Project Relocation Plan: Pearson's Case Study - Leadership Strategies

This report analyzes a project relocation plan, using the Pearson case study as a practical example. It details the planning, management, and implementation phases of relocating a company's production facility. The report outlines the project brief, emphasizing the importance of thorough planning and risk assessment. It explores the qualities of an effective team leader, highlighting communication, goal-orientation, and the ability to build trust and confidence within the team. The report also covers the overall project strategy, including legal considerations, stakeholder communication, and the use of checklists to monitor progress. It breaks down the project into phases, detailing major stages and areas of coordination with other project elements, focusing on human and resource requirements. The report also evaluates the success of the project, including performance measurement and change control measures to avoid unavoidable circumstances. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of strategic planning and effective leadership in ensuring a smooth and successful relocation. The analysis includes tables and references to support the arguments and findings.

Planning, Managing and Implementing a Project 1
PLANNING, MANAGING AND IMPLEMENTING A PROJECT
STUDENT NAME:
STUDENT ID:
UNIVERSITY NAME:

Planning, Managing and Implementing a Project 2
Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................3
Project brief in summary.................................................................................................................3
Qualities of effective team leader....................................................................................................4
Overall project strategy....................................................................................................................5
Breaking phases of the project.........................................................................................................6
Major stages within specific role.....................................................................................................7
Areas of coordination required with another project element.........................................................7
Human and other resource requirements.........................................................................................8
Evaluation of the success of the project..........................................................................................8
Measurement of the performance....................................................................................................9
Measures for controlling changes to avoid unavoidable circumstances..........................................9
Conclusion:....................................................................................................................................10
References:....................................................................................................................................11

Planning, Managing and Implementing a Project 3
Introduction:
In any organisation, implementation of certain projects is a common phenomenon. It can be said
that without a proper team-work, it will not be possible for any organisation to be driven towards
its goals. Hence, in order to make sure that any company is able to witness standard growth in
team work, the essentiality of standard plan can’t be ignored. Hence, in this assignment a plan of
relocation has been discussed along with its various aspects which can be considered as an
example for ensuring effective team work.
1. Project brief in summary
In order to implement a successful plan for ensuring that the production of the company is
shifted to a new location, it is important that a thorough planning is done. It will make sure that
the chances of any blunder are addressed in a proper manner and no problems are being faced by
the company (Haines, 2016). Hence, it is taken into consideration by Pearson that they are
making steps to make the relocation bereft of any major problems.
The company has assigned an internal manager who will be responsible for all the activities
which are going to take place during the relocation planning. Certain capable employees were
chosen by the co-coordinator of the office relocation project who will be providing him the
required assistance. On the first day of the approval of the relocation of production to the new
location, the time period the company requires for shifting was decided. The meeting included
the coordinator, project assistants, and the senior management.
The documents involving legal obligations were studied in the initial meeting of pre-planning
along with the discussion of the budget. Burke (2013) states it became easier to establish a
budget since one of the team members belonged from the accounts and finance departments who
were responsible for taking care of the budget. During the second meeting the date of the site
inspection was fixed. During the inspection, appropriate drafts were taken along which provided
an overview of the existing production space scenario of the company. This step was taken to
make sure that the new site is spacious enough to accommodate the entire set-up or not.
On the basis of the arrangements in the new site, the person responsible for looking after the
architecture was consulted to make a blueprint regarding the spaces allotted to the different

Planning, Managing and Implementing a Project 4
productions. An interior decorating team was allotted the responsibility to ensure that the place is
well furnished and has an appeal to it.
Once the entire set-up was ready for the physical relocation it was fixed, it was made sure that
the internal and external employees engaged with productions are communicated to know about
the relocation. Apart from that, the major suppliers were also informed in a proper manner to
avoid the scope of hampering of performance. Essential location information was not only
verbally communicated but also distributed in forms of pamphlets. It was also made sure that the
reasons behind the shift are properly conveyed to the persons in concern. It was made sure that
the date of the final shift is finalized once the approval of the employees is acquired.
Apart from that, it was planned that an efficient removal company is being selected which will
make sure that the relocation is happening in a systematic and smooth manner. Initiatives to
change the contact details like address were also discussed during the planning of the relocation.
Thus, on the basis of this plan, the shifting of productions of the new site was conducted in
Pearson.
2. Qualities of effective team leader
It can be unarguably said that the shifting of production base is a matter of a big hassle. There are
multiple aspects which are required to be kept in mind. Hence, it is important that the person
who is leading the project from the front possess certain qualities. It is important to make sure
that the leader is an effective communicator (Barry, 2015). It can be said that the planning and its
implementation are required to be clearly understood by the stakeholders as well as the other
concerned people for a smooth process.
A leader requires being goal oriented. With a properly set objective, it will be easier for the rest
of the team to understand the target that is needed to be achieved. Thus, the individual
responsibilities will be properly met. Hence, while shifting the production base from one place to
another, it can be said that the defined responsibility of the team members can be put forward by
the leader.
It is important for the leaders to make sure that the team members are able to accept and rely on
him. Thus, it can be said that establishing a healthy relationship and the ability to take up
responsibility is essential for any leader. It will make sure that the team members are able to get
adequate guidance and are able to progress in a specific manner.

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Above all, Turner (2016) suggests, it is important that the leader possesses ample amount of
confidence, both, in him as well as on his team. It is important that the capabilities of the team
are recognised by the team members and that the most suitable job responsibilities are given to
the individuals in the team.
Apart from all this, it is important that the leader is respectful and maintains fair conduct without
any bias. Thus, with a person having all these mentioned qualities, it will be easier to coordinate
the relocation of Pearson in a systematic manner.
3. Overall project strategy
Whatever project is undertaken by a team, it is important to make sure that it is going to have an
overall positive impact on the organisation and its growth. It can be said that with the help of the
appropriate leadership skill, a planned strategy can be jotted out for the relocation of the
production in Pearson. It can be said that the purpose of the strategy is to ensure that the
relocation is happening without much trouble and it contributes to the growth in business of the
organisation (Buckingham & Goodall, 2015).
Hence, it is important that the flaws of the existing locations are identified to make sure that the
same problems are rectified or avoided in the new site. Hence, inspection of both, the old as well
as the new location are taken into consideration. The existing problems are noted and discussions
on the elimination of the same are given importance. Thus, the smooth operation of production
can be ensured in the new location.
Kerzner (2013) opines that another important strategy is to study the legal documents in
thorough details. When it comes to issues as land allotment and lease, it can be a serious legal
matter. Hence, it is essential that issues as such are handled with appropriate care. Hence,
consulting with a professional advocate can be an efficient strategy. It will make sure that ample
amount of time is being saved while trying to figure out the legal complications. Appropriate
advice can be extended by these professionals as well.
In order to ensure the compliance of the stakeholders regarding the company shift, surveys can
be considered as a great idea (Coombs, 2014). It will provide a prior idea to the leaders regarding
the thoughts of the employees about the relocation of the employees. It can be said that on the
basis of the results of the survey, the most suitable communication strategies can be adopted to
make the employees understand the essentiality of the plan.

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Maintaining a checklist is also one of the strategies that can be followed by the project leader
(Armstrong & Taylor, 2014). Checking and cross-checking are essential to make sure that the
plan is applied accordingly for acquiring desired results. A checklist can, thus, be very effective
in monitoring the progression of the plan.
4. Breaking phases of the project
Activities Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Pre-planning of shifting
Meeting with the higher management
Assessment of probable risks and benefits
Zeroing-in of budget
Evaluating the legal documents
Informing the stakeholders
Analysing the consent of the stakeholders
Inspection of the environment of new site
Selection of the relocation company
Implementation of relocation
Conducting meeting to evaluate the project success
Changing the address details on business cards and
other places
Table 1: Phrases of relocation of production in Pearson
(Source: Created by author)

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5. Major stages within specific role
It can be said that when it comes to shifting to a new site, one of the most important part is to
focus on the probable risks and the added benefits that the company may be subjected to after the
shift is properly recognised. Hence, it is important that a step-by-step initiative is taken to
identify the potential risks as well as the standard advantages of the location change.
In order to ensure that these assessments are done in a proper manner, it is important to study the
location in a proper manner. The reasons for the shift are required to be jotted down which will
be helpful in analyzing whether the new location satisfies these emerging requirements of the
organisation or not.
Assessing other risk factors like the unwillingness of the employees to shift to the new location,
chances of property disruption while shifting, going overboard with the budget while shifting or
having problems with the suppliers are essential to be studied and recorded in a draft. It will be
helpful in figuring out the appropriate solutions to these risks. With the help of strategic action
plans, these risks can be properly solved.
6. Areas of coordination required with another project element
Identifying the risks is not enough, in order to make sure that the plan is able to get the required
business results, it is important to make sure that proper coordination is maintained by the
various elements of the project. It is important that the identified risks are communicated to the
manager or leader. Thus, it can be said that the effective solutions can be extended with the help
of the recognition of potential risk. In order to ensure the safety of the employees, it is important
to make sure that the activities within the site are properly monitored.
Apart from that, it is important to make sure that the budget is taken into consideration while
making a strategy. It is important to ensure that the planning is not exceeding the limited budget.
Thus, effective solutions are needed to be implemented which suits the budget as well.
It is important to coordinate with the human resource manager to make sure that the substantial
risks are properly understood by the workforce. Thus, it will be easier to plan out the probable
solutions to any undesirable circumstances. It can be also made sure that the employees are on
the same board with the plan of the organisation of shifting base.

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7. Human and other resource requirements
It can be said that one of the most important criteria for any work is the availability of the
efficient human resource. In order to achieve the desired business goals, the role of the human
resource is undoubtedly immense. Hence, it is important that these workforces are appropriately
managed.
In order to bring out the best performance of the individuals responsible for varied roles to
ensure smooth relocation, it is necessary that the requirements, as well as the grievances of the
employees needed to make the plan successful, are addressed properly (Hopkin, 2014).
It is important to make sure that the most suitable employees are selected for the project. With
the keen observation of the HR managers, it will be easier to select the eligible candidates. Thus,
the efficiency of the project can be maximised.
In order to ensure that the roles of the HR are functioned in a proper manner, availability of other
resources is also necessary. For instance, with the substantial financial support, the requirements
of the employees like salary, incentives, and other rewards can be provided. Thus, the satisfied
set of employees will provide better performance to the organisation. Thus, it is important that
while initiating the relocation plan, Pearson is investing on standard human and other important
resources.
8. Evaluation of the success of the project
By following the several drafts which were made for the planning of production relocation, the
entire function is required to be taken place. In order to measure how far the project has been
successful, certain steps can be taken. The first and the foremost is to measure whether the drawn
objectives are met or not. Whether the shift has been done within a limited time period or not is
an important factor to evaluate the measurement of the success of the project.
With the results of the final delivery of the project, the success rate of the project can be
determined. With the help of the satisfaction level of the stakeholders, determining the success
will become easier. The higher the numbers of satisfied stakeholders, the more successful the
shift of the production of the company is.
According to Pritchard (2014), another way of evaluating the project success is by making sure
that the legal obligations are addressed properly. If almost no legal hassles are faced by the

Planning, Managing and Implementing a Project 9
project, it can be said that the success rate of the project is high. Thus, with the help of these
factors, the success of the project can be determined.
9. Measurement of the performance
The functioning of the risk management can be measured with appropriate techniques as well.
The first and the most effective measure are to seek for feedback. Asking the stakeholders or
other persons in concern regarding the performance of the risk manager can provide an overview
of the performance. If there are certain loopholes prevailing, it will become evident.
With the help of the appropriate measures as such, it can be said that the issues can be addressed
properly. Appropriate KPIs and balanced scorecards can be taken into consideration to measure
the performance of the risk manager as well as the project as a whole (Bal & Bryde, 2015).
Thus, with the help of appropriate measures as such, it can be said that the measurement of the
performance will become smoother and more accurate.
10. Measures for controlling changes to avoid unavoidable circumstances
It can be said that sudden change in the location may cause various circumstances which may not
be suitable for the organisation. It is important that constant monitoring is done to figure out the
potential circumstances that may affect the project in any way.
One of the biggest issues is that the suppliers adjusting to the new location of the company. It is
important for the managers to make sure that these suppliers are ready to comply with the
change.
Avoiding conflict among the employees which may arise is another major factor. While working
in a team, the situation of conflict may be relevant. It is important that proper team building
exercises are done to ensure that the team members are able to rely on each other (Martin et al.
2014).
When it comes to shifting to a new place, one of the major issues is to figure out the local
governmental policies and abide by it. It is important to do a prior research to make sure that the
situations of not abiding by the law can be eliminated.

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Conclusion:
It can be said that in order to make sure that any project is established in a systematic way, the
necessity of appropriate planning is evident. For any planning to be successful, it is important
that the roles and responsibilities of the individuals in groups are divided in a substantial way.
Apart from that recognition of the potential risk and plans to eliminate the same is necessary as
well. In order to ensure whether the plan is able to acquire required results or not, suitable
techniques are needed to be implemented.

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practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
Bal, M., & Bryde, D. (2015). Measuring Performance to Engage the Extended Project Team in
Construction. Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management, 5(1), 1-10.
Barry, T. R. (2015). Top 10 qualities of a project manager.
Buckingham, M., & Goodall, A. (2015). Reinventing performance management. Harvard
Business Review, 93(4), 40-50.
Burke, R. (2013). Project management: planning and control techniques. New Jersey, USA.
Coombs, W. T. (2014). Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding.
Sage Publications.
Haines, S. (2016). The systems thinking the approach to strategic planning and management.
CRC Press.
Hopkin, P. (2014). Fundamentals of risk management: understanding, evaluating and
implementing effective risk management. Kogan Page Publishers.
Kerzner, H. R. (2013). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and
controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Martin, R., Muûls, M., De Preux, L. B., & Wagner, U. (2014). Industry compensation under
relocation risk: A firm-level analysis of the EU emissions trading scheme. The American
Economic Review, 104(8), 2482-2508.
Pritchard, C. L., & PMP, P. R. (2014). Risk management: concepts and guidance. CRC Press.
Turner, R. (2016). Gower handbook of project management. London: Routledge.