Unit Code: MIS798
Unit Name: Project Management
Final Examination T1, 2020
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DEAKIN UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND LAW
FINAL EXAMINATION TRIMESTER 1, 2020
Unit Code: MIS798
Unit Name: Project Management
Instructions for candidates:
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· This exam consists of 4 questions. Answer all the questions.
· This exam paper ca
ies a total of 50 marks. This examination constitutes 50% of your assessment in this unit.
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List of acronyms:
AC = Actual cost
ACWP = Actual cost of work performed
AUD = Australian Dolla
BAC = Budget at completion
BCWP = Budgeted cost of work performed
BCWS = Budgeted cost of work scheduled
CPI = Cost performance index
CV = Cost variance
DU = Duration
EAC = Estimate at completion
EF = Earliest finish
ES = Earliest start
ETC = Estimate to complete
EV = Earned value
EVM = Earned value management
ID = Task identifier
LS = Latest start
LF = Latest finish
PV = Planned value
SL = Slack time
SPI = Scheduled performance index
SV = Schedule variance
VAC = Variance at completion
Question 1
a) For the table below draw the network diagram and identify the critical path - identify the earliest start (ES), earliest finish (EF), latest start (LS), latest finish (LF) and slack time (SL) for each task. H
< Replace this with your answer
) Using the network diagram you’ve sketched for Question 1 (a), explain how the critical path would impact the project. If a request comes in from the project sponsor to perform schedule compression what would be your response?
Replace this with your answer
Since the critical part does not have slack, we cannot reduce the schedule but for activities which have slack greater than 0 we can reduce the duration.
(14 Marks)
Question 2
1. Use the Expected Value model to assess the risks for each strategy. Each strategy requires a sum of funds to be invested and as a result produces a different profit pay off.
Assume the probabilities for each state are 30%, 50%, and 20% respectively:
a) Using the concept of Expected Value (payoff table), what strategy should be adopted for making decisions under risk?
Since the 32.6 is the highest value in the list of strategies therefore we s3
For the case of making decisions under complete uncertainty:
) If your organisation takes a pessimistic view, what strategy should be selected?
In case of p v we select strategy 2 coz it gives us the least amount of risk.
Replace this with your answer
c) If your organisation takes a sore looser attitude (minimising regret), what strategy should be selected?
From the table we can see that 52 is the least value from the list of strategies hence we select 4.
Replace this with your answer
d) What strategy should be selected if you apply the Laplace criterion?
Replace this with your answer
Show your workings and provide a short explanation for each of your answers Q2(a) to (d).
(14 Marks)
Question 3
Table below shows the progress of a project from the A to activity F. Assume there are other activities below activity F that are yet to be completed.
Activity
BCWS
BCWP
ACWP
A
$900
$1000
$1100
B
$500
$700
$700
C
$700
$700
$500
D
$1000
$1000
$1000
E
$1200
$1000
$1300
F
$800
$700
$900
a. Calculate CV and SV for the activities of the project completed so far (A to F).
Replace this with your answer
. As a project manager you have been asked to report on the status of your project at the end of Activity F. Your stakeholders want to know, based on your EVM analysis of the table above, whether the project is likely to finish on time and within budget. Show your work and justify your answers.
Replace this with your answer
c. Would your conclusions change if activities C and D were the only 2 activities on the critical path? Explain your reasoning.
Replace this with your answer
(12 Marks)
Question 4
a) Consider the organisation you were working for when completing the group project for this unit. Give a
ief (two sentence) description of the organisation. Regardless of the organisational structure that was actually in play, assume the matrix structure is to be used. Using bullet points, outline the key advantages and disadvantages of using the matrix structure in that organisation.
Replace this with your answer
) Considering the same organisation as in Question (a), explain what is meant by “Quality should be baked into the product or service, not inspected into it”. Be sure to contextualise your answer in the applicable organisation.
Replace this with your answer
(10 Marks)
[END OF EXAMINATION]
Page 2 of 2
MIS798 T1 2020 Assignment Part A
MIS798 - Project Management - T1 2020
Project Plan for Sainsbury
Student Name: Manoj Sangwan
Student ID: XXXXXXXXXX
Total Word Count- 3613
Table of Contents
Introduction 4
Part-A Group project plan 5
1.Proposal and feasibility 5
1.1 SWOT Analysis 5
1.2 PESTLE analysis 6
1.3 Project feasibility and suitability 7
2.Project organisation 7
2.1 Organisational structure 7
2.2 Dependency 7
2.3 Economies of scale 8
2.4 Organisation size 8
3. Management issues & effectiveness 8
3.1 Management style 8
3.2 Conflicts 9
3.3 Strategy 10
3.4 Application of 360-degree appraisal 11
3.5 Controlling outsourcing 11
3.6 Success variables 12
4. Plan 13
4.1 Statement of Work 13
4.2 Specification for the project 13
4.3 Work
eak down structure 14
4.4 Schedule, milestones and dependencies 14
4.5 Slack time, earliest start and latest finishing for the project 16
5. Resource and cost plan 16
5.1 Cost and pricing 16
5.2 Probable risks which might affect costing and schedule 17
5.3 Proposal for monitoring performance 17
6. Project risk assessment 18
6.1 Identify and classify the project risks associated with the project 18
6.2 Recommend exemplary methods for risk response/mitigation 18
Conclusion 19
References 20
Introduction
Sainsbury, which is one of the leading retail supermarket chains in UK is chosen in this report as the main organisation. This report analyses Sainsbury’s project management aspect regarding a project “Acquisition and instalment of new computers and software into Sainsbury”, determines the management issues and the ways to overcome obstacles. The report demonstrates scope for the organization regarding the project and its effectiveness due to the utilization of proper resources. Furthermore, this report provides with the ideas and information regarding internal and external strengths of Sainsbury in attaining desired goals and objectives. The report concludes that in order to have a competitive advantage and to reach its desired goals, the organisation should be effective and efficient in managing every project.
Part-A Group project plan
1.Proposal and feasibility
1.1 SWOT Analysis
Strengths
· Established
and value of the organization.
· Loyalty and reliability of the employees and customers.
· Available funds within organization to manage resources and complete tasks.
· Improved quality of services due to the organizational resource capability.
Weaknesses
· Financial crisis for its product development project as they are focusing to improve transaction and services.
· Sainsbury does not contain required technological experts for handling issues to install and manage the computers and software (Lundin, et al., 2015).
· Customers and employees in rural areas are not aware of operating computer and updated software properly.
Opportunities
· The organization like Sainsbury could diversify their business with the support of modern system.
· They can take benefits towards coping with the new trends in the marketplace.
· Sainsbury could reduce their requirement of excessive employees by increasing range of computers and software.
Threats
· Frequent changes in the technological system can enable complexity to conduct operations.
· It could increase turnover rate of the employees in different stores of the Sainsbury due to lack of computer knowledge.
· Strong competitors like Tesco and Aldi could force the organization in facing tough competition.
1.2 PESTLE analysis
PESTLE
Description
Political
In case of investing capital in different
anches of UK for installing new computer and software, the organization could face complexities due to the political issues such as: Brexit. It effects on the organization as creating issues towards getting return or increased taxation rates of the technologies.
Economic
When the businesses like Sainsbury is adopting new project to reach their desired goal, then organisation must consider the economic factors like inflation, growth of economy, interest rate and unemployment for making better decisions (Bondarenko, et al., 2018).
Social
Based on the social criteria like age, career attitude, safety measures and lifestyle of employees, Sainsbury could think of installing new computer. Whereas in some stores, aged employees might not have required knowledge and experience to operate computers, which could impact negatively on this project.
Technological
The authority of the Sainsbury has to look upon the available technological system in the market as well as identifying their rate to change based on period (Brewer, et al., XXXXXXXXXXOrganization should install software and computer by increasing awareness of technology among employees and customers.
Legal
There are different legal issues like employment laws, copyright and patent laws along with health and safety laws available in the market, which should have followed by the Sainsbury before taking actions and managing the project.
Environmental
In case of managing a project, the Sainsbury needs to consider the impact of project on the environment