Chapter 2 : The Organizational Context : Strategy, Structure and Culture

Question 1

What is strategic mgmt?

Answer 1

Science of formulating, implementing and evaluating cross-functional decisions that enable an organization to achieve its objectives

Question 2

Projects are ___ ___ or ____ ____

Answer 2

Projects are stepping stones of corporate strategy

Question 3

4 internal stakeholders

Answer 3

• top mgmt
• accountant
• other functional managers
• project team members

Question 4

4 external stakeholders

Answer 4

• clients
• competitors
• suppliers
• environmental, political, consumer and other intervener group

Question 5

6 steps to manage

Answer 5

1. assess the environment
2. identify goals of principal actors
3. assess your own capabilities
4. define problem
5. develop solution
6. test and refine solutions

Question 6

3 key elements of organizational structure

Answer 6

1. Designates formal reporting relationships
2. Identifies groupings
3. Design of systems

Question 7

formal reporting relationships into key elements or organizational structure are described by

Answer 7

number of levels in hierarchy

span of control

Question 8

groupings into key elements of organizational structure are described by

Answer 8

• individuals into departments

- departments into total organization

Question 9

design of systems into key elements of organizational structure are described by

Answer 9

• effective communication
• coordination
• integration across departments

Question 10

3 forms or organization structure

Answer 10

1. functional organizations
2. project organizations
3. matrix organizations

Question 11

what is functional organization

Answer 11

group people performing similar activities into departments

Question 12

what is project organizations

Answer 12

group ppl into projects teams on temporary assignments

Question 13

what is matrix organization

Answer 13

create a dual hierarchy which functions and projects have equal prominence

Question 14

4 strengths of functional organizations

Answer 14

• firm’s design is maintained
• fosters development of in-depth knowledge
• standard career paths
• project team members remain connected with their functional group

Question 15

4 weaknesses of functional organizations

Answer 15

• functional siloing
• lack of customer focus
• projects may take longer
• projects may be sub-optimized

Question 16

5 strengths of project structures

Answer 16

• project manager is sole authority
• improved communication
• effective decision-making
• creation of project mgmt experts
• rapid response

Question 17

4 weaknesses of project structures

Answer 17

• expensive to set up and maintain teams
• chance of loyalty to the project rather than the firm
• no pool of specific knowledge
• workers unassigned at project end

Question 18

4 strengths of matrix structure

Answer 18

• suited to dynamic environments
• equal emphasis on project mgmt and functional efficiency
• promotes coordination across functional units
• maximizes scarce resources

Question 19

3 weaknesses of matrix structure

Answer 19

• dual hierarchies means two bosses
• negotiation required in order to share resources
• workers caught between competing project and functional demands

Question 20

What is a project mgmt office?

Answer 20

Centralized unit that oversees or improve the mgmt of projects

Question 21

PMO are resource centers for

Answer 21

• technical details
• expertise
• repository
• center for excellence

Question 22

3 forms of PMOs

Answer 22

• weather stations
• control tower
• resource pool

Question 23

4 actions performed by the PMO control tower

Answer 23

1. establishes standards for managing projects
2. consults on how to follow these standards
3. enforces the standards
4. improves the standards

Question 24

4 things about the organizational culture

Answer 24

• unwritten
• taught to new members
• rules of behavior
• held by some subset of the organization

Question 25

key factors that affect culture development

Answer 25

- technology - environment - geographical location - reward systems - rules and procedures - key organizational members - critical incidents