COURSE: BACHELOR OF COMMERCE (LOGISTICS AND

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT)

NAME: GLADYS NGINA MUTUNE

REG NO: ABBQ/05059P/2015

UNIT: PROJECT MANAGEMENT

UNIT CODE: ABBQ411B1

ASSIGNMENT

Q1. Briefly describe the similarities and di-similarities between GANTT chart and PERT
analysis techniques of project management (15mks)
A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart developed as a production control tool in 1917 by Henry
L.Gantt, an American engineer and social scientist.
A Gantt chart provides a graphical illustration of a schedule that helps to plan, coordinate and
track specific tasks in a project.
PERT stands for Program Evaluation Review Technique
A PERT chart is a project management tool used to schedule ,organize and coordinate tasks
within a project.
It is a methodology developed by the U.S Navy in the 1950s to manage the Polaris submarine
missile program.
Similarities between GANTT and PERT
1. Both Gantt chart and PERT analysis charts help the manager plan and coordinate all the
steps necessary for project competition from schedule preparation to allotment of
resources.
2. Both the PERT and GANTT charts give you the benefit of monitoring tasks and goal
completion.
3. They are also used for task scheduling controlling and administering the tasks necessary
for completion of a project.
4. Both charts help managers plan all tasks that need to be completed in addition to
providing a snap shot of areas that need improving.
Differences between GANTT charts and PERT
1. A Gantt chart is basically a bar chart while a PERT chart is a flow chart -Here Gantt chart
basically emphasizes and shows how much is required for completing task by use of the
length of the bar which shows the time required to complete the tasks whereas a pert
chart has parallel networks of individual.
2. Gantt are simple and more straight forward to use while Pert charts are difficult to use
since they are confusing and complex with many interconnecting or parallel networks of
independent tasks and are made for small portions of the project
3. Gantt charts were developed and introduced in 1917 by Charles Gantt. It deals with the
sequence of tasks needed to complete the project whereas PERT charts were developed
and introduced by the US navy 1950 to manage large and complex projects.
4. Gantt charts are unable to represent the dependency of tasks upon each other effectively
because the focus is on the percentage completion of each task without demonstrating the
link that two tasks may have to each other while PERT typically does not show the

percentage completed because it employs a network model which is easy to see which
tasks depend on each other.
5. Gantt charts are simpler to read but Pert charts extend an element of detail to the project
scheduling through both the network models ability to display dependency and Perts
unique ability to anticipate actual time that a task will take to completion.

Q2.Differentiate between functional and project management structures (15mks)

Functional management structures
1. This is the hierarchy where each
employee has one clear superior

2. Here functional manager has very little

role or no authority
3. Staff members in functional
management structures are grouped by
their specialty such as production
,marketing ,engineering accounting etc
4. Here the communication during
interdepartmental project is through the
department heads.
5. Functional organization undertakes
projects but the scope of projects is
usually limited to boundaries of the
function.
6. The functional manager controls the
project budget

7. The functional manager assigns project

8. They discuss how well a person is
doing at work and if the person wants
to continue doing it (providing
opportunities for growth)
9. Gather information from other PMs to
write the evaluation

Project management structures

1. This is the hierarchy where the project
team members are often collected and
often report to a project manager or
provide support services to various
groups
2. Project managers have a great deal of
independence and authority.
3. In project management structures the
project manager has complete authority
and has a fulltime administrative staff
4. In project,the resources are dedicated to
projects and reports and the
communication is only done to the
project manager.
5. Here the managers are entitled to select
and allocate resources from other areas
in the organization or to hire them from
outside if required.
6. The project team are fully authorized to
take decisions regarding the project
budget and acquiring and assigning
resources
7. The project manager assign work for
project
8. They discuss state of work for project

9. Provide feedback about performance

/work on this project at least weekly

10. Work with employee to set and coach

on career goals
11. The functional manager reviews the
strategy of the group and how well
people are performing thats strategy
12. In the functional, the projects are
typically undertaken in a divided
approach e.g. the marketing
department will work on its portion of
the project and then hand it off to the
development team or any other
department to complete its part and so
on

10. Work with employee to improve

specific skills as they relate to this
project
11. The project manger is tactical focused
on finishing this project successfully
12. In projects, the projects are undertaken
in one whole unity approach of all the
departments within the organization.

REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.
4.

Principles of management ;Dr.R.K Singla

Operations research ;R.Sivarethinamohan
Business mangemnt ;Dr .R.J Singla
Project management ;A system approach to planning scheduling and controlling .Harold
Kerzner,Ph.D
5. Net MBA:PERT
6. Net MBA:Gantt charts