Ch. 3 The Project Manager (PM)

1. Ch. 3 The Project Manager (PM) • Project management and the PM • Special demands on the PM • Selecting the PM • Cultural differences • Impact of institutional environment • Multicultural communications and managerial behavior

2. Ch. 3.1: Functional and Project Manager Compared Functional Manager: Project Manager:

3. Ch. 3.1: Functional and Project Manager Compared

4. Ch. 3.1: The Systems Approach Definition of System: A set of interrelated components that accepts input and produces output in a purposeful manner Keyword: PURPOSEFUL (involving humans in some way) The “Systems Approach” does not only consider the individual parts that make up the system, but also the system AS A WHOLE, recognizing that the system is MORE than the sum of it’s individual parts

5. Ch 3.1: The PM As a Generalist: • WHAT needs to be done? • WHEN must it be done? • HOW are the required resources to be obtained?

6. Ch 3.1: The PM As a Facilitator • Separation of project from functional management structure of firm (avoid being micromanaged)

7. Ch. 3.1: Project Management and the Project Manager • Ad-hoc (essentially disorganized) • Abbreviated (some processes exist) • Organized (standardized processes) • Managed (measured processes) • Adaptive (continuous improvement)

8. Ch. 3.2: Special Demands on Project Manager • Acquiring Adequate Resources • Acquiring and Motivating Personnel • Dealing with Obstacles • Making Project Goal Trade-offs • Failure and the Risk and Fear of Failure • Breadth of Communications

9. Ch. 3.2: Reasons Why Projects Are Under-Budgeted • Project proposers optimism • Purposeful underestimates • Uncertainty of project environment PM Response: Scramble, Elicit aid, Work late, Wheedle, Threaten, Do whatever necessary!

10. Ch 3.2: Acquiring Personnel - Concerns • PM chooses FM’s best workers for project • Project more glamorous than steady functional duties Concerns by Functional Manager: Concerns by Acquired Team Member: • FM controls evaluation, salary & promotion

11. Ch. 3.2: Characteristics of Effective Team Members • High-quality technical skills • Political sensitivity • Strong problem orientation • Strong goal orientation • High self-esteem

12. Ch 3.2: Project Obstacles At the beginning of Project: • Resource paring by upper management Towards end of project: • Last minute project changes • Future careers of team members

13. Ch 3.2: Project Goal Trade-offs Relative Importance of Project Objectives During Different Phases of the Project Life Cycle

14. Smooth start Problems late in Life Cycle Not organized to handle unexpected crises Planning problems Failure to define requirements and specifications Ch 3.2 Risks, Fears, Failure Type 1: Routine Projects Type 2: Non-routine Proj.

15. Ch 3.2: Communication Issues • Liaison to outside world and arbitration of internal team problems • (If necessary) post mortem on failed projects • Supportive interaction with top management • Building a solid information network • Flexibility in resource trade-offs

16. Ch. 3.3: Selecting the PM –Desirable Characteristics • Strong technical background • Hard-nosed manager • Mature • Currently available • On good terms with senior executives • Keeps project team happy • Experience in several different departments • Walks on water

17. Ch. 3.3: Selecting the PM –MOST Desirable Characteristic Drive to complete task

18. Ch 3.3 PM Credibility - Technical • Reasonable understanding of the base technology • Ability to explain project technology to stakeholders • Accurate interpretation of client needs to project team

19. Ch 3.3: PM Credibility - Administrative • To senior management:Affirm that project reports are accurate and timely • To project team:Make sure material, equipment, labor are available when needed

20. CH. 3.3 PM Sensitivity • Political • Interpersonal:Recognize and resolve conflicts before they erupt • Detective:Recognize cover-up of failure by team members

21. Ch. 3.3 Leadership - Interpersonal Interpersonal influence, exercised in situations and directed through the communications process, towards the attainment of a specific goal or goals + Enthusiasm, optimism, energy, tenacity, courage, maturity

22. Ch 3.3 Leadership – Ethical Missteps • “wired” bids • “buy-in” with intent to amend lateron • kickbacks • “covering” for team members • “shortcuts” • substandard material • compromising safety • violating standards • consultant biased

23. Ch 3.3 PMI Code of Ethics • Maintain High Standards of personal and professional conduct • Work Action Items • Employer and Clients Relations • Responsibilities to Community

24. Low tech  rigid Medium tech  moderately firm High tech  moderately flexible Very high tech  highly flexible Assembly  informal System  formal Array  highly formal Ch 3.3: Management Style Technological Uncertainty System Complexity

25. Ch 3.3: PM Stress Factors • Lack of consistent set of procedures to manage project • Too much work • Need for high achievement • Parent organization in upheaval

26. Ch 3.4: Source of Cultural Differences • Nationality • Socioeconomic environment • Type of Industry • Geographical regions within a country • Divisions within a corporation

27. Ch 3.4: The Four Pillars of Culture • Technology:Attitudes toward work, food preparation • Institutions:Religion, Family, Government • Language:Connotative meaning of words • Art:Glue that holds culture together

28. Ch. 3.4: Culture Clashes

29. Ch 3.5 Project Team Neighborhood (Environments) • Socioeconomic Environment • Legal Environment • Business Cycle Environment • Technological Environment

30. Ch 3.5: Socioeconomic Environment • Bureaucracy:marked increase outside U.S.A. • Ensuring the Good of the Local Economy:no exploitation, reinvestment, local safety rules, employment preference, local traditions honored • Discrimination:female PM or “hostile” ethnicity PM may increase the risk of project failure (difficult to use Armenian PM in Turkey)

31. Ch 3.5: Legal Environment

32. Ch 3.5: Business Cycle Environment • Cycles between Prosperity and Recession • Cycle shifted in Timing and Magnitude among different nations • During Recession, nations erect protective trade barriers

33. Ch. 3.5: Technological Environment • Local technology is a function of relative cost (supply) of the factors of production • Local technology is modified by local traditions, policy and law • Local technology needs to be integrated into overall project technology

34. Ch 3.6: Multicultural Communication Problems • PM does not speak local language  Learn it! • Illiterate team members  no memos • Local supervisors shun “hands-on” experience  PM to demonstrate • High regard for teachers  local team members will not correct PM mistakes • Team members expect to be asked  PM not voluntarily informed of project status

35. Ch 3.6: PM Behavior in Multicultural Environment • Collegiality (formality of communications) • Appropriate way of criticism • Project time horizon (short vs. long term) • Work ethic • Project risk taking • Personal risk taking (kidnapping etc) • Provide for expatriate needs