Project Mgmt HW 4
Homework # 4 Ashif Puzhakkaraillath (004101555)
Project Management 02/5/2013
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The Bathtub Period
1. Should Jerry go to the General Manager?
I do not think Jerry should go to the General Manager. To disobey your boss and then going to meet the general manager is a very bad idea. Jerry can risk being fired if he was to do so. To blow the whistle just to keep your team intact doesn’t seem favorable. Moreover he should think of the company as a whole and what benefits it could do if all the recourses were used instead of holding them.
2. Should the key be supported on overhead?
The key people should be supported on overhead. They are the ones that are “in the trenches” and are most likely the most knowledgeable. It is always valuable to support them.
3. If this were a cost-plus program, would you consider approaching the customer with the problem in hopes of relief?
If this was a cost-plus program I would handle it the same way I would handle the firm-fixed program. That is to follow the chain-of-command. I would talk to my boss or sponsor first about my idea which I wanted to present to the customer.
4. If you were the customer of this cost-plus program, what would your response be for additional funds for the bathtub period, assuming cost overrun?
Assuming cost overrun, I would grant the additional funds for the bathtub period. This could potentially help out with the projected cash flow problem.
5. Would your previous answer change if the program had the money available as a result of an under-run?
Yes my previous answer would change. The current state of the program was that it projected cash flow problems. Knowing this and giving additional money to the contractor due to an assumption is really risky. If the program had the money available did there would be no need to take on such a risk.
6. How do you prevent this situation
Project Management 02/5/2013
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bathtub Period
1. Should Jerry go to the General Manager?
I do not think Jerry should go to the General Manager. To disobey your boss and then going to meet the general manager is a very bad idea. Jerry can risk being fired if he was to do so. To blow the whistle just to keep your team intact doesn’t seem favorable. Moreover he should think of the company as a whole and what benefits it could do if all the recourses were used instead of holding them.
2. Should the key be supported on overhead?
The key people should be supported on overhead. They are the ones that are “in the trenches” and are most likely the most knowledgeable. It is always valuable to support them.
3. If this were a cost-plus program, would you consider approaching the customer with the problem in hopes of relief?
If this was a cost-plus program I would handle it the same way I would handle the firm-fixed program. That is to follow the chain-of-command. I would talk to my boss or sponsor first about my idea which I wanted to present to the customer.
4. If you were the customer of this cost-plus program, what would your response be for additional funds for the bathtub period, assuming cost overrun?
Assuming cost overrun, I would grant the additional funds for the bathtub period. This could potentially help out with the projected cash flow problem.
5. Would your previous answer change if the program had the money available as a result of an under-run?
Yes my previous answer would change. The current state of the program was that it projected cash flow problems. Knowing this and giving additional money to the contractor due to an assumption is really risky. If the program had the money available did there would be no need to take on such a risk.
6. How do you prevent this situation