UC ETP Wk 2 Keflavik Paper Co

I’m working on a management question and need support to help me study.

Case Study 3.1 Keflavik Paper Company

Keflavik
Paper is an organization that has lately been facing serious problems
with the results of its projects. Specifically, the company’s project
development record has been spotty: While some projects have been
delivered on time, others have been late. Budgets are routinely overrun,
and product performance has been inconsistent, with the results of some
projects yielding good returns and others losing money. They have
hired a consultant to investigate some of the principal causes that are
underlying these problems, and he believes that the primary problem is
not how project are run but how they are selected in the first place.
Specifically, there is little attention paid to the need to consider
strategic fit and portfolio management in selecting new projects. This
case is intended to get students thinking of alternative screening
measures that could potentially be used when deciding whether or not to
invest in a new project.

Questions

1. Keflavik
   Paper presents a good example of the dangers of excessive reliance on
   one screening technique (in this case, discounted cash flow). How might
2. Assume
   that you are responsible for maintaining Keflavik’s project portfolio.
   Name some key criteria that should be used in evaluating all new
   projects before they are added to the current portfolio.
3. What
   does this case demonstrate about the effect of poor project screening
   methods on a firm’s ability to manage its projects effectively?

Case Study 4.1—In Search of Effective Project Managers

This
case involves Pureswing Golf, and illustrates the problems when
organizations attempt to locate competent project managers without any
systematic plan for identifying and training good potential candidates.
They are discovering that the “voluntary approach,” whereby new project
managers are solicited seemingly at random from around the company,
simply does not work. Many of these individuals likely do not have the
skills or a reasonable understanding of what it takes to manage projects
effectively.

Questions

1. Imagine
   you are a human resources professional at Pureswing who has been
   assigned to develop a program for recruiting new project managers.
   Design a job description for the position.
2. What qualities and personal characteristics support a higher likelihood of success as a project manager?
3. What qualities and personal characteristics would make it difficult to be a successful project manager?