Self Test
Answers
þ A. The reporting interfaces for this project—the Directors of Manufacturing, Human Resources, and the IT department, as well as the CIO—are examples of the organizational interfaces. ý B is incorrect; technical interfaces are the technical gurus for the project, such as the engineers and designers. C, the interpersonal interfaces, is not the best choice since this relationship describes the different individuals working on the project. D, human resource coordination, is also incorrect. | |
þ B. Because the project requires the electrician, a project role, this is a staffing requirement. ý A is incorrect because it does not accurately describe the situation. C is incorrect; contractor requirements would specify the procurement issues, the minimum qualifications for the electrician, and so on. D is incorrect; a resource constraint, while a tempting choice, deals more with the availability of the resource or the requirement to use the resource. | |
þ B. The project needs the resource of the chemical engineer to be successful. When the project needs a resource, it is a staffing requirement. ý A, C, and D are all incorrect. This is not a situation describing an organizational interface or contractor requirements. Resource constraints might include a requirement to use a particular resource or that a resource must be available when certain project activities are happening. | |
þ C. In a Weak Matrix structure, functional management will have more authority than the project manager. ý A, C, and D are all incorrect since they do not have as much authority on a project in a weak matrix environment as functional management will have. | |
þ C. In this instance, the union is considered a project stakeholder since it has a vested interest in the project’s outcome. ý A is incorrect because the union is not a resource constraint; they are interested in the project management methodology and the project human resource management. B is incorrect; the union is the counterweight to the management of the organization—not to the project itself. D is also incorrect; the union is not a project team member. | |
þ B. When projects are similar in nature, the project manager can use the roles and responsibilities definitions of the historical project to guide the current project. ý A is incorrect; the entire project plan of the ACT Project is not needed. Even the roles and responsibilities matrix of the historical project may not be an exact fit for the current project. C is incorrect; copying the project team structure is not the best choice of all the answers presented. D is also incorrect because using the same project team may not be feasible at all. | |
þ C. When project managers, or managers in general, are referred to as different terms, a job description is needed so the project manager can successfully complete the required obligations. ý A and B are incorrect choices. The project manager must know what the specific responsibilities, not the similarities and differences, between the current role and management. D is also incorrect; by the project manager knowing how to complete their job, the role of the project team should be evident. | |
þ C. Management is looking for a roles and responsibility matrix. This chart lists the roles and responsibilities, and depicts the intersection of the two. ý A and B are incorrect; management is looking for more than a listing of the roles and the associated responsibilities. D is not an acceptable answer for the scenario presented. | |
þ B. Theory X believes workers have an inherent dislike of work and will avoid it if possible. Micromanagement is a method, in regard to Theory X, to make certain workers complete their work. ý A and C are actually examples of McGregor’s Theory Y. D is incorrect because EVM is not directly related to McGregor’s Theory X and Y. | |
þ B. When the project team is afraid of the power the project manager yields, this is called coercive power. ý A, C, and D are incorrect since these describe assigned, referential, and technical power over the project. | |
þ A. The company president has assigned you to the position of the project manager, so you have formal power. ý B is incorrect because coercive power is the associated fear of the project manager. C is incorrect because expert power is derived from the project manager’s experience with the technology being implemented. D is also incorrect; halo power is not a viable answer to the question. | |
þ B. The halo effect is the assumption that because the person is good at a technology they’d also be good at managing a project dealing with said technology. ý A, C, and D are all incorrect since these do not describe the halo effect. | |
þ A. Susan is an autocratic decision maker. ý B is incorrect because a democracy counts each project team member’s opinion. C is incorrect; laissez faire allows the project team to make all the decisions. D is also incorrect; this is not exceptional project management. | |
þ A. Confronting is the best problem-solving technique since it meets the problem directly. ý B is incorrect; compromising requires both sides on an argument to give up something. C is incorrect; forcing requires the project manager to force a decision based on external inputs, such as seniority, experience, and so on. D is also incorrect; avoidance ignores the problem and does not solve it. | |
þ D. When Harold always has to win an argument and team members begin to give into Harold’s demands simply to avoid the argument rather than to find an accurate solution, this is a yield-lose situation. ý A is incorrect since both parties do not win. B is incorrect since the project team member did not leave the conversation, but rather ended it. C is incorrect; a lose-lose is a compromise where both parties give up something. | |
þ D. Personality conflicts are likely a concern for the customer, but are not as important as project priorities, schedule, and cost. The customer hired your company to solve the technical issues. ý Choices A, B, and C are all incorrect since these are most likely the top issues for a company in a project of this magnitude. | |
þ B. Ouchi’s Theory Z states that workers need to be involved with the management process. ý A is incorrect; McGregor’s Theory of X and Y believes X workers don’t want to work and need constant supervision; Z workers will work if the work is challenging, satisfying, and rewarding. C is incorrect; Herzberg’s Theory of Motivation describes the type of people and what excites them to work. D, the Expectancy Theory, describes how people will work based on what they expect because of the work they do. | |
þ D. The Expectancy Theory describes how people will work based on what they expect because of the work they do. If people are rewarded because of the work they complete, and they like the reward (payment), they will continue to work. ý A, B, and C are all incorrect since these theories do not accurately describe the scenario presented. | |
þ C. You, the project manager, have expert power on this project because of your experience with the technology and with projects that are similar in nature. ý A, B, and D are all incorrect. These project management powers do not accurately describe the scenario. Formal power is appointed power. Coercive power describes fear of the project manager. Referent power describes power by association and personal knowledge. | |
þ D. This is referent power because the project team knows the project manager personally. ý A and B are incorrect choices; these do not describe the scenario. C is incorrect; expert power does not deal with the ability to lead and complete a project, but it focuses on being an expert with the technology that the project deals with. | |
þ B. Coercive power is the power a project manager yields over the project team. Coercive power is the formal authority a project manager has over the project team. ý A is incorrect; only referent power may come through lunch meetings. C is incorrect; experience is expert power. D is incorrect; interpersonal relationships are examples of referent power. | |
þ C. When both parties give up something, it is a compromise. A compromise is an example of a lose-lose solution. ý A is incorrect; win-win is accomplished through confrontation. B is incorrect; win-lose allows only one party to get what they want from the scenario. D is incorrect since a leave-lose solution is when one party walks away from the problem. | |
þ C. Forcing happens when the project manager makes a decision based on factors not relevant to the problem. Just because a team member has more seniority does not mean this individual is correct. ý A, B, and D are incorrect choices. Problem solving is not described in the scenario. B, compromising, happens when both parties agree to give up something. D, withdrawal, happens when a party leaves the argument. | |
þ A. project managers are typically assigned to a project on a full-time basis in a projectized organization. ý B, C, and D do not accurately describe the work schedule of a project manager in a projectized environment. | |
þ C. When a project team is collocated, all of the project team members are in the same physical location in order to increase their ability to work as a team. ý A and B are incorrect; collocated teams are not dispersed; non-collocated teams are dispersed. D is incorrect since a collocated team does not ensure that costs are reduced; in some situations, costs may be increased due to travel to bring all the team members together to complete the project. |
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