Unit 2 Homework: Organizational Structures and Program Manager Roles

This assignment addresses key concepts in project governance and team management, focusing on organizational structures and the role of the program manager. The first question analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of functional, projectized, and matrix organizational structures, comparing their strengths and weaknesses in terms of resource allocation, communication, and project control. The second question defines the responsibilities and skills of a program manager within a project management office (PMO) environment, highlighting the importance of strategic oversight, stakeholder management, and the ability to oversee multiple projects to achieve long-term program goals. The assignment emphasizes the importance of understanding these concepts for effective project leadership and organizational success.

Running Head: UNIT-2 0
Question/Answers
Student Name:
Student University:

UNIT-2 1
Question 1
Organisational structure affects an organisation overall defining responsibilities and
power of every department. The different types of organizational structures are functional,
projectized and matrix organization depends on external or internal requirements when
needed change (Thomas, 2018).
Firstly, functional organisation define individuals grouped by specialization areas
having advantages in specialists easier management, team member reporting to one
supervisor at a time, centralization of similar resources such as software developers to IT
department, and clearly defining career paths in specialized areas (Goodrich, 2018).
However, disadvantages consists of people placing more emphasis on functional specialty to
the project detriment, no career path in management of project, and project manager having
no or little authority.
Projectized Organisation defines the company as a whole organised by projects with
advantages of efficient project organisation, more communications effectively than
functional, and loyalty to the project (Usmani, 2019). However, disadvantages consists of no
“home’ after finishing the project, lack of professionalism relating to disciplines, job
functions and facilities duplication, and less efficient resources use.
Matrix Organisation defines team members reporting to project manager and to
functional manages as well. The advantages in this structure is that it describes highly visible
objectives of project, improved project manager control above resources, supporting more
through functional areas, utilising scarce resources at maximum, better coordination along
with vertical and horizontal information dissemination, and maintenance of “home” by the
team members (Gleeson & Thompson, 2019). However, disadvantages shows the
requirement of extra administration, project teams having more than one boss, more
controlling and monitoring complexity, stronger problems at the time of resource allocation,
needs procedures and policies extensively, higher potential for conflict, and chance of
functional managers having different priorities than project managers.

UNIT-2 2
Source: (MPA, 2017).
Question 2
In office environment of project management, the role of program manager is
dependent on the company’s size, methodology of project management used, the business
environment and the needs of stakeholders (Egeland, 2018). Program manager is a kind of
superior project manager mainly plays the role of operational showing responsibility of
governance and planning along with looking towards successful delivery carefully of the
program’s output as a new capability. There is a stress on program manager relating to
program management skills as knowledge is important in business which requires practical
experience considering complex and large initiatives (Bridges, 2018). It is essential for the
program manager to overview strategically and report programs altogether to the senior
management, consulting in-house to programs and projects, to provide training to the teams
of programs and projects management, and auditing and health checks on programs and
projects. The role of program managers define beyond the extension of individual projects
completion for the long-term realization of the program overall (Zein, 2010). Thus, program
managers in the office environment of project management require different responsibilities
and skills particularly that differ while dealing with outcomes. Lastly, program managers
advise stakeholders, review projects, mentoring project teams, planning strategy and audit
and QA (quality assurance) that is managing multiple projects.

UNIT-2 3
References
Bridges, J. (2018, March 26). Program Manager Responsibilities. Retrieved from Project
Manager: https://www.projectmanager.com/training/program-manager-
responsibilities
Egeland, B. (2018). Project Management Office Roles - Key Steps for Success. Retrieved
from Go Skills: https://www.goskills.com/Project-Management/Articles/Project-
management-office-roles
Gleeson, P., & Thompson, J. (2019, January 28). Advantages & Disadvantages of Matrix
Organizational Structures in Business Organizations. Retrieved from Chron:
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-matrix-organizational-
structures-business-organizations-26350.html
Goodrich, B. (2018). Functional Organizations vs Projectized Organizations. Retrieved from
PM Learning Solutions: https://www.pmlearningsolutions.com/blog/functional-
organizations-versus-projectized-organizations-pmp-concept-10
MPA. (2017, February 19). Organizational Structures | What are the Advantages and the
Disadvantages of Different Organizational Structures? Retrieved from Master of
Project Academy: https://masterofproject.com/blog/7637/advantages-and-
disadvantages-of-organizational-structures
Thomas, J. (2018, December 19). Matrix Organizational Structures: The Pros and Cons.
Retrieved from Toggl Track: https://toggl.com/blog/matrix-organizational-structures
Usmani, F. (2019, December 15). What is a Projectized Organization Structure? Retrieved
from PM Study Circle: https://pmstudycircle.com/2012/08/what-is-a-projectized-
organization-structure/
Zein, O. (2010, May 12). Roles, responsibilities, and skills in program management.
Retrieved from PMI: https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/roles-responsibilities-
skills-program-management-6799