UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON

ARTHUR J. KANIA SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

Course: Management 462 - Project Management in Organizations

Semester: Spring 2001

Section: TTh 1:00-2:15 PM Brennan 203

Instructor: Dr. Alan L. Brumagim

Office: 409 Brennan Hall

Telephone: 941-7480 (Office)

Office Hours: TTh 10:30 – 11:55 AM, T 5:00 – 7:00 PM, or by appointment

Description: This course will examine advanced project management concepts covering all phases of the project lifecycle (from requirement specification through post-project assessment). Special emphasis will be placed on understanding projects within the context of complex organizational settings by utilizing an open systems perspective. Since most students entering business will be involved with some kind of projects, the roles and responsibilities of project team members as well as those of project managers will be explored.

Required Text: (1) J. Davidson Frame, Managing Projects in Organizations, Revised Edition,

Jossey-Bass, 1995.

(2) Dr. Brumagim's Guide to Project Management Concepts, 2001 (To be handed

out in class).

(3) Selected readings from Fast Company Magazine will be put on reserve in the library. (Students wishing to subscribe to this magazine should see Dr. Brumagim during the first week of class).

Course Goals:

1. To learn the basic concepts and relevance of open systems theory,

2. To learn the concepts and frameworks of project management theory,

3. To understand how project management fits within the broader context of managing organizations,

4. To become familiar with the Project Management Institute’s various resources,

5. To become familiar with Microsoft Project 98 Software, and

6. To further develop group and teamwork skills in an applied setting.

Course Methodology: The majority of class time will be devoted to lecture and class discussion. Class attendance is important. Excessive absences (more than 2) will result in the reduction of your final grade by one step (for example, B to B-) for each excess absence (excused or unexcused).

Evaluation Method:
Exam #1	25%
Exam #2	30%
Exam #3	30%
Class Participation/homework/quizzes
& Microsoft Project 98 assignments	15%

Each student must come to class prepared to discuss the assigned topics. I suggest that you prepare reading notes. Quizzes on reading assignments may be given to assess class preparation.

Grading:

94-100 A	80-82 B-	65-69 D
90-93 A-	77-79 C+	60-64 D-
87-89 B+	73-76 C	59 down F
83-86 B	70-72 C-

Schedule:

Week 1	1/30/2001	Course Introduction/Basic Project Management Concepts
	2/1/2001	Film: Tom Peter’s “Speed is Life”
Week 2	2/6/2001	Read Introduction: Understanding the Process of Managing Projects
	2/8/2001	Read Chap. 1 – Operating Within the Realities of Organizational Life Understanding the
		Organizational Context/Influencing Stakeholders
Week 3	2/13/2001	Read Chap. 4 – Making Certain the Project is Based on a Clear Need
	2/15/2001	Open Systems Theory/Systems Dynamics
Week 4	2/20/2001	Read Chap. 5 – Specifying What the Project Should Accomplish
	2/22/2001	Exam #1
Week 5	2/27/2001	Read Chap 2 – Finding and Working with Capable People
	3/1/2001	Developing Project Team Building Skills
Week 6	3/6/2001	Read Chap. 3 – Structuring Project Teams & Building Cohesiveness
	3/8/2001	Issues in Project Communications
Week 7	3/13/2001	No Class – Spring Break
	3/15/2001	No Class – Spring Break
Week 8	3/20/2001	Read Chap. 6 – Tools/Techniques for Keeping the Project on Course
	3/22/2001	Understanding the Work Breakdown Structure
Week 9	3/27/2001	Project Lifecycle Documentation
	3/29/2001	Exam #2
Week 10	4/3/2001	Project Management Institute Resources
	4/5/2001	Project Planning & Control: Scheduling & Budget Preparation
Week 11	4/10/2001	Project Planning & Control (Continued)
	4/12/2001	No Class - Easter Holiday
Week 12	4/17/2001	No Class (Beer Game Simulation scheduled earlier in term)
	4/19/2001	Read Chapter 7 – Managing Special Problems and Complex Projects
Week 13	4/24/2001	The Coffeehouse Exercise
	4/26/2001	Introduction to Microsoft Project 98 Software
Week 14	5/1/2001	Read Chapter 8 – Achieving Results
	5/3/2001	Exam #3
Week 15	5/8/2001	Microsoft Project 98 assignment
	5/10/2001	Microsoft Project 98 assignment/Term Wrap-up
No Final Exam

If possible, a systems dynamics exercise created at MIT named “The Beer Game” will be conducted. Since it takes 3 hours to run this simulation, a separate suitable time will be scheduled. If this can be accomplished, then class on April 17^th will be cancelled.

This syllabus may be changed when deemed necessary by the instructor. Changes will be announced in class. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain all class information when he or she misses class.