Erik W. Larson

Organizing for product development projects

How should companies organize to support the development of new products? Erik Larson and David Gobeli assessed the relative effectiveness of five different project management structures by comparing the performance of 540 development projects in terms of cost, schedule and technical performance. The findings contradict Peters and Watermans popular conclusion that project teams are superior to matrix structures for developing new products and services. Both the balanced matrix and project matrix compared favorably with project teams in terms of cost, schedule and technical performance. Furthermore, the project matrix received a stronger recommendation from managers than the project team. Little support was found for either the functional or functional matrix approach to project management.

Significance of project management structure on development success

The significance of project management structure on the success of 546 development projects was investigated. Multivariate procedures revealed that success varies according to the project structure used, even when other determinants are accounted for. Projects relying on the functional organization or a functional matrix were less successful than those which used a balanced matrix, project matrix, or project team. The project matrix outperformed the balanced matrix in meeting schedule, and outperformed the project team in controlling cost. Implications for managing development projects are briefly discussed. >

Matrix Management: Contradictions and Insights

Does matrix management stifle or foster the development of new products? The arguments in favor of and against matrix consist primarily of anecdotal success or failure stories. The issue is further obscured by the failure to recognize that there are different types of matrix. Data on the usage and effectiveness of three matrix structures (functional, balanced, and project matrixes) were collected from 500 managers experienced in product development. The results indicate that matrix is still the dominant approach for completing development projects. However, while all three types of matrix have comparable usage rates, the project matrix is considered the most effective. Companies using matrix management should consider project matrix if they are trying to improve performance.

Partnering on construction projects: a study of the relationship between partnering activities and project success

Project partnering has generated considerable attention in the construction industry as a means for transforming hostile, adversarial owner-contractor relationships into a more collaborative, productive team. Empirical support for partnering, however, is limited. The present study used mailed questionnaire data to examine the relationship between specific partnering related activities and project success for 291 construction projects. All of the major partnering activities were found to be positively related to at least one of the measures of project success. The findings suggest that a comprehensive approach be applied to partnering on construction projects and that top management support for teamwork across organizations is critical to success.

Employee Absenteeism: The Role of Ease of Movement

The article discusses research pertaining to the role of perceived ease of movement on employee absenteeism. Ease of movement refers to an individuals perception of the attractiveness and availabi...

Project Management in Real Time: A Service-Learning Project

This article describes a service-learning assignment for a project management course. It is designed to facilitate hands-on student learning of both the technical and the interpersonal aspects of project management, and it involves student engagement with real customers and real stakeholders in the creation of real events with real outcomes. As such, it helps students internalize project management principles and value project management tools. Student teams design and implement plans for events intended to result in significant contributions in support of various charitable organizations. They create the planning and execution documents required of project management teams. The article describes the assignment and its results and discusses some cautions and alternatives.

Using a Computer-Based Version of the Beer Game: Lessons Learned:

Multiperson board games are being used in both business and academia to enhance education and training. These games compress time and space to enable the players to experience the consequences of their decisions. The dynamic interactions between multiple players create a complex and unpredictable business scenario that is difficult to replicate with other exercises. However, most board games are difficult to administer and require the players to concentrate on detailed rules and procedures in addition to the primary decisions required at each move. This article describes the lessons learned from the use of a computer-based implementation of a popular business board game: the Beer Game.

Matrix management: More than a fad

Abstract Matrix management has received much criticism in the past few years, even being called just another management fad by some. But little empirical evidence has been presented to demonstrate actual usage or satisfaction levels among practitioners. This article defines five different forms of project management, including three variations of matrix management. It then presents the results of a survey using these definitions that was administered to a diverse sample of 115 practitioners. The survey measured the frequency of usage of the five different forms of project management and the effectiveness of projects using these different project structures. The results suggest that matrix management is more than a fad and will probably continue to be a popular form of project management, in spite of its problems.

Survey Research Project: a Highly Interdependent Group Task

Many experiential management and organization behavior classes require that students participate in an ongoing workgroup that is faced with the necessity of completing a variety of tasks, dividing work, making decisions, and rewarding performance. These groups serve as vehicles for learning about organization behavior firsthand and create opportunities for developing managerial skills. Typically, two kinds of activities are assigned to these groups. The first includes structured in-class exercises that highlight relevant course material. For example, the familiar NASA Lost in Space exercise and its many derivatives are used to compare individual versus group problem solving strategies. In the second kind of activity, student workgroups are assigned projects to complete out of class and are required to submit a final product that is graded. These group projects may include, for example, case analyses, oral presentations on a selected topic and observation exercises in which groups may go to fast-food firms and study the impact of technology

Project Management Problems

ABSTRACTTwelve hundred different problems, as described by project practitioners, are sorted according to an adaptation of the classic management functions first described by Henri Fayol: planning, scheduling, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Observations include that planning problems are most prevalent, that some problems vary with project structure, and that some problems vary with success level. The most surprising lesson is that many types of problems are equally or even more prevalent on successful projects.