Project Management Quiz Questions, Answers, and Analysis

This document presents a comprehensive project management quiz, addressing key concepts and practical scenarios. The quiz covers the strategic management process, project selection criteria, and the importance of open priority systems. It explores different project management approaches, including functional, matrix, and dedicated team structures, analyzing their advantages and disadvantages. The quiz also delves into critical aspects such as project crashing, indirect costs, the differences between leading and managing, and the challenges of virtual project teams. Furthermore, it examines how project managers can influence customer expectations, the components of a project audit, and the considerations for international projects. The document concludes with advice for a CEO lacking a formal project office and the significance of project management skills in a dynamic career landscape.

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project Management
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:

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Quiz questions:
1. Describe the major components of the strategic management process
Answer:
The major components of the strategic management process are:
 Clarifying the vision of the business such as short and long term project objectives,
identification of process to accomplish the objective and customization of process for the
staff
 Gathering and analyzing the information plus data relevant to accomplish the vision
 Formulation of strategy to review information from completion of analysis
 Implementation of strategy is critical to the business venture
 Evaluation and controlling of actions like performance measurements
2. The portfolio of projects is typically represented by compliance, strategic and operations
projects. What impact can this classification have on project selection?
Answer:
Strategic means support the organization in long run leads to increase in revenue. Compliance
means meeting regulatory conditions to operate and operational means improve the business
efficiency and delivery of services. It can provide an impact on the project selection as the
classifications have particular value and the compliance of classified project is being pushed
behind the strategic compliance.

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3. Why does the priority system described in this chapter require that it be open and published?
Does the process encourage bottom-up initiation of projects? Does it discourage some projects?
Why?
Answer:
The priority system is an open as well as published which ensures that the projects are to be
selected based on the contribution to the firm. It is also analyzed that when the system is not
open as well as published, then wrong projects are to be selected for wrong causes. Bottom-up
encouraged the project managers to evaluate idea of project against the priorities of the business.
It discourages the project which is not able to meet with the business vision and is not making
significant contributions.
4. What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of the functional, matrix and dedicated
team approaches to managing projects?
Answer:
Approaches Advantages Disadvantages
Functional approach  There is no radical
alteration of the structure of
the organization
 There is maximum
flexibility to use the staff in
functional units
 There is maintenance of
 Lack of focus on the
project work
 Poor cross functional
integration
 Lack of ownership in the
project work

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normal career path
Matrix approach  There is flexible utilization
of the resources across the
project
 Balancing the project rights
with the technical needs
 There is dysfunctional
conflict
 There is high stress
induced by the project
supervisors
Dedicated team
approach
 Concentrated project focus
 The project is done quickly
 There is strong integration
of the cross-functional team
 Dilemma of what the
project team will perform
after project completion
 Limitation of technical
expertise
5. What do you believe is more important for successfully completing a project- the formal
project management structure or the culture of the parent organization?
Answer:
In order to complete the project work successfully, a formal project management structure is
required.
6. What are the five common reasons for crashing a project?
Answer:
 Reduction of time to market and gain competitive advantage
 Unforeseen delays cause substantial delay in the project work

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 Reduction of project time due to incentive contracts
 Imposed project deadlines
 Higher overhead cost
7. Identify four indirect costs you might find on a moderately complex project. Why are these
costs classified as indirect?
Answer:
The four indirect costs which are found on complex projects are:
 Supervision
 Consultants
 Administration
 Interest
Those above mentioned costs are indirect as it is not associated with particular work activities
within the project plan.
8. What is the difference between leading and managing a project?
Answer:
Managing the project is related to copy with the project complexity while leading is related to
copy with project changes. A good management can stable the project by formulating the plan
and project objectives. A leader involves in recognizing the need to change the track and process
of project.

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9. What differences would you expect to see between the kinds of influence currencies that a
project manager in a functional matrix would use and the influence a project manager of a
dedicated project team would use?
Answer:
The project manager of dedicated team has formal authorization over the project team members.
In my point of view, the project manager of dedicated team can used position-related currencies
more as compared to project manager of functional matrix. The dedicated project manager is
responsible to assign the project work. They have higher priority; therefore the project team can
better positioned to influence inspiration-related currencies. The functional matrix project
manager is relationship related currencies; therefore they are relied on acceptance plus empathy.
10. Why is it important to build a relationship before you need it?
Answer:
It is important to build a relationship before it is needed. The project manager can identify the
key players in the project work. The project manager views the project from system perspective
to analyze how it influences the project activities, agenda in and out of the organization.
11. What is the difference between functional and dysfunctional conflict on a project?
Answer:
The functional conflict is constructive disagreement among the project groups or the individuals.
The dysfunctional conflict is unhealthy disagreement among the project groups or the
individuals.

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12. What are the unique challenges to managing a virtual project team?
Answer:
Following are the challenges to managing a virtual project team:
 Misunderstanding among the project team members
 Communication gap
 Meetings take long time
 Less focus of individuals and project team members on project goals
 People complain related to overload of project information
 The team members are not interact with each other face-to-face due to various
geographical location
13. Why do firms outsource project work?
Answer:
The main reason behind outsourcing of project work are that the project becomes faster and
cheaper. The project is outsourced when the resources are not available.
14. How can a project manager influence customer expectations and perceptions?
Answer:
The project manager can influence the customer expectations as well as perceptions by linking of
project actions plus expectations to meet common goals. A project is success with the project
manager can meet with customer’s expectations and needs. It is highly very important for the
project manager to satisfy customer’s requirements.

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15. What major information would you expect to find in a project audit?
Answer:
The major information to find in the project audit such as:
 Classification of the project work
 Analysis of the collected data and information
 Recommendations based on project work
 Lessons learned for improving the future projects
 Management performance
 Project history
16. What major information would you expect to find in a project audit?
Answer:
The major information to find in the project audit such as:
 Review of the selected project
 Reassessment of the project role
 Assessment of the team performance
 External factors affect the project direction
17. Name some environmental factors and explain how they affect project implementation
Answer:
The environmental factors are:

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Access to capital: It can impact the project management. When a project change is occurred in
environment in terms of access to price of materials, the project ensures a successful completion
of work.
Access to technology: The technology can streamline process of the project management. The
technology is limited and expensive. When there is accessible of technology, training becomes
an issue and creates delay.
Access to people: People are not ready to contribute and complete the project work.
Environmental factor can affect access to people to complete the project work.
18. How should you go about preparing yourself for an international project?
Answer:
 Starting with assessment degree of the cultural fluency
 Extensive training is required
 Performing research about the international country like religion, business protocols and
dress odes
 Knowing the local language
 Cultural training
19. We aren’t big enough to have a project office, but we need the discipline of project
management methods and standards.” What advice would you give the CEO of this
organization? Justify.
Answer:

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I would tell CEO that each of the company is big enough for the project office. Each of the
companies is required to work together as the project team. Without the project team, it is critical
to finish the project on scheduled time and meet with customer requirements.
20. Experts predict that most people will undergo at least three major career changes in their
working life. If so, then why is project management an important skill set to master?
Answer:
The project management is important skill set to master as the speed off project work becomes
faster and efficient. The project management skills required to master is leadership,
communication, planning skills, risk and time management plus negotiation skills. Using those
project management skills, the project manager can complete the project on scheduled time and
estimated budget.