QUESTIONS: are from the case study from the project management textbook 11th edi
ID: 459606 • Letter: Q
Question
QUESTIONS: are from the case study from the project management textbook 11th edition by Harold R. Kerzner
1. What can you determine about the corporate culture from the fact that they waited this long to consider the development of an EPM system?
2. Can a PMO accelerate the implementation process?
3. Is it acceptable for the PMO to report to the chief information officer or to someone else?
4. Why is it best to have six or less life-cycle phases in an EPM system?
5. Is it best to design an EPM system around flexible or inflexible elements? Generally, when first developing an EPM system, do companies prefer to use formality or informality in the design?
6. Should an EPM system have the capability of capturing best practices?
Explanation / Answer
1.
It is the corporate culture where nobody wants to take to initiatives. Everyone is in their comfort zone and let the process to go ahead as it has been happening in the past. Thus, top executives have developed a comfort zone and they don’t want to come out of it. It is reflected in their fear to lose power and authority due to change. Besides, there is a weak organizational culture where rule book is more important than the innovative approaches as suggested in the case.
2.
The PMO will accelerate the implementation process because of the following reasons:
1. Clarity on roles and responsibilities of people involved in the PMO
2. Higher share of power and authority is owned by the PMO
3. An active interest shown by the president of the company
3.
Yes, it is related to the Hierarchy and organization structure of the organization. Either it is flat or vertical organization system, if the chief information officer is placed ahead of PMO, they PMO has to report to the CIO.
4.
Having six or less than six life cycle phase will save time and project team will devote more on project management work rather getting busy in preparations of paperwork of a clerical nature. Not doing so, will cause under utilization of the capacity of project managers and projects will suffer.
Each life cycle phase involves paperwork to present the work. It consumes lot of time. Thus, having 6 or less than 6 life cycles will be good as agreed in the case.