CIS517

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

A project manager is the person responsible for leading a project from its inception to

execution. This includes planning, execution and managing the people, resources and scope of

the project. Project managers must have the discipline to create clear and attainable objectives

and to see them through to successful completion. The project manager has full responsibility

and authority to complete the assigned project

Describe the different organizational structures as it relates to project management

A project organization is a structure that assists the coordination and implementation of

project activities. Its main reason is to create an environment that nurtures interactions among the

team members with a minimum amount of disruptions, overlaps and conflict. One of the

important decisions of project management is the form of organizational structure that will be

used for the project. The current types of organizational structure of project management are

functional organizational structure, project-based organizational structure and matrix

organizational structure.

Matrix organizational structure is a hybrid form of structure which is a combination of

the functional and divisional structures. Matrix based, in which the project manager shares

responsibility with other program unit managers. Some of the shared responsibilities can include

assigning priorities and tasks to individual team members. Matrix based project organizations

allow program units to focus on their specific technical competencies and allow projects to be

staffed with specialists from throughout the organization The matrix based organization is also

the most flexible when dealing with hanging programmatic needs and priorities. The main

advantage of the matrix based organization is the efficient allocation of all resources, especially

scarce specialty skills that cannot be fully utilized by only one project. With this type of structure

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

there is a balance between ongoing operations and projects, so it is a common structure for

organizations that have these dual roles.

Project Based type of organization project managers have a high level of authority to

manage and control the project resources. The project manager in this structure has total

authority over the project and can acquire resources needed to accomplish project objectives

from within or outside the parent organization, subject only to the scope, quality, and budget

constraints identified in the project. The project manager has the authority to set priorities, apply

resources, and to direct the work of team members assigned to the project. The members of the

project team report directly to the project manager and everyone is assigned to a project. When

the project is completed, resources will be re-assigned to another project. The project-based

organizational structure is common in companies that work on sizeable long-term projects.

Functional organizational structure is the most common type of the three structures and

works best in small organizations in which the different sections are geographically close

together and provide only a small number of goods and services. A functional organizational

structure has several advantages when it comes to managing projects. Project teams within a

functional structure benefit from clearly defined reporting relationships. Functional structures are

managed through a coherent top-down approach, with employees generally reporting to only one

manager. Fewer layers of management mean employees are more likely to know what is

expected of them, and from whom. Another main advantage of projects performed inside a single

department is that the unit has complete control over the results. Project goals are determined

internally, not by an external project owner, and thus are better suited to meet departmental need.

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Different roles that project managers can play in organizational leadership.

Project managers are organized, passionate and goal-oriented. Understand what projects

have in common, and their strategic role in how organizations succeed, learn and change (PMI,

2013). The most fundamental role of a leader is to define the organizational goal, formulate

plans and organize people to achieve the goals through the execution of plans. Organizational

leadership is a dual focused management approach that works towards what is best for

individuals and what is best for a group as a whole simultaneously. Project Management is all

about effective communication, from understanding the technical aspects of the discipline and

disseminating that information to the team, to the sponsors, and effectively dealing with diverse

groups up and down the organization chart. A project manager is a person who has the overall

responsibility for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling

and closure of a project. The specific duties of a project manager vary from industry to industry,

company to company, and sometimes even from project to project. A project manager is the

person with the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project

requirements (PMI, 2013). The Project Manager is also responsible for managing the work of

consultants, allocating and utilizing resources in an efficient manner and maintaining a co-

operative, motivated and successful team.

Depending on the size and the complexity of the project, they may need to take on multiple

roles. The project manager may need to assist with gathering business requirements, help to

design a database management system or may prepare project documentation. They may work

full time on a large project, or may work part-time on various projects of a smaller nature; or

may alternatively handle various projects as well as handle other responsibilities like business

analysis and business development (Jackowski, 2015).

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Human resource factors that affect project management

Human resource function is one of the most crucial elements for an organization's success.

Human resource (HR) management within a project is the crucial success factor nothing will

ever be designed, built, implemented or operated without people (PMI, 2013). Human resources

factors affects project management in all phases. These factors can include skills and

competencies; involvement in decision making, and motivational factors in management of

human resources of project management.

Planning human resource management involves identifying and documenting project roles,

responsibilities and reporting relationships. Human resource planning is a process that identifies

current and future human resource needs for an organization, based on the goals and objectives

set by upper management. It responds to the importance of business strategy and planning in

order to ensure the availability and supply of people—in both number and quality. Human

resource planning serves as a link between human resource management and the overall strategic

plan of an organization (Boundless, 2014).

Because projects do something unique, project team members do not necessarily know

what to do next. They need to be told the project plan. The majority of project HR tools are

focused on ensuring that each project team member knows what is required of them. The

PMBOK Guide process related to project human resource management comprises: develop

human resource plan, acquire project team, develop project team, and manage project team.

Conflict resolution techniques that project managers can utilize to keep team members

productive.

According to the PMBOK Guide, conflict is inevitable in a project environment. After

defining the problem, the PMBOK Guide suggests five techniques for project management.

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Leadership approaches are one of the potential success factors for project managers. It is a skill,

which is often neglected in training because it is very hard to measure a person’s leadership style

in a training situation. By understanding leadership styles and their impact, a project manager

can become a great project leader. Therefore, the project manager must determine the most

appropriate leadership style for each project team. A project manager should choose the correct

leadership style based upon the project and project team requirements.

Withdraw/Avoid Conflict Management

Retreating from an actual or potential conflict situation; postponing the issue to be better

prepared or to be resolved by others. Temporarily avoiding the conflict also means you have the

chance to think through the other person’s situation. While withdrawing and avoiding is valuable

in the short term, it can be over used (PMI, 2013). If you retreat from a conflict situation and fail

to follow up, the conflict is likely to become worse over time. Withdrawing and avoiding also

works well as a self-management technique.

Smooth/Accommodate Conflict Management

Emphasizing areas of agreement rather than areas of difference; conceding one’s position

to the needs of others to maintain harmony and relationships (PMI, 2013). This approach

recognizes the importance of professional relationships to project success. Successfully using

smoothing and accommodating requires understanding of the parties in conflict (PMI, 2013).

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Compromise/Reconcile Conflict Management

Searching for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to all parties in order to

temporarily or partially resolve the conflict (PMI, 2013). The compromise technique recognizes

that some conflicts cannot be fully solved. To successfully use this method, the project manager

needs to understand the needs of the person or stakeholder. The project manager also has to be

willing to make changes to their project. For compromise to be successful, each party needs to

benefit and sacrifice party of their objectives (PMI, 2013).

Force/Direct Conflict Management

Pushing one’s viewpoint at the expense of others; offering only win-lose solutions,

usually enforced through a power position to resolve an emergency (PMI, 2013). Use the

force/direct conflict management technique only when absolutely required. As the PMBOK

definition suggests; applying force to resolve conflicts comes at a cost. Specifically, the project

manager is likely to harm relationships with the project team by using this method. Abuse or

overuse of this technique tends to cause more conflict in the long term.

Collaborate/Problem Solve Conflict Management

Incorporating multiple viewpoints and insights from differing perspectives; requires a

cooperative attitude and open dialogue that typically leads to consensus and commitment (PMI,

2013). The collaboration and problem solving approach to conflict is the most productive

technique in my view. This technique has two major benefits; the conflict itself is solved and the

project team is strengthened as a by-product of working to solve the problem. This technique is

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

most likely to be successful in situations where the project team already has a high level of trust

(PMI, 2013).

Leadership approaches and when they are best utilized

An effective Project Management Professional (PMP) is able to invoke various

leadership styles. The key is to use each style at the right time. There are six distinct leadership

styles that were identified by Daniel Goleman. Peter Drucker suggested that, "Management is

doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." Leadership Style is a one of the potential

success factors for project managers. By understanding leadership styles and their impact, a PM

can become great project leader.

Coaching Style

Coaching style leader is willing to teach and allow people to work on their strengths and

weaknesses. The coach challenges all to do better and is encouraging when any failure is present.

It works well when the team is inexperienced and small in number.

Coercive Style

Coercive Style is used when a leader issues orders in such a manner that there is only one

direction to go. It is also used when there is a lack of time, or subordinates have no idea how to

craft a solution.

Affiliative Style

Affiliative Style is where a team leader seeks to encourage each member to think of

themselves as 'one of the gang', so to speak. There is a lot of flexibility on how the work is

actually done, as long as all objectives are met. Open communication and team harmony are

some of the by-products of this style.

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Democratic style

Democratic style is employed when everyone has a say. While this style may cause the

planning and execution stages to be time consuming, morale is usually high. Invites ideas from

the team for decision-making process, goes with majority. This style will usually result in a

good decision, but may leave the minority voters disgruntled. A project manager will never hold

a vote without first consulting with the primary stakeholders in the vote. This is necessary to

ensure that the vote properly addresses the issue at hand, and that all parties know what is at

stake. An example would be a committee without a chair. An effective project manager must

employ a variety of leadership styles in order to be successful. There is no one size fits all.

Pace-setting style

Pace-setting style involves the setting of high performance standards. There is usually a

weeding out process that identifies employees who may have weaknesses in a certain area. Some

team members may feel constant pressure to compete and not feel they are providing any

meaningful contribution to the creative process.

Authoritative Style

Authoritative Style is used when the project manager shares their vision with the team,

but allows them to use their various talents to come up with a collaborative solution. By valuing

each team member's contribution, the leader is motivating the team. It is important that the leader

is respected for his/her knowledge so that others feel honored to be part of the effort.

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Ethical situations or dilemmas that project managers might face in their role within an

organization.

Project managers have to face various ethical issues every day. Ethical issues especially

those related to workplace if not resolved properly, results in a decrease in the efficiency of team

members. Ethical issues revolve around our working relationship with other team members.

They may vary from one culture or region to the other as they are based on the norms, values,

thoughts and beliefs of the individuals (Majeed, 2012). Some common ethical issue related to

project management are:

Violation of Basic Rights of Workers

Misuse of power is a violation of basic rights for workers. When this happen the moral of

the team lowers, the motivation level of the team decreases as well (Majeed, 2012). Many times

it is difficult for people to admit that they have done something wrong. This is especially true for

a project manager, who may be responsible for a large project and for overseeing a staff.

However, ethically, if the project manager is at fault for the unsuccessful venture of project

completion, then that project manager must be able to admit this wrong. Not admitting

wrongdoing can greatly damage the team relationship. The unethical practice will also most

likely cause the team members you are in charge of to not trust the manager as well.

Being Bias

Biasness is common everywhere whether it is project management or any other business.

The project manager show biased behavior which leads to a disturbance in the whole working

environment (Majeed, 2012). At times project managers hire their family members, relatives or

friends in their team without considering that these people lack desired skills and qualifications.

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

When working with contracts, there are often many stipulations and requirements between the

two parties involved. Sometimes, these stipulations may violate ethical beliefs and values.

Project managers have to face various ethical issues every day however, a project manager must

also remember his obligation to be an ethical, responsible employer, employee and corporate

citizen.

Ethical Violations

Ethical issues especially those related to workplace if not resolved properly, results in a decrease

in the efficiency of team members. Ethical issues revolve around our working relationship with

other team members. They may vary from one culture or region to the other as they are based on

the norms, values, thoughts and beliefs of the individuals. There are no hard and fast rules for

dealing with ethical issues so you have to use your entrepreneurial and leading skills in order to

tackle ethical problems while doing project management.

Blaming Others

Project managers blame their team members or subordinates without thinking that being a

project head it was also their responsibility to ensure success. Although the project manager is in

charge of ensuring the task gets completed, sometimes a task can fail despite the project

manager’s best efforts. In these cases of project incompletion or failure, it should be said that the

team failed.

When considering the special and general circumstances discussed above, it is quite clear that

project environment is a potential hot bed for unethical behavior. Project managers must deal

with a surplus of ethical issues, and at any given time and place can find himself or herself

dealing with an ethical situation or indiscretion related to a particular topic.

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Summarize tools and techniques commonly used in project procurement.

Project procurement management is a simple activity that is comprised of four main

processes plan procurements, conduct procurements, administer procurements and close

procurements. Consequently, it can cause major delays that may result in payouts. Project

procurement management is about establishing, maintaining and closing relationships with

suppliers of goods and services for the project. “The processes necessary to purchase or acquire

the products, services, or results needed from outside the project team” (PMBOK). Various tools

and techniques are used for conducting procurements which can include make or buy decision,

bidder conferences, proposal evaluation techniques, procurement negotiations, expert judgment

and internet searches to name a few.

The procurement audit tool allows a structured and comprehensive review of the whole process

of procurement, aimed at detecting any mistakes and analysis of the process to learn from it, for

the purpose of making future procurements more informed. The future projects will benefit from

procurement audits, through the lessons learnt in previous audits.

The procurement negotiation tool is meant to resolve any outstanding dispute between the

buyer and the seller. The dispute progress to the mediation stage if negotiation fails to work before

the parties can take the dispute for litigation. Litigation will lead to both parties counting losses in

terms of the time, cost, and reputation.

A make or buy analysis is done to ascertain if a piece of the project work should be done

within the team or it should be purchased from an outside source. Will need to be taken where

the option exists to do the work in-house as part of the project or to purchase some products or

services from suppliers.

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Expert judgement is considered to be one of the best accepted approaches and most

useful too during the planning phases of many activities. The approach not only saves the time

during the planning but also highlights risks to be considered while executing. It also improves

the quality of the estimates and provides accurate forecasts. Seller rating system is a historically

based system for evaluating sellers.

Assess the role of technology in project management.

Technology does help project managers perform better and can play a major role in

supporting project managers in managing projects effectively and efficiently. Technology has a

big impact on project duration, tracking costs and overall project performance. Technology

assumes importance in the context of project management due to greater challenges in today's

technology-enabled work environment, where technology tools are routinely used for

collaboration, communication, and deployment of project management practices. It is becoming

common practice for even co-located project teams to use the electronic medium for these

purposes. Nevertheless the importance of technology, research has shown that it is difficult to

associate the use of technology with business performance and the absence of such relation can

be extrapolated to project performance as well. However, technology can play a major role in

supporting project managers in managing projects effectively and efficiently.

Provide your expectations for the development of the project management field aided by

modern technologies

With modern technology the project management field can advance in many ways. I expect

there will be more offshoring due to virtual presence, companies will invest more into social

media as it’s now the norm, and there will be more qualified trained project managers.

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

Technology is changing everyday so in order to keep up, the project management field will need

to grow and change as well.

There are powerful environmental forces contributing to the rapid expansion of project

management approaches to business problems and opportunities. A project is defined as a non-

routine, one-time effort limited by time, resources, and performance specifications designed to

meet customer needs. One of the distinguishing characteristics of project management is that it

has both a beginning and an end and typically consists of four phases: defining, planning,

executing, and closing.

Effective project management begins with selecting and prioritizing projects that support the

firm’s mission and strategy. Successful implementation requires both technical and social skills.

Project managers have to plan and budget projects as well as orchestrate the contributions of

others.

Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

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Term Paper: Project Managers and Leadership, Ethics, and Technology

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