The University of Mississippi

Rev: August 23, 2015

Fall Semester 2015

Professional MBA

MBA 624
Project Analysis
Professor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Office hours:

Brian J. Reithel, Ph.D., CDP

Professor of MIS
232 Holman Hall
(662) 816-3929 (cell please feel free to call or send text messages)
breithel@bus.olemiss.edu
Tuesday/Thursday 9:30-11:00 a.m. or by appointment

I. COURSE OBJECTIVES

To understand the concepts of project planning and organization, budgeting and control,
project communications, and project life cycles.
To learn concepts related to organizational workflow including the staffing process, project
planning elements, and the project plan contents and project communications.
To master several basic project scheduling techniques including WBS, PERT/CPM, Gantt Charts,
Burn Down Charts, Scrum-based project management, and resource constrained scheduling.
To understand the related concepts of organizational forms, conflict resolution, and issues
related to leadership and task management in a project environment.
To become familiar with Microsoft Project.

II. COURSE OVERVIEW

This course covers issues related to managing projects in organizations and we will draw on materials
from other MBA courses and experiences from the workplace. Project Management deals with seeking
new methods of planning, organizing, and controlling time and resource-constrained non-routine tasks.
The management of a project differs in several ways from management of a typical enterprise. The
goal of a project team is to accomplish its prescribed mission and then disband; though this is easier
said than done. Project Management has been around for some time, though it has recently become
more important because of the shifting emphasis on teams, virtual workspaces, and information
technology in accomplishing tasks.
Our key deliverable in this course is a portfolio that contains an Audit Report and Project Final Report
for an ongoing project that you will select and analyze for this course. An important side benefit of
this deliverable is that the analyses and evaluations that you do in these reports should be of value to
the project management team of your selected project.

III. REQUIRED TEXTS AND SOFTWARE

1. Required Text: Project Management in Practice (2011), Fourth edition, by Mantel, Meredith,
Shafer, & Sutton. Publisher: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-0-470-53301-7.
2. Optional Text: Project Management - A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and
controlling by Kerzner, published by John Wiley & Sons, ISBN: 978-0470278703 (note that the
specific ISBN doesnt really matter any edition after 2009 should be fine; Ive found that some
used copies of the 2009 edition are quite inexpensive via online merchants, with prices in the
$10-20 range).
Often referred to as the "bible of project management," you might be interested in if you are
planning on pursuing a career in project management. Note that this book is not absolutely
necessary for our class, but it could come in handy if you want to get a more in-depth
perspective on some of the topics we cover.
3. Software: Microsoft Project and our standard MBA software suite (MS Office). Please do not
purchase MS Project. Instead, wait for more information from the instructor about how to
obtain MS Project via the School of Business Administrations DreamSpark store, via
Microsoft.
4. Other course documents (handouts, assignments, special readings, etc.) will be available via
the Blackboard course web site. We will make extensive use of Blackboard throughout the
semester. Please submit all assignments via the specific assignment links in Blackboard unless
directed to use some other means of submission. All assignments are to be treated as
individual assignments unless otherwise noted by the instructor.

IV. COURSE DELIVERABLES

Deliverable
Assignments
1. Individual Assignments (5 total)
2. Group Assignments (5 total)
Exams
1. Midterm Exam
2. Final Exam (comprehensive)
Semester Project
Milestone Plan

Points
50
50
100
100
15
15

Midpoint Report
Portfolio of Audit and Final Report
Portfolio Presentation
Total Points:

50
20
400

Letter Grade Divisions: A>=90 %; B=80-89%; C=70-79%; D=60-69%; F<=60 %

(all scores will be rounded to the nearest integer value using traditional rounding rules; e.g., <.5
rounds down and .5 or greater rounds up)

V. COURSE DELIVERABLES DETAIL

Assignments
Individual Assignments (5 total) an individual assignment will be due every two weeks
(see schedule for due dates). While you are encouraged to help each other out as you
attempt to comprehend the underlying concepts, you must do your own work for each
assignment. Please upload each assignment via the appropriate assignment link in
Blackboard.
Group Assignments (5 total) every two weeks a group assignment will be due (see
schedule for due dates). Only one person in each group should upload this assignment via
the appropriate group assignment link in Blackboard.
Group Membership you will be automatically assigned to groups of 3-4 members via
Blackboard for all group homework assignments. Once these groups have been
generated, you will remain in the same group for the entire semester.
Exams
There will be a Midterm Exam and a Final Exam (see schedule for dates). These will be
completed individually and handed in via Blackboard. Youll have a 72-hour window of
time, from the posting of the Word document in Blackboard to complete your midterm
exam and submit it for grading. The final exam will be open for a 24-hour window, due
to the tighter constraints of finals week. It is very important that each student not share
or discuss the questions on the exam with anyone else. These are individual exams.
Semester Project
You will select a project to analyze this semester. Details on what type of project you will
need are presented below (see Selecting Your Project).
-

Milestone Plan
This will be your own plan to research, select, analyze, and document your
selected project to create your Final Project Evaluation Portfolio. In other
words, this is a detailed timeline for the project to complete your semester
project (i.e., this is your own, personal, work-plan regarding the detailed tasks,
associated deliverables, and target dates for completing your semester project).

Midpoint Report
This will be a detailed progress report on your plan to research, select, analyze,
and document your selected project to create your Final Project Evaluation
Portfolio. What is working out according to your milestone plan? What is not
working out according to your plan? What will you need to change in your
approach in order to complete the semester project?

Portfolio of Audit and Final Report

Your key deliverable in this class is a project portfolio that contains:
o

An in-depth Audit Report (outlined in pp. 277-279 in Project Management

in Practice 2011)

A detailed Final Report (outlined in pp. 284-285 in Project Management in

Practice 2011)
-

Portfolio Presentation
Along with your Portfolio, you will also prepare a YouTube-ready video
presentation (with audio track) that discusses your project reports, key lessons
learned as a project manager, and ideas about what could be done to further
improve the performance of future project teams facing a similar project. It is
very important that you practice making a YouTube video sooner, rather than
later, so that you wont become trapped and under pressure trying to figure out
how to do it at the very end of the semester. IMPORTANT: The final video cannot
exceed five (5) minutes in duration. This is an executive presentation intended
to convey key points about your project in a succinct manner.

Selecting Your Project

There is considerable leeway in terms of the depth and detail that could be
contained in your portfolio reports your grade will be commensurate with the
appropriateness of the depth and detail of your report given the data available to
you for your project. For this reason, it is important that you select a real-life,
ongoing project that is large enough in scope to provide a richness of detail that
will allow you to construct standard project analysis and reporting charts (e.g.,
Gantt Charts), evaluation tools (e.g., earned value analyses), project teamwork
analyses, etc.
Here are some guidelines to consider in selecting your project:

The project should have a duration of at least six months.

The project should not have reached completion until sometime after the end
of our semester. This way, your audit and report portfolio might prove to be
useful to the project management team.

The project should involve at least 3 different persons working in either full
or part-time capacity on the project and data should exist for performing
earned value calculations (that is, ongoing personnel allocation data must be
available to you).

The project must have a set start and end date and data should exist for
performing earned value calculations (that is, ongoing schedule allocation
data must be available to you).

The project must have a clearly calculable budget and data should exist for
performing earned value calculations (that is, ongoing budget allocation data
must be available to you).

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: Note that any information shared with you by the sponsoring
organization must be treated with professionalism and held in the strictest confidence. Any
violation of such trust will be treated as full academic misconduct and will result in a
failing grade for the semester. I will be available to discuss any particular concerns and/or
needs you may encounter with regard to protecting confidential information associated
with the selected project.

VI. EXPECTATIONS FOR CLASS

1. Individual Work and Group Discussion via Blackboard. You and your group may need to discuss
questions that arise during your studies. As long as these questions are general and for the
benefit of the entire class, you are encouraged to discuss them with each other and with me by
using the discussion forum on our Blackboard web page. Posting and responding to queries on
this discussion forum will make your deliverables better, both individually and collectively. Also,
your group has both discussion and messaging (email) facilities available through Blackboard for
group-specific items and issues.
2. Standards of Professionalism. In this course, all students are expected to conduct themselves as
business professionals. Your reputation, honor, and personal integrity are your most valuable and
irreplaceable assets in both the business world and your personal life do not put yourself in any
situation where they might be compromised.
3. School of Business Administration Statement of Academic Integrity.
The School of Business Administration upholds honor and academic integrity in all of its teaching,
research, and service activities. All business faculty, staff, and students are charged with the
responsibility to behave with personal and professional integrity and to refrain from dishonorable
conduct.
It is your responsibility to understand the scope and nature of actions that constitute academic
dishonesty and to seek clarification of points that you do not understand. Penalties for academic
dishonesty are severe, especially given the strict course sequencing of the MBA Program.
4. Disability Accommodations. It is University policy to provide, on a flexible and individual basis,
reasonable accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to
participate in course activities or meet course requirements. Students with disabilities, which have
been verified through the Office of Student Disability Services, are encouraged to contact their
instructors to discuss their individual needs for accommodations.
5. Incomplete Grades:
Poor performance is not an acceptable reason to request an incomplete grade.
6. Assignments:
Late assignments will not be accepted without prior authorization from the instructor. The
semester project will not be accepted after December 9 th.
7. Standards of Honesty:
The academic discipline policy of the University of Mississippi will be strictly followed in this
course. Violation of the policy will result in a grade of F in the course. The student should refer
to the Universitys policy on Student Academic Conduct and Discipline for general definitions of
academic misconduct. PLEASE ASK ME if you have any questions about proper scholarly conduct.
8. Feedback. I will be happy to discuss the course, your progress, or any other issues of concern to
you on an individual basis. Please contact me directly via phone or email. If you are a cell
phone/text person, thats fine too! The number listed for me on the syllabus can accept either
incoming calls or text messages. If Im unable to respond at the moment you contact me, Ill
follow up with you as soon as I can.

VII. COURSE SCHEDULE

WK

Date

Assignment
Due Date

MBA 624 PROJECT ANALYSIS

WK
Aug 24 M
1

Introduction to Project Scheduling:

1. Chapter 1 pp. 1-21 and pp. 31-37.
2. Chapter 5 pp. PERT and CPM Networks (151-160).

INDL1
DUE
Sept. 2

WK
Aug 31 M
2

3. Shenhar, A.J. & Levy, O. Mapping the Dimensions of Project Success

(Project Management Journal, June 1997).
4. Pinto, J.K. & Kharbanda, O.P. Lessons for an Accidental Profession
(Business Horizons, March-April 1995).
(note Monday Sept. 1 is Labor Day Holiday)

GROUP1
DUE
Sept. 9

Evaluating and Terminating the Project:

5. Chapter 8 pp. 272-285.

INDL2
DUE
Sept. 16

WK
Sept 14 M
4

6. Gulliver, F.R. Post-Project Appraisals Pay (Harvard Business Review,

March-April 1987).
7. Staw, B.M. & Ross, J. Knowing When to Pull the Plug (Harvard Business
Review, March-April 1987).

GROUP2
DUE
Sept.23

WK
Sept 21 M
5

Management of Risk, Gantt Charts, and the Critical Path:

8. Chapter 1
- Confronting Uncertainty (pp. 21-30).
9. Chapter 5 Scheduling the Project
- Project Uncertainty and Risk Mgmt. (pp. 161-177
- The Gantt Chart (178-185).
10. Chapter 6 Allocating Resources to the Project
- Expediting a Project (pp. 196-202).

INDL3
DUE
Sept. 30

WK
Sept 28 M
6

SEMESTER PROJECT MILESTONE PLAN DUE SEPT. 27

11. Leach, L.P. Critical Chain Project Management Improves Project
Performance (Project Management Journal, June 1999, pp. 39-51).
12. Cusumano, M.A. How Microsoft Makes Large Teams Work Like
Small Teams (Sloan Management Review, Fall 1997, pp. 9-20).

GROUP3
DUE
Oct. 7

WK
7

Scarce Resources: Loading, Leveling, Allocating:

13. Chapter 6 pp. 202-231.

WK
Sept 7 M
3

Oct 5

WK Oct 12 M
8
14

WK
Oct 19 M
9

14. Bowen, H.K. et al. Make Projects the School for Leaders (Harvard
Business Review, Sept.-Oct. 1994, pp. 131-140).
15. DeFillippi, R.J. & Arthur, M.B. Paradox in Project-Based
Enterprise: The Case of Film Making (California Management
Review, Winter 1998, pp. 125-139).

MIDTERM
EXAM
Wednesday
OCT. 14

MIDTERM EXAM Wednesday OCT. 14

The Project Manager, Organization, and the Team:
16. Chapter 2 pp. 44-71.

INDL4
DUE
Oct. 21

WK
Oct 26 M
10

17. Grenny, J., Maxfield, D., & Shimberg, A. Project Leaders Can Overcome
the Crisis of Silence (Sloan Management Review, Summer 2007, pp. 4652).
18. Sotiriou, D. & Wittmer, D. Influence methods of project managers Perceptions of team members and project managers (Project
Management Journal, September 2001, pp. 12-20).

WK
11

SEMESTER PROJECT MIDPOINT REPORT DUE Oct. 30 (Friday)

Project Planning:
19. Chapter 3 pp. 79-108.

20. Mallak, L.M. & Kurstedt Jr., H.A. Planning for Crises in Project
Management (Project Management Journal, June 1997, pp. 14-20).
21. Fox, T.L. & Spence, J.W. Tools of the Trade: A Survey of Project
Management Tools (Project Management Journal, September 1998, pp.
20-27).

WK
12

Nov 2

Nov 9

WK
Nov 16 M
13

GROUP4
DUE
Oct. 28
INDL5
DUE
Nov. 4
GROUP5
DUE
Nov. 11

Budgeting, Monitoring, and Controlling:

22. Chapter 4 pp. 115-144.
23. Chapter 7 pp. 238-265.
Thanksgiving Break November 23-27

WK
Nov 30 M
14

Dec 6

24. Busby, J.S. An assessment of post-project reviews (Project Management

Journal, September 1999, pp. 23-29).
25. Ammeter, A.P. & Dukerich, J.M. Leadership, Team Building, and Team
Member Characteristics in High Performance Project Teams (Engineering
Management Journal, December 2002, pp. 3-10).
PORTFOLIO OF AUDIT AND FINAL REPORT AND
PORTFOLIO PRESENTATION DUE SUNDAY, DEC. 6, 2015 BY 11:00 P.M.

FINAL EXAM
Wednesday
DEC. 9