The Carlson Project
- What are the major problems facing the project manager?
The project manager is facing staffing problems. He has a staff, Royce Williams, who he believes has the experience and understands what is required of him but is acting lazily and is not willing to dedicate his extra time to the company. Additionally, he has a problem with Harlan Green who is sabotaging Gus Johnson and hence he is slowing his workmanship.
- How should the project manager handle Royce Williams?
The project manager should hold discussion with Royce Williams and explain his expectations. Further, the project manager should find means of motivating him since he does not get paid for extra time spent, this would be to determine avenues to compensate him for the extra duty and therefore winning his loyalty.
- How should the project manager handle Gus Johnson?
Since Gus Johnson is being sabotaged by his colleagues for his good, the project manager should discuss with the department manager to determine how to reshuffle the groups and assure the workers that there is no threat on their positions if a good job is done within a short time.
- How can Frank assurance himself that Williams understands the work to be done?
His experience in projects is a surety that he understands the duties that are expected of him; Williams has an experience of fifteen years with ten of those years being in a project office. Additionally, his conducts does not seem to demoralize his colleagues, this means that his workmanship and contributions is recognized by his workmates.
Capital Industries
- Who is the best person qualified to make functional estimates?
The best person qualified to make functional estimates was a seasoned employee who had worked on a similar project before. Additionally, Frank Allen seem to have an idea about the three dimensional analysis work and therefore he was the right person to do the estimates.
- Should Paul Troy have been delegated the responsibility for the estimate?
Paul Troy should not have been delegated the duty, this is because he has no experience dealing with work of that magnitude and it is not right to tray new staff who do not have experience on projects that are one man task.
- Should Frank Allen have sensed a communication problem between Paul Troy and the functional manager?
He should have sensed the existence of lapse of communication between the two of them. This is because there was contradicting information when Frank Allen spoke to Paul Troy, when he quotes his estimate at eight hundred hours, yet the functional manager claims that he has already given him cost estimate book. This was a contradiction that Frank Allen was to explore and determine the communication lapse between them. Further, when Frank Allen confront Paul Troy seeking to know the person who ordered him to write a report, he does not mention the functional manager which is an indication is broken communication.
- Does Paul Troy appear to realize that there are also time and cost constraints on the project?
Paul Troy does not seem to understand that there are time and cost constraints in the project implementation, he seem to be concern with finishing the task regardless of the time it takes. When Frank put a point about the delay, Paul Troy does not see the point of concern bet instead sees the achievement of completing a three stress dimension analysis.
Crosby Manufacturing Corporation
- Did Livingston make any mistakes initially?
Livingstone did not commit any mistakes, when he arrived at the company he was successful in implementing an employees matrix that seemed to work effectively for some time. However, he was slow to change with the changing business environment and technology.
- How do you think the functional employees feel?
The functional employees feel that the project should be implemented, this is evident from the checklist and schedules that were produced during the meeting which is an indication that they are also of the idea that the current system is not working.
- Are there other alternatives?
There seem to be no alternatives than the adoption of the system proposed by Livingstone. This is seen from the contributions of the individuals present in the meeting who seem to anonymously agree with the idea. Additionally when the president asks if there is a question, none of the people in the meeting responded which means that they are all satisfied with the conclusion to adapt the new system.
Reference
Kerzner, H. R. (2006). Project management: Case studies, John Wiley & Sons.