Project Management Common Project Failures - 1617 Words

Common Project Failures Katina King Brenau University Common Project failures All project managers (PM) want their projects to meet all requirements in a timely and cost-effective manner. However, project failure is common in project management because of undefined uncertainties throughout the project. There are many reasons why projects fail and each project can have its own set of complications. Sometimes it is a single incident, but more often than not, several issues that develop over time during the project combined cause a failure. A good project manager must be able to recognize indicators of failure and take action quickly. This paper will discuss six common reasons for project failure and insight into how to avoid them by addressing them immediately and efficiently. Poor Planning Planning is the most important part of any project. A project plan defines the objectives of the project and the goals to be achieved. According to Project Management: A Managerial Approach (2012), the sole purpose of planning is to simplify goal fulfillment over the course of the project’s completion. It acts as a map by helping project members understand what they must do and the risk factors and resources they must utilize along the way. This is a vital stage in the project completion process because when projects are poorly planned, their budgets, schedules, and deliverables may all be in jeopardy. To avoid poor planning issues, the PM should get a good description of theShow MoreRelatedFailures Of The Project Management System1456 Words   |  6 Pagesto garner support of IT Project Management, a rather clear picture has been presented. A staggering number of organizations do not properly employ IT project management, and, as a result, their projects tend to fail. On the opposite end of the spectrum, successful organizations utilize an IT project management system and their projects enjoy a much higher success rate. Based off of the findings, one can conclude that in most organizations the track record for IT projects has been more than lacklusterRead MoreProject Management : Infamous Failures, Classic Mistakes, And Best Practices1093 Words   |  5 Pagesof Ryan Nelson s article. IT Project Management: Infamous Failures, Classic Mistakes, And Best Practices. MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 6. No.2/June 2007 What is the pressing need to have project management in IT projects? Two out of the three IT projects fail to make the final cut. [1] This article not only elucidates the need for an appropriate project management team but also puts forth what can go wrong if the organization is oblivious to the project management processes. About 88% of the classicRead MoreEven With The Greatest Attempts, Projects Can Fail. Projects1561 Words   |  7 Pagesattempts, projects can fail. Projects can be measured in terms of failures. When looking at the project failures, if the project objectives are not met it then affect the scope, time, cost, quality, and resources of the project. When these items are not met and not approved by senior management of the project team the project is considered a failure. There are several reasons for failures that will be examined. The first reason of project failure is poor planning. This is a very common reason becauseRead MoreCase Study : Macon, Inc.930 Words   |  4 Pagesto blame in project delays or quality standards, and have scarce attention to the organization’s interests. Delays were almost always present, quality compromised, customers were choosing their own project managers to ensure their interests, projects were constantly failing, and the president of the company, who was a strong believer of project management, decided that action was needed to achieve excellence in project management. II. Question and response Considering the Management Support elementRead MoreProject Management Systems ( Pms )1556 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract Numerous projects have fizzled severely and get to be unreasonable to the associations concerned. Project Management Systems (PMS) are required to help projects supervisors and the colleagues to deal with their undertakings all the more viably and lessen the dangers of disappointment. This study looks at the normal issues in PMS, which have prompted insufficient venture administration. A model of an online PMS with solid control systems has been produced to address these issues. FurtherRead MoreReasons Why Projects Fail710 Words   |  3 PagesReasons Why Projects Fail By Tom Carlos PMP In a perfect world, every project would be on time and within budget. But reality (especially the proven statistics) tells a very different story. It s not uncommon for projects to fail. Even if the budget and schedule are met, one must ask did the project deliver the results and quality we expected? True project success must be evaluated on all three components. Otherwise, a project could be considered a failure. Have you ever seen a situationRead MoreProject Management : Determining The Success Or Failure Factors1526 Words   |  7 Pagescomplex projects have option of success or fail due to a number of circumstances. The main controversial issue in the project management is determining the success or failure factors. Although projects have built in to be successful there are some risks can’t be avoided and that may lead at the end to failure in the near or far future (Montequin, 2014). Introduction Project management provides reasonable scientific solutions in order to overcome difficulties and achieve success. Each project has aRead MoreCauses of Project Failure1147 Words   |  5 PagesPROJECT DEFINITION A project is defined as a unique set of co-ordinated activities with a finite duration, defined cost and performance parameters and clear outputs to support specific business objectives. [pic] IT-PROJECT DEFINITION An IT-enabled project is any business change activity, including programmes and projects, where the use of IT is critical to its success. WHEN A PROJECT FAILS? †¢ Not meeting project goals, delivering requirements †¢ Not delivering valueRead MoreResponse Of It Project Management : Infamous Failures, Classic Mistakes, And Best Practices778 Words   |  4 PagesIn â€Å"Response of IT Project Management: Infamous Failures, Classic Mistakes, and Best Practices†, R.Ryan Nelson (2007) argued that the best way to avoid classical mistakes and finally stay away from infamous failure is to use best practices proactively and knowledgeably. He also suggested that project managers focus on people and process, institute their own best practices, and improve best practices by identifying the problems most occurs in specific project and using the matrix. Firstly, R.RyanRead MoreEffectiveness Of Risk Identification And Analysis Of Construction Projects Of Mumbai City Of Multi Storeyed Building Essay929 Words   |  4 PagesAbstract – Risk is present in all projects irrespective of their size or sector. If risks are not properly analyzed and strategies are not developed to deal with them, the project is likely to lead to failures. Therefore, special strategies and processes should be established during the initial phases of the project and also monitored throughout the project life cycle. There are different techniques of risk identification and analysis in construction projects. Applicability of various risk assessment

Schooling in North Carolina - 1715 Words

Schooling in North Carolina When schooling was first created in the US, there were not nearly as many rules. One-room schoolhouses where there were all different kinds of ages and education levels were the norm, and the type of education that was given to students was far different than what they receive today. As education developed and various needs came to light, larger schools were built and students were segregated based on criteria such as age. Separate schooling based on learning ability (special education) was something that came later, but it was eventually developed. The system that is available today is working well in many cases, but there are areas in which it is still failing the students - mainly because there are still too many countries getting ahead of the US in areas such as science and mathematics (Darling-Hammond, 2001; Figlio, 2002). Until the US takes back the number one spot, todays students will be at a disadvantage based on what they are learning and how they can put that education to use in the job market (Collins, 1999; Darling-Hammond, 2001). In North Carolina, as in other states, school attendance is compulsory. In other words, every child who lives in North Carolina must attend school a minimum number of days each year until they reach a set age or until they graduate, whichever comes first. These children can go to private school or be homeschooled (with specific regulations), but they cannot simply be kept out of school. That isShow MoreRelatedEducation and its effect on social hierarchies:1400 Words   |  6 Pagesand faculty reforms. Major education reforms resulted not only changing the way education was being treated, but also challenged social norms and social hierarchies. In 1878, the ratio between male and female teachers was three to one (Leloudis, Schooling the New South; Page 74). Many young men also taught primarily for the work experience, not so much for the children’s sake; for these men, teaching was a â€Å"stepping stone† f or another career path or profession in the future. Feminization of teachingRead MoreThe United States, Schooling System Is Failing To Provide1573 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States, schooling system is failing to provide a well rounded educational future of the millennial generation and the generations to come. Why are traditional public schools failing to successfully graduate a diverse number of students? Students of all backgrounds should graduate being able to go into the workforce or secondary schooling successfully. Changing traditional high schools to career-based schools could help education flourish, access to career-based high schools could helpRead MoreThe Year Round Schooling System Essay700 Words   |  3 PagesYear round schooling has been present since the early 1900’s. It first appeared in urban areas because they were not tied to the agricultural cycle. The first cities to implement this system were Chicago, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, and Was hington D.C. By 1975, Oregon, Wyoming, Montana, Ohio, South Carolina, North Carolina, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Louisiana, Texas, and Tennessee adopted YRS for at least one school, however Vermont dropped YRS. Many states and school systems at least attemptedRead MorePoverty Is The Most Far Reaching Social Problem847 Words   |  4 Pagesbeing made by those in poverty and the poor’s advocates. Unemployment, low wages, race, gender, and birth class have been constructed as causes of poverty in the United States. The side effects of health, substandard housing, homelessness, limited schooling, crime and political alienation are claims faced by those currently under the poverty line (Macionos). We can agree that food and shelter are essential to life and good health. The majority of the poor today through government intervention do notRead MoreTeaching Is A Difficult Job1478 Words   |  6 Pagesrequirements (North Carolina Virtual Public School). Taking courses online allows students to work on the information independently. Even though they are working independently, there is still an administrator in the room because nothing can replace physical human interaction. When a person has a problem with their television, the problem can only be resolved to an extent over the phone. Other times they must send someone to the address and fix it in person. Although online schooling is effective,Read More The Underground Railroad in North Carolina Essay1277 Words   |  6 PagesThe Underground Railroad in North Carolina The Underground Railroad was perhaps the most active and dramatic protest action against slavery in United States history and as we look at the Underground Railroad in North Carolina we will focus on the Quakers, Levi Coffin’s early years, and the accounts of escaped slaves from North Carolina. The unique blend of southern slave holder and northern abolitionist influences in the formation of North Carolina served to make the state an important linkRead MoreEssay on Improving the Quality of Education1256 Words   |  6 Pagesfor a change. We have heard how the United States ranks in comparison to other post-industrial countries in regards to education. One idea that has proven to be successful in improving the education level of students is â€Å"year round schooling†. Year round schooling would improve the quality of education and the overall school environment. Making this type of change would be a start in increasing the value of our school systems. The term â€Å"year round school† does not mean that students and teachersRead MoreFurnifold Mclendel Simmons Case Study Answers1726 Words   |  7 Pages using readings and your own analysis, why that leader was North Carolina’s most significant political figure of the 20th Century. Furnifold McLendel Simmons was attorney in New Bern in 1854, who later in his life went on to become a senator for thirty years (Christensen 36). Simmons held a degree from what is now Duke University which, led him to practice law (Christensen 37). He was such an influential political figurehead that North Carolina’s democratic organization that he became known as heRead MoreThe United States Foundation And New England1225 Words   |  5 Pages The United States foundation started off with the thirteen colonies. The thirteen colonies consists of Maryland, New Hampshire, Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. All of them were separated into three categories. These categories are known as Southern, New England, and Middle colonies. The New England colonies consists of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. In NewRead MoreAndrew Jackson : The Second President Of The Democratic Party935 Words   |  4 Pagesalso opposed the Bank of the United States. Jackson was born in a region near the border of both North and South Carolina, while both states claim him as a native son, he has been quoted saying he is from South Carolina. Both of his parents were Irish immigrants with little money. With very little household income he lacked a formal education. In 1780, while the British marched through the Carolinas, both of his brothers and his mother were killed during this conflict. Also for a short period

Amazon.Com Supply Chain Management free essay sample

Amazon. com Supply Chain Project Amazon. com Supply Chain Project Jarrel Nightingale [emailprotected] edu Capella University BUS3004: Supply Chain Management Professor Dr. Robert Goldwasser December 10, 2012 Amazon. com Supply Chain Project Introduction In today’s society, Online Shopping and the industry of e-commerce has become very popular and mainstream. Many individuals have integrated online shopping into their normal routine and have replaced traditional shopping altogether. Online shopping has become so popular, there has been a shopping holiday called â€Å"Cyber Monday† which is the equivalent to â€Å"Black Friday. † Traditional brick and mortar retail stores are now forced to offer their products online in order to remain competitive. This is a new position for most businesses to be in, so businesses are forced to make the necessary adjustments to conform to the consumers’ demands. Complying with the demands of technology has become a problem for some of the smaller businesses due to the lack of resources and infrastructure to produce these changes. Amongst the many online retailers that have emerged, Amazon. com has set itself apart as the industry leader in Online E-commerce. Since 1994, Amazon. com has built a successful empire that has become the default name for when one thinks about buying anything online. Through their documented success, Amazon. com has created the blueprint for those to follow in order to become a successful Online Retailer. In this assignment, I will discuss Amazon. com as it relates to their success and the structure of its company. Business Model Amazon. com sells books, music, and other items over the Internet and is one of the pioneers of consumer e-business. Amazon, based in Seattle, started by filling all orders using books purchased from a distributor in response to customer orders. This practice differs from that of a traditional bookstore, which usually purchases directly from publishers and stocks books in anticipation of customer orders. In 2008, Amazon had eight warehouses in the U. S. and another fifteen in the rest of the world. Amazon stocks many books, though it still gets other titles from distributors or publishers. It uses the U. S. Postal Service and other package carriers such as UPS and FedEx to send books to customers. Amazon has continued to expand the set of products that it sells online. Besides books and music, Amazon has added many product categories such as toys, apparel, electronics, jewelry, and shoes. (Chopra, et. Al, 2012) In addition to adding more products, the strategy of Amazon. com is technology based as it relates to consumer demand. Amazons supply chain is so tightly integrated that when an online customer buys a couple of books and a CD, the order-management system communicates with inventory- and warehouse-management systems to find the optimal distribution center or centers for fulfilling the order. The customer knows in less than a minute how long it will take to ship the items and whether they will come in one package or separately (Bacheldor, 2004). Global Challenges Unlike most companies, Amazon. com has positioned itself to remain competitive in the national and global markets as well. Shipping is one of the most main expenses of e-commerce and shipping internationally can be a lengthy and expensive process. As mentioned earlier, Amazon. com has built new warehouses and changed the markets supplied by each warehouse as its customer base has grown. Currently there are 15 warehouses in total; 8 of those are located in the United States and the other 7 are located internationally. As a result, it has lowered shipping costs and improved responsiveness (Chopra, et. Al, 2012). There is a trade off because inventory and facility costs increase as the number of facilities in the supply chain increase; and transportation costs decrease as the number of facilities increase. The functionality of its technology is also designed to help with reducing costs so that transportation costs stay at a point where operating globally is still achievable. Amazon. com’s supply chain management applications communicate in real time when an order is placed and assigns shipping warehousing and cost based on location (Bacheldor, 2004). When the average company ships internationally the response time is typically in excess of 14 days and the cost to expedite takes any potential savings from purchasing online go away. Importance of Aggregate Planning Amazon. com is beginning to aggregate other e-commerce that are linked via strategic placement and investments. The vision is to make it so customers don’t have to go elsewhere to shop very often especially online (Scally, 2000). The reputation it has is so strong that any association with Amazon. com helps create an impression of validity and success for anyone that chooses to partner with them. Amazon has one of the most-sophisticated supply-chain systems in the world, and it was all built from scratch. Homemade applications handle nearly every aspect of its supply chain: warehouse management, transportation management, inbound and outbound shipping, demand forecasts, inventory planning, and more. In the last four years, Amazon has worked to minimize the need for human intervention in its supply-chain processes, such as manually inputting sales forecasts into an inventory-management system (Bacheldor, 2004). Today, Amazons supply-chain apps communicate in real time, a rarity when most companies have to integrate a variety of software tools and manual processes, such as phone and fax orders. Ultimately, the goal is to try to â€Å"touch† every type of transaction on the web dealing with e-commerce and to integrate with business partners to enhance the online shopping experience (Scally, 2000). Many traditional brick and mortar stores are affiliating themselves with Amazon in order to gain online presence and sell its merchandise online. This is a mutual benefit as it allows Amazon to continue to diversify its products. Role of Demand Forecasting and Pricing Promotions To achieve strategic fit, a firm must tailor its supply chain to best meet the needs of different customer segments. To retain strategic fit, supply chain strategy must be adjusted over the life cycle of a product and as the competitive landscape changes. Future risks, uncertainties, and environmental concerns must be accounted for when firms design their supply chain strategy. Customers ordering a book at Amazon. com are willing to wait longer than those who drive to a nearby Borders store to get the same book. In contrast, customers can find a much larger variety of books at Amazon compared to the Borders store. Thus, Amazon customers trade off fast response times for high levels of variety (Chopra, et. Al, 2012). Amazon offers its customers a large menu of prices for products that are purchased from the company. For example, a person purchasing two books worth $30 could use standard shipping (ships in 3–5 business days) at a cost of $4. 98, two-day shipping (ships in 2 business days) at a cost of $13. 97, one-day shipping (ships in 1 business day) at a cost of $22. 97 or use free shipping (ships in 7–14 business days). The pricing menu allows Amazon to attract customers with varying levels of desired responsiveness (Chopra, et. Al, 2012). Whereas customers paying for one-day shipping impose a high degree of uncertainty on Amazon, customers opting for free shipping can be used to level out the workload at the warehouse over time. Amazon can thus use its pricing to provide responsiveness to those who value it while using customers who want a low price to help it improve its efficiency. Amazon also uses pricing effectively to shift some of the Christmas peak to November, by offering free or discounted shipping. The discount moves some of the December demand forward, allowing it to reduce its December peak and improve its efficiency without giving up on responsiveness for those customers who do not want to order earlier. Conclusion Since 1994, Amazon. com has built a successful empire that has become the default name for when one thinks about buying anything online. Through their documented success, Amazon. com has created the blueprint for those to follow in order to become a successful Online Retailer. By offering a vast variety of products, Amazon has changed the way many consumers shop for our merchandise. In addition to more options, the prices are often times cheaper even though the merchandise ordered is always shipped from a different location. What Amazon started in 1994 has now been revolutionized as Amazon continues to find ways to better the merchandise, the technology involved, and most important the customer experience. References Anonymous. 1998. IceGroup Releases Amazon. com Analysis . PR Newswire, Retrieved from www. lexisnexis. com/hottopics/lnacademic Bacheldor, B. (2004). FROM SCRATCH: Amazon keeps supply chain close to home. InformationWeek, (979), 40-40. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/229180916? accountid=27965 Chopra, Sunil, Meindl, Peter. (05/2012). Supply Chain Management, 4/e for Capella University, 4th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions. Scally, R. (2000). Amazon. com: The force thats altering e-tail, one category at a time. DSN Retailing Today, 39(9), 42-44+. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/228466615? accountid=27965 Willis, C. (1998, Apr 06). Does amazon. com really matter? Forbes, , 55-58. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/195047045? accountid=27965

Sputnik Essays - Soviet Union, Sputnik 2, Sputnik 3, Sputnik 1

sputnik Sputnik, name of the first of several artificial satellites launched by the Soviet Union from 1957 to 1961. The goals of the Sputnik program included studying the earth's upper atmosphere, observing animal survival in space flight, and testing Soviet rocket technology. The launch of the unmanned Sputnik 1 and of Sputnik 2, which carried a dog, spurred the United States to invest more money and resources into its fledgling space program, initiating a race between the two nations to land a person on the moon (see Space Exploration). The Sputnik program began on October 4, 1957, with the launch of Sputnik 1, which weighed 83 kg (184 lb). The official name of the satellite was Iskustvennyi Sputnik Zemli (fellow world traveler of the earth). The launch vehicle was a test version of the Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile (see Guided Missiles). Sputnik 2 was launched on November 3, 1957, and weighed 508 kg (1100 lb). It carried a female dog named Laika. On-board instruments showed that Laika survived in space for several days until her oxygen supply was exhausted. After failing in its first attempt, the United States launched its own satellite, Explorer 1, on January 31, 1958. The satellite weighed only 14 kg (31 lb), including its rocket motor. The Soviets responded by launching Sputnik 3, which weighed 1.3 metric tons, on May 15, 1958. The first three Sputnik satellites each carried instruments to measure the temperature and density of the earth's upper atmosphere, the electron density of the ionosphere, and the size and number of micrometeorites (tiny particles in space). In addition, Sputnik 3 carried the first space laboratory, a wide array of instruments that could transmit information about the environment outside the satellite. Solar energy was used for the first time by Sputnik 3 to power its instruments and transmitters. From 1958 to 1959 the Soviet Union interrupted the Sputnik program to concentrate on the Luna series of vehicles that were sent toward the moon. The Sputnik program was resumed with Sputniks 5 through 10, which were launched from 1960 to 1961. Sputniks 5, 6, 9, and 10 all carried dogs, most of which reentered the earth's atmosphere safely and were recovered. These satellites each weighed several thousand kilograms and were working models of the Vostok spacecraft, which would eventually carry the first human passenger, Yury Alekseyevich Gagarin, into space in April 1961. Sputniks 7 and 8, launched in February 1961, served as launching platforms for the Venera spacecraft, which were sent toward Venus. The Cosmos series of spacecraft carried on the work of the Sputnik program after 1961. In addition to initiating the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union, the Sputnik series of spacecraft also had alarming military implications. The intercontinental ballistic missiles that were used to launch the Sputnik satellites were also capable of traveling from the Soviet Union to military targets in less than an hour-much less than the several hours required for conventional bomber aircraft. President Dwight D. Eisenhower of the United States reacted to the space race by signing the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, which created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Eisenhower also established the Advanced Research Projects Agency (now the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), a division of the U.S. Department of Defense.