Project Managemetn Concept and Application Paper

Hector Gaming Company Hector Gaming project is study growth. Their goal for the firm is grow to be the largest and best educational gaming company in the world. To achieve the end state goals, every member of the firm has to be on-board and linked to the organizational strategic plan. Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm M&M was a well-established regional accounting firm with 160 employees located across six offices in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The main office, where Palmer worked, was in Green Bay, Wisconsin. M&M’s primary services were corporate audits and tax preparation. Over the last two years the partners decided to move more aggressively into the consulting business. M&M projected that consulting would represent 40 percent of their growth over the next five years(Gray, Larson 2008) This was a very competitive position. During the last five years, only 20 percent of account managers at M&M had been promoted to partner. However, once a partner, they were virtually guaranteed the position for life and enjoyed significant increases in salary, benefits, and prestige. Film Prioritization The company is the film division for a large entertainment conglomerate. The main office is located in Anaheim, California. In addition to the feature film division, the conglomerate includes theme parks, home videos, a television channel, interactive games and theatrical productions. The company has been enjoying steady growth over the past 10 years. (Gray, Larson 2008) Project Management Styles Organizational culture Organizational culture is the pattern of beliefs and expectations shared by an organization’s members. Culture includes the behavioral norms, customs, shared values, and the â€Å"rules of the game† for getting along and getting ahead within the organization. In certain organizations, culture encourages the implementation of projects. In this environment the project management structure used plays a less decisive role in the success of the project. This is true for Film Prioritization; their overriding objective is to create shareholder value by continuing to be the world’s premier entertainment company from a creative, strategic, and financial standpoint(Gray, Larson 2008) The project management structure plays more decisive role in the successful implementation of projects. At a minimum, under adverse cultural conditions, the project manager needs to have significant authority over the project team. Project Life Cycle The project life cycle typically passes sequentially through four stages: defining, planning, executing, and delivering. The starting point begins the mo ment the project is given the go-ahead. HGC struggled through the (4) phases of the life cycle. A consulting firm along with top managers defined and planned continued expansion of the company. HGC internal conflict and fear of competition prevented them to progress through the execution and delivery phase. The 10 top managers couldn’t agree on the company new direction. M&M accounting firm allowed internal competition to move successfully through the project cycle. The accounting firm manager defined and planned, but like HGC fell short in executing and delivering. In the process, they overworked a valued employee and forced the employee to make a decision that didn’t benefit both projects. Film Prioritization, moved through each phase of the cycle success from start to finish. This company had a well defined end state goal for the project and company as a whole. By developing proposal it game project managers direction on the other (3) of the cycle. The project cycle is a key resource in project management that tracks the success of the plan. References Clifford F. Gray, Erik W. Larson (2008). Project Management. The Managerial Process, Fourth Edition. Chapter One: Modern Project Management. McGraw-Hill, a business unit of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Clifford F. Gray, Erik W. Larson (2008). Project Management. The Managerial Process, Fourth Edition. Chapter. Chapter Two: Organization Strategy and Project Selection. McGraw-Hill, a business unit of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Clifford F. Gray, Erik W. Larson (2008). Project Management. The Managerial Process, Fourth Edition. Chapter. Chapter Three: Organization: Structure and Culture. McGraw-Hill, a business unit of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.