horizontal project management structure is "overlaid" on the normal functional hierarchy.
True
66) The matrix form of project management is notable for the tension it creates between functional managers and project managers who both bring critical expertise and perspectives to the project.
True
67) The hierarchical work breakdown structure provides management with information appropriate to each level.
True
68) A typical responsibility matrix will include not only those responsible for a specific task but can also include those who supply support and assistance.
True
70) A communication plan should include limits on who has access to certain kinds of information.
True
72) Responsibility Matrices are useful for assigning and organizing responsibilities.
True
74) One of the items included on a project scope statement or checklist is the review with the customer.
True
75) During the course of a project, it is possible that the project priorities may change.
True
76) Creating a communication plan typically follows a process that begins with a stakeholder analysis.
True
78) The intersection of work packages and the organizational unit creates a project control point called a cost account.
True
84) Repetition of a task generally results in a reduction of labor hours each successive time a worker performs that task.
True
86) General and administrative costs are usually allocated as a percent of the total of a direct cost which includes labor, materials, or equipment.
True
89) Cost, time, and budget estimates are the lifeline for control; they serve as the standard for comparison of the actual and the planned throughout the life of the project.
True
9) The sociocultural dimension of project management includes managing relationships, motivating team members and negotiating project terms.
True
90) Top-down estimates usually are derived from someone who uses experience and/or information to determine the project duration and total cost.
True
91) All task time estimates need consistent time units.
True
94) Mega Projects often under deliver on expected benefits and cost more than expected.
True
95) Phase estimating is used when a project cannot be rigorously defined because of the uncertainty of design or the final product.
True
10) One of the most significant driving forces behind the demand for project management is the ever increasing lengthening of the product life cycle.
False
101) The forward pass through a project network determines the critical path.
False
105) Within an Activity-on-Node network, the arrows depict activities to be accomplished.
False
107) Negative slack can be estimated.
False
109) The backward pass determines project duration.
False
112) Many poor-performing project managers are guilty of management by wandering around.
False
115) An individual's character alone is adequate to generate trust.
False
119) An effective project manager will choose to have an "open door policy" and use project management metrics to assure projects are running smoothly.
False
12) The first stage in the project life cycle is the concept stage.
False
120) Ethics are an absolute - what is ethical for your organization will be ethical for all others.
False
125) When a member of a team sees themselves as a high-performer and able to meet all the needs of the team, this is a characteristic of synergy.
False
13) Because of the profitability motive, project management is nearly always limited to the private sector.
False
132) Every project has the same potential to evolve into a high-performance team.
False
135) Generally, people working on several projects at the same time are more efficient than people working full-time on one project.
False
136) Unit integration is the cultural characteristic that refers to the degree to which units within the organization are encouraged to operate in a coordinated or independent manner.
False
138) While organization culture is important to the overall function of an organization, it has minor influence on its project management.
False
143) Process breakdown structures are used when the size and the scope of the project do not warrant an elaborate WBS or OBS.
False
144) The fact that a new home being built must meet local building codes is an example of a limit and exclusion.
False
145) An activity that represents a major segment of work is a good example of a milestone.
False
146) Profit, time and performance are all basic classifications of project priorities.
False
148) If the project time should be accepted, then the project must be completed on time.
False
15) Since a construction company builds many buildings, the buildings built after the first do not fit the definition of a project.
False
150) "Reviews with customer" only refers to projects with external customers who are paying for the project.
False
152) As long as everyone in a project adds a little padding to reduce risk, the project duration and cost estimates will be more accurate.
False
155) If time and costs are important to a project the top-down approach to estimating time and costs for the project is the best choice.
False
157) The consensus method of estimating costs is a bottom-up technique.
False
158) When completing a forward pass, you carry the early finish to the next activity where it becomes its early start unless the next succeeding activity is a merge activity. In this case you select the smallest early finish number of all its immediate predecessor activities.
False
159) The critical path is the shortest path through a network and indicates activities that cannot be delayed without delaying the project.
False
16) Smaller projects in larger organizations tend not to need project management skills.
False
162) A merge activity is one that merges with other activities into a succeeding activity.
False
165) Position-related currencies come directly from the project manager's ability to contribute to others' accomplishing their work.
False
168) It is impractical for a subordinate to "manage" a superior.
False
169) A project vision is an image a project team holds about how the project will look upon completion, how they will work together, and how customers will accept the project. It is important that everyone have the same vision.
False
170) Lump-sum cash bonuses are the most effective group reward for project teams.
False
172) When facilitating group decision making, a project manager should identify a problem in terms of its alternate solutions so that team members can more easily reach a decision on how to solve the problem.
False
174) If a project is internal to the company and relatively small, the bottom-up approach to estimating time and costs for the project is the best choice.
False
18) Small business development is a major driver of project management.
False
182) In most cases, if someone can manage a project well, then they are also a great leader.
False
183) A project manager arbitrates conflict by intervening and attempting to negotiate a resolution by using reasoning, persuasion, and suggesting alternatives.
False
186) If the project has a duration of 13 days, the project should be completed 13 days from the day it starts.
False
191) The performing stage of team development is characterized by the development of close relationships and group cohesiveness.
False
192) The WBS identifies dependencies, the sequencing of activities, and the timing of activities.
False
193) Successful project managers tend to adopt a hands-on approach to managing projects.
False
195) As long as the culture of an organization acknowledges and condemns unethical behavior, ethical dilemmas are rare or trivial at the most.
False
196) High performing teams typically meet many of the characteristics outlined in the text.
False
2) Project management appears to be ideally suited for a business environment requiring accountability, flexibility, innovation and repeatability.
False
20) A major portion of the project work, both physical and mental, takes place during the production stage of the project life cycle.
False
200) There is a high degree of internal conflict in the forming stage of team development.
False
201) Effective time management for project managers includes initiating contact with key stakeholders only when there is a valid issue to deal with.
False
202) Going native is the ability that some project teams have to bypass the normal policies and procedures that everyone in the organization is supposed to follow.
False
203) Relationship-related currencies deal with the extent to which we can help others feel a sense of importance and personal worth by sharing tasks that increase their skills and abilities.
False
204) Research indicates that high-performance teams are much more likely to develop when the manager hand-selects team members.
False
22) Because of its flexibility, project management is equally useful in ongoing, routine work as well as unique, one-time projects.
False
23) A program is a process designed to accomplish a common goal over time.
False
25) Strategic plans should be written by one group of managers, projects should be selected by another group, and projects should be implemented by another group.
False
32) The information gap refers to the lack of understanding and consensus of organization strategy among top and middle-level managers.
False
33) The NPV financial model measures the time it will take to recover the project investment.
False
36) Multiweighted scoring models include only quantitative criteria, not qualitative.
False
37) Intermittent scanning of the external environment is required when managing organization strategy.
False
38) Objectives should be specific, marketable, assignable, realistic, and time related.
False
39) Mission statements typically change frequently, responding to changes in the external environment.
False
4) Successful project managers focus primarily on technical dimensions of project management, which include planning, scheduling, and controlling projects.
False
43) Project managers should not engage in organizational politics.
False
45) Many organizations have three different kinds of projects in their portfolio: compliance, operational, and sacred cows.
False
47) The first step in the Strategic Management Process is to set long-range goals and objectives.
False
48) Any organization has its own personality, much like an individual's personality.
False
50) As discussed in the text, the three forms of matrix project management are weak, mixed, and strong.
False
51) One advantage of a matrix project management structure is that it is fast and easy to implement.
False
54) The projectized form of project management structure is commonly used when one functional area plays a dominant role in completing the project or has a dominant interest in the success of the project.
False
58) The functional project team is usually physically separated from the parent organization and given the primary directive of accomplishing the objectives of the project.
False
60) Member identity refers to the degree to which work activities are organized around groups rather than individuals.
False
62) Control is the cultural characteristic that refers to the degree to which management decisions take into account the effect of outcomes on people within the organization.
False
63) When three forms of the matrix project management structure are considered, all share the same advantages and disadvantages and at an equal level.
False
69) A Process Breakdown Structure is a replacement for the Work Breakdown Structure for projects with tangible outcomes.
False
7) Because of the requirement for in-depth expertise, project management is generally restricted to specialists.
False
71) The highest element in the hierarchical breakdown of the WBS is the first major deliverable for the project and the lowest element is a work package.
False
73) An expected output over the life of a project would be classified as a target.
False
77) Integrating a project's work packages within the organization's management structure is known as work breakdown structure.
False
79) Responsibility matrices are used primarily with small and medium-sized projects and have limited use in large projects.
False
8) Project Management is critically important only for the electronics industry.
False
80) For large companies, the organization breakdown structure is used rather than the work breakdown structure.
False
81) Scope creep occurs when your project is completed over-budget.
False
82) The final stage in defining a project is coding the organization breakdown structure or OBS for the information system.
False
83) If a project criterion should be optimized if at all possible, it is classified as being constrained.
False
85) The process of forecasting or approximating the time and cost of completing project deliverables is called planning.
False
87) The project management structure chosen to manage the project will have little impact on the quality of estimates.
False
88) After averaging out the underestimates and overestimates, a long-duration project is more likely to be on target than a short-term, small project.
False
92) Estimating the total cost of a project by multiplying each major function by a complexity factor is an example of the apportion method of estimating costs.
False
93) Project estimates should be broken down into as much detail, and with as much accuracy, as possible.
False
96) Work package estimates should include allowances for contingencies.
False
97) Estimating the total cost of a house by multiplying the total square feet by cost per square foot is an example of the apportion method of estimating costs.
False
98) The salary of the project manager and her administrative assistant is classified as direct labor costs.
False
99) An activity can include only one work package.
False
