PMS 571 Week 1: Project Management Concepts And Applications
Project Management Concepts and Applications Paper
Celeste Parker
University of Phoenix
PM/571
Roger Sevison
August 31, 2015
Project Management Concepts and Applications Paper
The goal the paper is to provide a description of the managerial processes of project management. The paper will provide an overview of the project which is Access One’s Annual Blizzard. The paper will identify the primary goals of the project and show why the Blizzard is a project and not just the organizations day to day work. A description of the organizations structure will be included too identify how the project bodes with the organization. The paper will also provide the pros and cons the project has on the organizational structure. The paper will conclude by …show more content…
detailing the ways in which the project affects the organizational culture both from a positive and negative perspective.
Description of the Project
The Blizzard is project the Lash Group/Amerisource Bergen must have every year to ensure the drug Remicade is available for patients to obtain through the patients insurance benefits. The Blizzard is a project that requires over one hundred core employees and at least seven hundred to one thousand seasonal contract employees to accomplish the goal of verifying approximately seventy thousand patients’ benefits to ensure the insurance will cover the cost for an extreme high dollar drug. Core team members of the organization must assist with training the seasonal employees on the correct way to verify benefits for the patients. Information Technology (IT) employees must ensues the database is properly functioning by monitoring and troubleshooting daily. A project manager is hired along with project team to ensure organizational and team goals are met and hopefully exceeded. Planning actually begins approximately six months prior to the launch which begins on the first Monday in January and the project last until approximately the second week in February. The project is client specific and strict guidelines for cost associated with the project must be accurately projected.
Project Characteristics and Definition
According to Lacey & Gray (2014) “a project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result (p.
6). Some characteristics of a project include, having a clear and established objective, defined life span that includes and beginning and ending, the involvement of several professionals, employees and various departments within the organization, specified time, cost, and performance requirements (Lacey & Gray, 2014). The Blizzard is a project and not just day-to-day work because employees or core team members are not doing the job originally hired for. Employees must be selected to project and are provided specific task and goals. Seasonal employees are trained on specifically what to do and the consequences of not correctly doing the task. The Blizzard is managed using the project life cycle. A project life cycle is a way for the project manager to manage the project. Typically, a project life cycle has for stages which include: defining, planning, executing, and closing (Lacey & Gray, 2014). The Blizzard is a project and not just day-to-day work because the project has a set time frame, budgets, quality, and performance specifications in the project which must achieve to meet the needs of the customers. The project team has specific roles and duties created by the project manager and upper manger to meet the needs of the organization and ensure the project is …show more content…
successful.
Organizational Structure: Pros versus Cons
The Lash Group functions as a functional organization. A functional organization are organized into functional divisions based on primary functions such as human resources, finance, information technology, engineering, and customer service for example. Every division is independently operated and only report the division department head. The project manager (PM) has very limited authority in regard to projects within functional organizations. The PM must maintain cooperation and support from all functional managers in organization involved with the project to ensure the objectives of the project are met. Some pros associated with projects within a functional organization most of the projects are divisional so there is very little change, flexibility because most associates are cross-trained and easily transition back to original roles, and the post project transition smooth. The Blizzard is product specific so the hope is that the project exceeds expectation. Some cons associated with the project is the addition of the seasonal employees and the lack of control and authority the PM has.
Projects Effect on the Organizational Culture
Organizational culture can be defined as “a system of shared norms, beliefs, values, and assumptions which binds people together, thereby creating shared meanings” (Lacy & Gray, 2014, p81).
Employees at The Lash Group have a clear understanding of the organizations goal and values. Most employees believe in what the organization stands for and have a clear understanding of the rules and regulations. Most of the managers and upper level managers began careers as entry-level employees which shows the employees what hard work and dedication can achieve. When a new project is presented, depending on the level, there are both positive and negative effects on the organizations culture. A positive for the organization that the project is beneficial for all stakeholders. Some of the negatives is that it can be disruptive to other teams within the organization. Contract and seasonal employees do not always adhere to the organizations
culture.
Conclusion
The importance of a project manager to a project is undisputable. However, there are other aspects involved with the project such as the organization and the organizational culture. The Blizzard is large project for the Lash Group and all stakeholders involved. The Lash group is a functional organization which will cause issues for a project manager because of the limited authority he or she may have. Organizations must ensure the project manager selected has a clear vison of the organization and the culture.
References
Larson, E. W. & Gray, C. F. (2014). Project management: The managerial process (6th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Project Management Institute. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® guide) (5th Ed.). Newton Square, PA: Author.
Celeste Parker
University of Phoenix
PM/571
Roger Sevison
August 31, 2015
Project Management Concepts and Applications Paper
The goal the paper is to provide a description of the managerial processes of project management. The paper will provide an overview of the project which is Access One’s Annual Blizzard. The paper will identify the primary goals of the project and show why the Blizzard is a project and not just the organizations day to day work. A description of the organizations structure will be included too identify how the project bodes with the organization. The paper will also provide the pros and cons the project has on the organizational structure. The paper will conclude by …show more content…
detailing the ways in which the project affects the organizational culture both from a positive and negative perspective.
Description of the Project
The Blizzard is project the Lash Group/Amerisource Bergen must have every year to ensure the drug Remicade is available for patients to obtain through the patients insurance benefits. The Blizzard is a project that requires over one hundred core employees and at least seven hundred to one thousand seasonal contract employees to accomplish the goal of verifying approximately seventy thousand patients’ benefits to ensure the insurance will cover the cost for an extreme high dollar drug. Core team members of the organization must assist with training the seasonal employees on the correct way to verify benefits for the patients. Information Technology (IT) employees must ensues the database is properly functioning by monitoring and troubleshooting daily. A project manager is hired along with project team to ensure organizational and team goals are met and hopefully exceeded. Planning actually begins approximately six months prior to the launch which begins on the first Monday in January and the project last until approximately the second week in February. The project is client specific and strict guidelines for cost associated with the project must be accurately projected.
Project Characteristics and Definition
According to Lacey & Gray (2014) “a project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result (p.
6). Some characteristics of a project include, having a clear and established objective, defined life span that includes and beginning and ending, the involvement of several professionals, employees and various departments within the organization, specified time, cost, and performance requirements (Lacey & Gray, 2014). The Blizzard is a project and not just day-to-day work because employees or core team members are not doing the job originally hired for. Employees must be selected to project and are provided specific task and goals. Seasonal employees are trained on specifically what to do and the consequences of not correctly doing the task. The Blizzard is managed using the project life cycle. A project life cycle is a way for the project manager to manage the project. Typically, a project life cycle has for stages which include: defining, planning, executing, and closing (Lacey & Gray, 2014). The Blizzard is a project and not just day-to-day work because the project has a set time frame, budgets, quality, and performance specifications in the project which must achieve to meet the needs of the customers. The project team has specific roles and duties created by the project manager and upper manger to meet the needs of the organization and ensure the project is …show more content…
successful.
Organizational Structure: Pros versus Cons
The Lash Group functions as a functional organization. A functional organization are organized into functional divisions based on primary functions such as human resources, finance, information technology, engineering, and customer service for example. Every division is independently operated and only report the division department head. The project manager (PM) has very limited authority in regard to projects within functional organizations. The PM must maintain cooperation and support from all functional managers in organization involved with the project to ensure the objectives of the project are met. Some pros associated with projects within a functional organization most of the projects are divisional so there is very little change, flexibility because most associates are cross-trained and easily transition back to original roles, and the post project transition smooth. The Blizzard is product specific so the hope is that the project exceeds expectation. Some cons associated with the project is the addition of the seasonal employees and the lack of control and authority the PM has.
Projects Effect on the Organizational Culture
Organizational culture can be defined as “a system of shared norms, beliefs, values, and assumptions which binds people together, thereby creating shared meanings” (Lacy & Gray, 2014, p81).
Employees at The Lash Group have a clear understanding of the organizations goal and values. Most employees believe in what the organization stands for and have a clear understanding of the rules and regulations. Most of the managers and upper level managers began careers as entry-level employees which shows the employees what hard work and dedication can achieve. When a new project is presented, depending on the level, there are both positive and negative effects on the organizations culture. A positive for the organization that the project is beneficial for all stakeholders. Some of the negatives is that it can be disruptive to other teams within the organization. Contract and seasonal employees do not always adhere to the organizations
culture.
Conclusion
The importance of a project manager to a project is undisputable. However, there are other aspects involved with the project such as the organization and the organizational culture. The Blizzard is large project for the Lash Group and all stakeholders involved. The Lash group is a functional organization which will cause issues for a project manager because of the limited authority he or she may have. Organizations must ensure the project manager selected has a clear vison of the organization and the culture.
References
Larson, E. W. & Gray, C. F. (2014). Project management: The managerial process (6th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Project Management Institute. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® guide) (5th Ed.). Newton Square, PA: Author.