Current Practice in Project Management - Essay Example

?FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS SECTION I Article One: Kepes, Ben. Puppet and Dell partner – stronger together. Forbes. 11 Dec. Online. 14 Dec. http://www.forbes.com/sites/benkepes/2013/12/11/puppet-and-dell-partner-stronger-together/ The article Puppet and Dell – Partner Stronger Together is a goods reflection on the practical grounds about the smart strategy of managing change, innovation and risk. The future of businesses in almost all industries in general and technological industries in particular is prone to fast paced change. Also the risk pertaining to effective management of the future anticipated and even unanticipated as well as the disruptive innovation and various risk associated with it are to be accounted in smart deals. All these are alongside adding challenges for the strengthening the capabilities of the business into competitive edge over competitors. Hence, the information in the referred article provides evidence and learning about the new dimension of sustaining strength across all change, innovation and risk is possible. This new dimension of unification of layers of product and service to generate collective strength is much sounder than the developments in recent past that insisted establishing the footings in different perspectives to remain competitive. Unified system and approach for the management of risk, change and innovation has an added advantage that it offers in the form of shared strength to businesses in dealing with highly competitive pressures. Hence, embracing change does not always require being new but it also required understating the concept of integration and collective wisdom for dealing with challenges (Kepes). Article Two: Hotz, Robert. Differences in How Men and Women Think Are Hard-Wired. The Wall Street Journal. 9 Dec. 2013. Online. 14 Dec. 2013. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304744304579248151866594232 The article Differences in How Men and Women Think Are Hard-Wired has important implications for the business and organizational perspective of managing diversity. Management of diversity in the business organizations is still viewed in the light of responsible behavior that organizations are adopting towards society. It is despite fact, that immense benefits of diversity are being generated by the organizations with well blended mix of the employees. The reflection of this perspective is evident from the fact that organizations who take more women in their board room present it as a pride. The article on the basis of assessment has revealed the connection differences in the minds of men and women. This article has emphasizes the on the focused and multitasking attributes of men and women respectively. Both the concepts have increased their importance in the organization in recent past. Therefore, diversity management in a way that is calculated for developing the optimum mix of expertise towards focused attention and multi-tasking will now enable business to develop the mix of genders as need of the organization. Hence, with these revelations, the managements of the organization will now have more quantifiable yardstick for the development of employee mix and diversity management in organization. Management of the supply and the value chain is the most important tranche of the business and management literature that has developed since recent past. Forbes published value that is claimed to be generated by Amazon in terms of value chain by introducing the drones for same day delivery (Hotz). Article Three: Banker, Steve. Same Day Deliveries by Amazon Drones? Ridiculous! What Really Makes Sense. Forbes. 3 Dec. 2013. Online. 14 Dec. 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebanker/2013/12/03/same-day-deliveries-by-amazon-drones-ridiculous-what-really-makes-sense/ The article entitled Same Day Deliveries by Amazon Drones? Ridiculous! What Really Makes Sense has some valuable contribution in the effective management of the supply Chain. The core idea in the article has identified the critical factor of effective management of supply chain that is missed on the drone based plan of Amazon. This critical factor is pertaining to increasing the efficiency in the forecasting as different businesses such as Quintiq are offering. The strategy insists that businesses in the contemporary world is growingly concerned for the increased in value service to customer while maintaining the cost. For this objective, higher the value chains integrations have been built in the recent past, greater have been the benefits generated by the business. Therefore, central idea of the integration of routes with efficiency in the forecasting is still to play lead role in the business success than short lived apparatus like Drones (Banker). SECTION II PROJECT PLAN The project is to prepare to define and formulate a plan that has to be accomplished in the next 6 to 12 months. This plan will allow me to know what I need to accomplish and where I should be standing in the next 6 to 12 months. Currently I am studying the course of business management and I would like to get this completed. However at the same time I am planning to start my own online business. This online business would allow me to have some kind of professional experience and at the same time I will be able to earn good money. Therefore, I have planned to launch this new online business and to formulae the full-fledge marketing plan for starting and making this business sustain and grow over the period of time. PROJECT MISSION The main mission of starting this new business is to get some professional experience. Moreover, I have planned to get this business started and satisfy a few clients internationally. Then when I will complete my studies, I will work with this business full-time. Therefore currently my short term goal is to get some projects online and to help these clients and then I can expand my services. Currently I am planning to write marketing material and website content for different clients. OBJECTIVES As currently I am studying, therefore my objective is to keep a balance between my studies as well as the business. Therefore I will be trying to make sure that my business does not hurt my studies and at the same time my studies do not influence the quality of my work. Following objectives have been chalked out to be accomplished in next 6 to 12 months: To get some projects related to website content and content for the marketing material To help at least 25 clients satisfied in next 12 months. To earn around $20,000 during this period of 12 months. To make sure that the client satisfaction ratio is above 90%. RESOURCES, PEOPLE, AND TASKS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES As the project is based on the starting a new business and to start a new company; therefore, the role of marketing expertise is critical. Similarly the resource used in managing the business will be critical. The marketing strategies of the company need to be creative and insightful marketing experts as the competition is high. Additionally, the marketing strategies need to highlight and differentiate why the company is better than others. This will allow the company to gain some projects and as projects are completed, the company can use the testimonials and case studies of successful projects to gain new projects. The tasks to be done for the achievement of the set objectives are as follows: Complete industry analysis for the identification of the penetration potential and identification of the most suiting value proposition. The development of the marketing material for the business including online flyer, newsletter and social media posts and social media pages. Consistent evaluation for the improvement in the overall business. TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT The project to market the services is designed for the complete in 12 months. The following monthly plan is decided for implementation: Communication Medium Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Marketing through current leads available by sending newsletter                 Internet and Social Media                         Finding different prospects Other promotional campaigns such as events               PROCESS PLANNED TO ORGANIZE, LEAD, AND EVALUATE PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT The success of the project is dependent on the effective management components (Fortune et al, 553-572). Project, well organized, will only be able to achieve the produce desired results while the consistent evaluation of the project allows for the alignment of the progress with respect to objectives (Kwak and Anbari, 435-446). The project will be managed by me and I will be direcly analyzing the marketing strategies formulated to gain the projects. Once the business is able to succeed in gaining projects, I will be discussing and meeting with the clients to know what kind of content he or she wants. This will allow me to get some idea of what he or she is looking for and then I can help him in that particular manner. As initially there will be only a few projects, so I will be managing the content myself. As the business grows, I will be hiring more people to work with me for the business and then I will be leading the business. As more people are hired, the responsibilities will be shared. This shared responsibility will enable the business to evaluate the performance of the people. Furthermore, evaluation will also be conducted in the meetings on a monthly basis. The monthly meetings will also determine the level of alignment required in the marketing strategies in order to accomplish the set objectives. SECTION III The business of Hoosier Pet Palace has decided to merge with the ABC Pet Take Care Service. GROUP’S “REASON” AND GOAL FOR A MERGER The Hoosier Pet Palace has planned to merge with the ABC business. The objective of this merger is to sustain the business in the long run. INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIZATION MIGHT IT MERGE AND RATIONALE FOR IT ABC is in the business for the long time but it does not provide the services with luxurious care to the pet boarded at its location. Therefore, the merger will provide the ABC business with a subsidiary that is offering the luxurious services to its client’s pet and Hoosier Pet Palace will get opportunity to sustain its business. Further, Hoosier Pet Palace planned to target the students who go for holiday or during off-season of sessions. Therefore, during the on season, the students take away their pets and cost of servicing limited pets in inflating. Therefore, the business plans to merge with ABC to spread the cost while the division will maintain its identity of luxurious section of the ABC business. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PLANNED MERGER The planned merger will benefit both businesses in terms of shared and spread costs such as medication etc. Expertise of ABC developed with its experience will be leveraged to Hoosier Pet Palace for providing an extra mile of luxurious services. The Hoosier Pet Palace will remain full-fledge operative even during off-session season which will increase its market base which will positively affect revenues. This merger will also provide opportunity to employees to learn from the experienced staff of ABC. The disadvantage of this merger will include the potential dilution of the identity of Hoosier Pet Palace. The long developed expertise and business set up of ABC will force Hoosier Pet Palace to adopt measures that will be requiring compromising some of its high standards. Many of the employees of both companies will be required to be laid off. IMPACT OF MERGER ON MY YOUR INDIVIDUAL POSITION I am serving as the nutrition expert for the pets at Hoosier Pet Palace. As an expert nutrition and part of the organization aimed at providing luxury services, I maintain nutrition time table for the limited number of pets. With this merger, the number of pets to be taken care off will increase as the customer base will increase. Also I would be required to train the nutritionists of ABC for providing more effective nutritional care to different categories of pets. Therefore, the job responsibilities will enhance in respect of organizing and leading. Therefore, it will be required to express the leadership and adaptability skills to continue effective servicing tenure Works Cited Banker, Steve. Same Day Deliveries by Amazon Drones? Ridiculous! What Really Makes Sense. Forbes. 3 Dec. 2013. Online. 14 Dec. 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevebanker/2013/12/03/same-day-deliveries-by-amazon-drones-ridiculous-what-really-makes-sense/ Fortune, Joyce, Diana White, Kam Jugdev, and Derek Walker. "Looking again at current practice in project management." International Journal of Managing Projects in Business 4.4 (2011): 553-572. Hotz, Robert. Differences in How Men and Women Think Are Hard-Wired. The Wall Street Journal. 9 Dec. 2013. Online. 14 Dec. 2013. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304744304579248151866594232 Kepes, Ben. Puppet and Dell partner – stronger together. Forbes. 11 Dec. 2013. Online. 14 Dec. 2013. http://www.forbes.com/sites/benkepes/2013/12/11/puppet-and-dell-partner-stronger-together/ Kwak, Young Hoon, and Frank T. Anbari. "Analyzing project management research: Perspectives from top management journals." International Journal of Project Management 27.5 (2009): 435-446. Read More