Construction is a collaborative activity teamwork project management

Learning Outcomes

LO1: Develop a critical awareness of the current problems and new insights in the tendering and post contract stage of the construction cycle.
LO2: Develop the ability to use critical thinking and reflection appropriately.
LO4: Apply numerical, statistical and quantitative skills in order to evaluate key issues which impact on successful project performance.

Background

This assignment is based around the approved project to develop a new Birmingham University station at a cost of £56 Million. A brand new fit-for-purpose station with modern facilities will be built. This station will be capable of handling 7.2 million passengers a year.

The station rebuild is in great need as the current 1970s station is one of the busiest in the region and is currently unable to accommodate the four million passengers a year that currently use it and is unable to allow future growth.

Cllr Ian Ward, WMCA portfolio holder for transport and leader of Birmingham City Council said: “This new station will not only provide a magnificent gateway to Birmingham for those visitors coming for the Commonwealth Games, but for the many more who pass through here day in, day out.

The planned renovations and developments have been outlined in a fly-through video, allowing viewers to see an in-depth exploration of what the station will look like. Use the attached link to look at the video. https://youtu.be/pchRClRPcDs

ASSIGNMENT BRIEF

This assignment is concerned with reflective practices including a critical review of past and current Construction Management topics. You will be required to action research and seek to bridge the gap between researchers and practitioners by combining theory with research on practical problems. Reflection is essential to learning in order to convert experience into knowledge, or to put it another way, we learn more from our mistakes than successes.

This assessment will be based on topics within the Construction Management discipline. You will be required to complete the tasks by critically reviewing past or current projects against current research on the particular topic. Your review should conclude in your thoughts on how the issue can be developed so that work on future projects can proceed without the problems of past being repeated.

THE TASK’S

You are required to present a report and a portfolio of evidence for the project start up meeting detailing how you will manage the project.

The basis of your submission will be the justification of your proposals through the consideration of alternatives and the reasons for the selections in your proposal. Identification and location of appropriate literature including critical analysis and synthesis with relevant theoretical frameworks, tools, ideas and models is required.

Your report should include:

1. The role of the Construction Project Manager is wide and varied; critically review the current issues they have to deal with on a construction project. Include how improvements may be made for future projects.

2. Develop strategies for dealing with risk including health and safety aspects of a busy site. This should also include how sites will cater for those with access challenges.

3. Cost Control is one of the most important aspects of any construction project. Even when a robust cost control system is being used, budgets can get out of control. Evaluate how cost control can be improved of a construction project.

4. Construction is a collaborative activity. Every project relies on teamwork. Discuss how projects are affected by teamwork and how they could be improved for the future.

Strategies for dealing with risk including health and safety in projects

Learning Outcomes

LO1: Develop a critical awareness of the current problems and new insights in the tendering and post contract stage of the construction cycle.
LO2: Develop the ability to use critical thinking and reflection appropriately.
LO4: Apply numerical, statistical and quantitative skills in order to evaluate key issues which impact on successful project performance.

Background

This assignment is based around the approved project to develop a new Birmingham University station at a cost of £56 Million. A brand new fit-for-purpose station with modern facilities will be built. This station will be capable of handling 7.2 million passengers a year.

The station rebuild is in great need as the current 1970s station is one of the busiest in the region and is currently unable to accommodate the four million passengers a year that currently use it and is unable to allow future growth.

Cllr Ian Ward, WMCA portfolio holder for transport and leader of Birmingham City Council said: “This new station will not only provide a magnificent gateway to Birmingham for those visitors coming for the Commonwealth Games, but for the many more who pass through here day in, day out.

The planned renovations and developments have been outlined in a fly-through video, allowing viewers to see an in-depth exploration of what the station will look like. Use the attached link to look at the video. https://youtu.be/pchRClRPcDs

ASSIGNMENT BRIEF

This assignment is concerned with reflective practices including a critical review of past and current Construction Management topics. You will be required to action research and seek to bridge the gap between researchers and practitioners by combining theory with research on practical problems. Reflection is essential to learning in order to convert experience into knowledge, or to put it another way, we learn more from our mistakes than successes.

This assessment will be based on topics within the Construction Management discipline. You will be required to complete the tasks by critically reviewing past or current projects against current research on the particular topic. Your review should conclude in your thoughts on how the issue can be developed so that work on future projects can proceed without the problems of past being repeated.

THE TASK’S

You are required to present a report and a portfolio of evidence for the project start up meeting detailing how you will manage the project.

The basis of your submission will be the justification of your proposals through the consideration of alternatives and the reasons for the selections in your proposal. Identification and location of appropriate literature including critical analysis and synthesis with relevant theoretical frameworks, tools, ideas and models is required.

Your report should include:

1. The role of the Construction Project Manager is wide and varied; critically review the current issues they have to deal with on a construction project. Include how improvements may be made for future projects.

2. Develop strategies for dealing with risk including health and safety aspects of a busy site. This should also include how sites will cater for those with access challenges.

3. Cost Control is one of the most important aspects of any construction project. Even when a robust cost control system is being used, budgets can get out of control. Evaluate how cost control can be improved of a construction project.

4. Construction is a collaborative activity. Every project relies on teamwork. Discuss how projects are affected by teamwork and how they could be improved for the future.

Demand Management Plan Supply Chain

Demand Management Plan

Introduction

This portfolio work project, a demand management plan, will help you demonstrate your competency in forecasting, inventory management, and scheduling.

Scenario

Wild Dog Coffee Company, a locally owned company with a single coffee shop location, serves a wide selection of espresso beverages, small breakfast and lunch menu items, and a limited evening menu. The company is planning to expand the business by adding an additional location. While different menu items may be tested at the new location, their core processes will remain the same. You have been working on process improvement in preparation for the expansion and are now turning your attention to demand management.

Your Role

As an owner of Wild Dog Coffee Company, you and your business partners are planning the opening of a second location. You need to prepare an analysis and recommendations for demand management, including forecasting, inventory, and scheduling, for your current location, so you can refine the model before opening the second location.

Requirements

Include the following in your demand management plan:

• Assess the impact of advertising on product demand.
  • using Wild Dog Coffee Company, the following basic assumptions will help you prepare a demand forecast:

The other owners of Wild Dog Coffee Company handle the business’ marketing and sales functions, and they believe that advertising expenditures impact the sale of coffee beverages. They want you to confirm whether or not their advertising dollars are driving sales. Here is what was agreed upon by all the owners:

Wild Dog Coffee Business Information
Questions	Responses
How many espresso beverages are made each hour?	30, on average
How many ounces of espresso beans are used for each beverage?	1.5 ounces
How many hours per day is the coffee shop open?	6:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m., Sunday–Saturday
How many days each month is the business open?	364 days per year. The coffee shop is closed on Christmas day.

You have the following six months of data to work with for pounds of espresso beans (y) used each month and monthly advertising expenditures (x):

Espresso Bean Use and Advertising
Month	Lbs/Beans (y)	Advertising Dollars (x)
1	987	$1,050
2	1,412	$1,500
3	1,020	$1,000
4	1,140	$1,250
5	1,322	$1,500
6	1,399	$1,500

• Analyze forecasting techniques for the selected product.
  • Use a simple linear regression model to show your forecast.
  • Using Wild Dog Coffee Company, forecast the pounds of espresso beans needed for month 7 if the advertising budget for month 7 is $1,350. Interpret the model and respond to the following questions for Wild Dog Coffee Company:
    • How many espresso beverages will the company need to prepare, on average, each day?
    • How many pounds of espresso beans will the company need, on average, each day?
    • To what extent do advertising dollars predict the need for espresso beans?
  • Prepare an inventory management analysis for the selected product.
    • In your analysis, include two different approaches to inventory management. What are the pros and cons of each system you analyzed?
      • If using Wild Dog Coffee Company, the following provides additional information you have gathered from the inventory management analysis:
        • Since Wild Dog Coffee Company is small, the company must manage inventory very carefully. While larger companies can have lots of inventory on the shelf, Wild Dog simply does not have the cash to do that. As such, you have a number of pressures for small inventories. Wild Dog does not have the ability to store a lot of beans, to cover the cost of capital, or to withstand unnecessary expenditures for taxes, insurance, and shrinkage. Shrinkage is important because roasted espresso beans only maintain their optimal freshness for two weeks.
        • Demand is approaching 1,400 pounds of espresso beans per month.
        • Only one type of espresso bean is stocked.
        • Demand is not constant on a daily or weekly basis.
        • If you run out of espresso beans at any point, you will have to close the business until the next shipment of beans arrives.
        • Espresso beans are shipped in 25-pound packages. (This is your base inventory unit.)
        • The cost per pound of beans averages $9.00.
        • Espresso beans are delivered seven (7) days after placing the order and on any day of the week.
        • Shipping is free on orders over $250. Otherwise, shipping is $19.95 per order, regardless of weight. (This is the only ordering cost you incur.)
        • Holding costs are 10 percent/year/unit.
        • Standard deviation for dailydemand is 1.84 pounds.
      • Analyze workforce scheduling.
        • In your analysis, detail two different staffing scenarios for Wild Dog Coffee Company. What are the pros and cons of each staffing scenario?
        • Use a Word table or Excel spreadsheet to show both staffing scenarios for each day of the week. Include the daily and weekly total staffing costs and number of hours worked for each employee.
          • If using Wild Dog Coffee Company, the following provides additional information you have gathered from the staffing analysis:
            • Shifts have been scheduled according to who wants to work which shift. This has generally worked out well, but you realize you need to tighten up the scheduling process in order to optimize a staffing model. Two employees are required to make a coffee beverage. One employee takes the orders, and a barista makes the coffee drink and hands it to the customer.
            • Baristas are paid $14/hour, regardless of whether they are full-time or part-time.
            • Full-time employees (up to 40 hours/week), other than baristas, are paid $12/hour.
            • Part-time employees (up to 20 hours/week), other than baristas, are paid $9/hour.
            • All full-time employees receive company benefits that equate to 15 percent of their hourly rate. (This is known as a benefits load.)
            • All full-time employees are paid at 150 percent of their regular rate for all hours worked over 40 hours per week. Full-time employees can only work a maximum of 50 hours per week. The benefits load is not applied to overtime hours.
            • All part-time employees are paid at 150 percent of their regular rate for all hours worked over 20 hours per week. Part-time employees can only work a maximum of 26 hours per week.
            • It costs $500 to hire each additional employee, and it costs $250 to terminate an employee.
            • Full-time employees are likely to resign if moved to part-time status.
            • The coffee shop is open 84 hours per week. There are two additional hours allocated each day for one employee to perform opening and closing activities. (That is, one hour is allocated for opening duties and one hour is allocated for closing duties.)
            • Your current level of staffing for coffee beverages is as follows:
              1. Baristas – 1 full-time; 3 part-time.
              2. Non-barista – 1 full-time; 2 part-time.
            • Recommend an inventory management system and staffing plan for a selected business and product.
              • Detail the results of your analysis for Wild Dog Coffee Company or your selected business’ product to substantiate your recommendations.

Deliverable Format

Requirements:

• The demand management plan is to be a minimum of 7 pages, not including the title, reference, and appendix pages.
• Use a demand management plan template of your choice.

Related company standards:

• The demand management plan is a professional document and should therefore follow the corresponding MBA Academic and Professional Document Guidelines (available in the MBA Program Resources), including single-spaced paragraphs.
• In addition to the title and reference pages, include the following in the appendix:
  • Linear regression model for product forecasting.
  • Word table or Excel spreadsheet for staffing scenarios.
• Use 2–3 scholarly or academic sources, where applicable, one of which must come from the Wall Street Journal, Forbes,or MIT Sloan Management Review.
• Use APA formatting for citations and references.

 

Managing Complex Projects Products and System

Instructions for the workshop of week 4 or 5

Module: Managing Complex Projects, Products and Systems (890N1)

Classwork: Critical analysis of complex projects.

The class is divided into five groups (to be defined by your workshop tutor) and each group is assigned to one of the following complex projects:

1. The Construction of the Channel Tunnel
2. The Deployment of Iridium Satellite Network and Services
3. The Construction of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Stadium
4. The Organisation of London 2012 Olympic Games
5. The Construction of London Heathrow Terminal 5

Suggested texts for each of the above complex projects are:

Channel Tunnel

Genus, A. (1997). ‘Managing large-scale technology and inter-organizational relations: the case of the Channel Tunnel’, Research Policy, 26 (2), 169-189.

Chang, C. and Ive, G. (2007). ‘The hold-up problem in the management of construction projects: A case study of the Channel Tunnel’, International Journal of Project Management, 25 (4), 394-404.

Iridium Satellite Network and Services

Finkelstein, S. and Sanford, S.H. (2000). ‘Learning from Corporate Mistakes: The Rise and Fall of Iridium’, Organizational Dynamics, 29(2), 138-148.

Kerzner, H. (2009). ‘The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Iridium: A Project Management Perspective’, in Project Management: Case Studies, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., p. 351-390.

2008 Beijing Olympics Stadium

Liu, Y. W., Zhao, G. F. and Wang, S. Q. (2010). ‘Many Hands, Much Politics, Multiple Risks – The Case of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Stadium’, The Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 69, no. S1, pp. S85–S98.

London 2012 Olympic Games

Davies, A., Mackenzie, I. (2014). ‘Project complexity and systems integration: Constructing the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games’, International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 32, Issue 5, 773-790.

London Heathrow Terminal 5

Davies, A., Gann, D., Douglas, T. (2009). ‘Innovation in Megaprojects: Systems Integration at London Heathrow Terminal 5’, California Management Review, Vol. 51, No. 2, 101-125.

Gil, N., Miozzo, M., Massini, S. (2012) ‘The Innovation Potential of New Infrastructure Development: An Empirical Study of Heathrow Airport’s T5 Project’, Research Policy, Vol. 41, No. 2, 452-466.

Brady, T., Davies, A. (2010), ‘From hero to hubris – Reconsidering the project management of Heathrow’s Terminal 5’, International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 28, Issue 2, 151-157.

Other sources of information about the projects may be used if necessary.

Each group is required to prepare a presentation of up to 15 minutes (followed by up to 5 minutes of discussion/Q&A), addressing the following issues:

• An overview of the project, including, for example:
  • Background;
  • Organisational Structure;
  • Outcomes & Results.
• Success factors: how would you re-examine the success factors of the project beyond time, cost and to specification? (Using the 5 dimensions of project success)
• Draw the NTCP diamond for the project: what does the NTCP diamond inform you about the project management style to adopt?
• Lessons learned: which aspects of the project would you manage differently? Good practices identified?

 

 

SWOT Analysis Internal Strengths and Weaknesses Essay Help

REVIEW PowerPoints on chapters 17, 18, 19
COMPLETE Exercises in chapters 17, 18, 19
Write a two-page paper that discusses internal strengths and weaknesses as it would apply to your chosen organization. Seek a secondary source if needed.
Be sure you include your organization as one of the resources.
Use third-person writings do not use “I think” or “in my opinion” keep it factual, third person and follow APA standards a minimum of two references are required