Lecturer marking assignment ______________________________________

Assessment 1

Paper Title: Leading and Managing Projects

Paper Code: NZDB6214

Title: Open book assignment

This booklet contains the following:

Case studies and theory questions

Individual Assessment – 60 marks (20% )

Student Name: _____________________________

Student Declaration

I confirm that I have read and understood the conditions of this assessment and have had the opportunity to get any clarification that I need from my assessor. I understand that a full electronic copy must be submitted along with each submission. Any health and safety requirements that I must observe have been outlined.

I confirm that all work completed for this assessment is my own work and has been produced without assistance from anyone else.

Finally, I also confirm that the process by which I may seek a review of the marking for this assessment has also been outlined to me.

Signed: ___________________________________ Date: _______________

General Instructions:

1. If you have any inquiries or do not understand the requirements of the assignment, please check with your lecturer.

2. If an extension to the due date is required you must request this from the lecturer BEFORE the due date NOT on the due date. A medical certificate or other evidence is required to support an extension. If a student is away sick on due date then you must submit a medical certificate with the assignment on return. NOTE: The medical certificate must state the day of the assessment’s due date. Special extension can be considered in discussion with the lecturer.

3. You are required to submit an electronic copy of the assessment to Canvas – a link will be available on Canvas.

4. Late submissions will be penalised 10% per day excluding weekends.

5. Assignment File Saving: It is critical that you save a copy of all work on your assignment. Students MUST save a copy of their assignment as they work on it. A copy should be saved in a minimum of 2 locations, e.g. your memory stick and a copy on your folder at ICL and at home. This means at any time if you lose one copy you always have a backup copy which is up to date. Note: If students lose the assignment or any part of it before it is completed, submitted and handed in on due date (both electronic copy and hard copy) they will get zero mark. No excuses will be accepted – even if it was deleted by mistake or lost.

6. Follow below naming convention for the assignment document:

[Student First & Last Name] _ [course code] _ [AsgNo].docx

(e.g., Dr Syed Jamali_NZDB6214_Asg1.docx

7. Originality: Information in each section needs to be original information. If students have copied sections from sources (even if it is referenced correctly) and it is not in their own words, marks will be deducted. Students are required to put all information sourced from any source into their own words or paraphrase it. Acceptable Turnitin similarity (Plagiarism) is below 25%.

8. Referencing: It is expected that any research used is referenced properly using the APA referencing standard.

9. Research: Under no circumstances are research houses or other companies to be approached with requests for information with the intention of copying the information. Similarly, the use of commercially or previously prepared material is not permitted and will result in a zero mark. If a website has been used in researching the market the information must be referenced correctly.

10. All answers must be in your own words, i.e. please do not use too many quotes, but describe/ analyse/ comment in your own words.

11. Your analysis, discussion and recommendations must be embedded in theory learnt in class.

12. Your assessment should be word processed in black and white, with the main text in 12 point Times New Roman, left aligned, with 6 point paragraph spacing, 1.5 line spacing on A4 size paper, portrait format (left margin minimum 3cm, right margin minimum 2cm). 

NZDB6214: Leading and Managing Projects

Assessment 1 – Assignment

Learning Outcome 1a. Fundamental concepts of project management (25 marks) – 8%

Learning Outcome 1b. Knowledge of project framework (5 marks) – 1.5%

Learning Outcome 1c. Contemporary project management tools (4 marks) – 1.5%

Subtotal LO1 (34 marks) = 11%

Learning Outcome 2a. Stakeholders are engaged during the leadership and management of the project and/or entity (14 marks) – 5%

Subtotal LO2 (14 marks) = 5%

Learning Outcome 3b. Self and others are motivated and developed for successful completion of the project and/or initiative (2marks) – 1%

Subtotal LO3 (2 marks) = 1%

Learning Outcome 4a. Strategies for managing the impact of the external environment on the project and/ or initiative (4marks) – 1%

Learning Outcome 4b. Analysis of the bicultural partnership and its influence on the project and/or initiative in New Zealand (3marks) – 1%

Learning Outcome 4d. Analysis the impact of carrying out the project and/ or initiative in a global context on its success. (3marks) – 1%

Subtotal LO4 (10 marks) = 3%

Assignment worth 60 marks = 20% of final marks

Answer the questions (1-3) based on the following case studies

Case Study One: Disney’s Expedition Everest

One of the newest thrill rides to open in the Walt Disney World Resort may just be the most impressive. As Disney approached its 50th anniversary, the company wanted to celebrate in a truly special way. What was its idea? Create a park attraction that would, in many ways, serve as the link between Disney’s amazing past and its promising future. Disney showed that it was ready to pull out all stops in order to get everything just right.

In 2006, The Walt Disney Company introduced Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park at Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Expedition Everest is more than just a roller coaster. It is the embodiment of the Disney spirit: a ride that combines Disney’s trademark thrills, unexpected twists and turns, incredible attention to detail, and impressive project management skills.

First, let’s consider some of the technical details of Expedition Everest:

• With a peak of just under 200 feet, the ride is contained within the tallest of 18 mountains created by Disney’s Imagineers at Disney parks worldwide.

• The ride contains nearly a mile of track, with twists, tight turns, and sudden drops.

• The Disney team created a Yeti: an enormous, fur-covered, Audio-Animatronics monster powered by a set of hydraulic cylinders whose combined thrust equals that of a Boeing 747 airliner. Through a series of sketches, computer-animated drawings, sculptures, and tests that took more than two years to perfect, Disney created and programmed its Abominable Snowman to stand over 10 feet tall and serve as the focal point of the ride.

• More than 900 bamboo plants, 10 species of trees, and 110 species of shrubs were planted to re-create the feeling of the Himalayan lowlands surrounding Mount Everest.

• More than 1,800 tons of steel were used to construct the mountain. The covering of the framework was done using more than 3,000 prefabricated “chips” created from 25,000 individual computer-molded pieces of steel.

• To create the proper color schemes, 2,000 gallons of stain and paint were used on rockwork and throughout the village Disney designed to serve as a backdrop for the ride.

• More than 2,000 handcrafted items from Asia are used as props, cabinetry, and architectural ornamentation.

Building an attraction does not come easily or quickly for Disney’s Imagineers. Expedition Everest was several years in development as Disney sent teams, including Walt Disney Imagineering’s Creative Executive Joe Rohde, on repeated trips to the Himalayas in Nepal to study the lands, architecture, colors, ecology, and culture in order to create the most authentic setting for the new attraction. Disney’s efforts reflect a desire to do much more than provide a world-class ride experience; they demonstrate the Imagineers’ eagerness to tell a story—a story that combines the mythology of the Yeti figure with the unique history of the Nepalese living in the shadow of the world’s tallest mountain. Ultimately, the attraction, with all its background and thematic elements, took nearly five years to complete.

Riders on Expedition Everest gain a real feel for the atmosphere that Disney has worked so hard to create. The guests’ adventure starts by entering the building of the “Himalayan Escape” tour company, complete with Norbu and Bob’s booking office to obtain permits for their trip. Overhead flutter authentic prayer flags from monasteries in Nepal. Next, guests pass through Tashi’s General Store and Bar to stock up on supplies for their journey to the peak of the mountain. Finally, guests pass through an old tea warehouse that contains a remarkable museum of artifacts reflecting Nepal’s culture, a history of the Himalayas, and tales of the Yeti, which is said to inhabit the slopes of Mount Everest. It is only now that guests are permitted to board the Anandapur Rail Service for their trip to the peak. Each train is modeled after an aging, steam-engine train, seating 34 guests per train.

Over the next several minutes, guests are transported up the roller coaster track, through a series of winding turns, until their encounter with the Yeti. At this point another unique feature of the attraction emerges: The train begins rushing backward down the track, as though it were out of control. Through the balance of the ride, guests experience a landscape of sights and sounds culminating in a 50-mph final dash down the mountain and back to the safety of the Nepalese village.

Disney’s approach to the management of projects such as Expedition Everest is to combine careful planning, including schedule and budget preparation, with the imagination and vision for which the company is so well known. Creativity is a critical element in the development of new projects at Disney. The company’s Imagineers include some of the most skilled artists and computer-animation experts in the world. Although it is easy to be impressed by the technical knowledge of Disney’s personnel, it is important to remember that each new project is approached with an understanding of the company’s underlying business and attention to market projections, cost control, and careful project management discipline. New attraction proposals are carefully screened and researched. The result is the creation of some of the most innovative and enjoyable rides in the world. Disney does not add new attractions to its theme parks frequently, but when it does so, it does so with style!

Source:

Pinto, J. K. (2016). Project Management Achieving Competitive Advantage. (4th ed., pp. 31-32) Sydney, Australia: Pearson.

Questions

1. Assume you are the project manager for Disney, based on the information in this case, what critical success metrics do you think the company uses when designing a new ride; that is, how would you prioritize the needs for addressing project cost, schedule, quality, and client acceptance? What evidence supports your answer? (LO1a) (15 Marks) (300 words)

2. Why is Disney’s attention to detail in its rides unique? How does the company use the “atmosphere” discussed in the case to maximize the experience while minimizing complaints about length of wait for the ride? (LO1a) (10 Marks) (250 words)

Case Study 2 : Rolls-Royce Corporation

Although the name Rolls-Royce is inextricably linked with its ultra-luxurious automobiles, the modern Rolls- Royce operates in an entirely different competitive environment. A leading manufacturer of power systems for aerospace, marine, and power companies, Rolls’s market is focused on developing jet engines for a variety of uses, both commercial and defense-related.

In this market, the company has two principal competitors, General Electric and Pratt & Whitney (owned by United Technologies). There are a limited number of smaller, niche players in the jet engine market, but their impact from a technical and commercial perspective is minor. Rolls, GE, and Pratt & Whitney routinely engage in fierce competition for sales to defense contractors and the commercial aviation industry. The two main airframe manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, make continual multimillion-dollar purchase decisions that are vital for the ongoing success of the engine makers. Airbus, a private consortium of several European partner companies, has drawn level with Boeing in sales in recent years. Because the cost of a single jet engine, including spare parts, can run to several million dollars, winning large orders from either defense or commercial aircraft builders represents an ongoing challenge for each of the “big three” jet engine manufacturers.

Airlines in developing countries can often be a lucrative but risky market for these firms. Because the countries do not maintain high levels of foreign exchange, it is not unknown, for example, for Rolls (or its competitors) to take partial payment in cash with assorted commodities to pay the balance. Hence, a contract with Turkey’s national airline may lead to some monetary payment for Rolls, along with several tons of pistachios or other trade goods! To maintain their sales and service targets, these jet engine makers routinely resort to creative financing, long-term contracts, or asset-based trading deals. Overall, however, the market for jet engines is projected to continue to expand at huge rates. Rolls-Royce projects a 20-year window with a potential market demand of 70,000 engines, valued at over $400 billion in civil aerospace alone. When defense contracts are factored in as well, the revenue projections for jet engine sales are likely to be enormous. As Rolls sees the future, the single biggest market growth opportunity is in the larger, greater thrust engines, designed to be paired with larger jet aircraft.

Rolls-Royce is currently engaged in a strategic decision that offers the potential for huge payoffs or significant losses as it couples its latest engine technology, the “Trent series,” with Airbus’s decision to develop an ultra-large commercial aircraft for long-distance travel. The new Airbus design, the 380 model, seats more than 550 people, flying long-distance routes (up to 8,000 miles). The Trent 900, with an engine rating of 70,000 pounds thrust per engine, has been created at great expense to see service in the large jet market. The project reflects a strategic vision shared by both Airbus and Rolls-Royce that the commercial passenger market will triple in the next 20 years. As a result, future opportunities will involve larger, more economically viable aircraft. Since 2007, Airbus has delivered a total of 40 A380s to its customers, with 17 in 2010. Their total order book currently sits at 234 aircraft ordered. Collectively, Airbus and Rolls-Royce have taken a large financial gamble that their strategic vision of the future is the correct one.

Source:

Pinto, J. K. (2016). Project Management Achieving Competitive Advantage (4th ed., pp.67-68). Sydney, Australia: Pearson.

Questions

3. Who are Rolls’s principal project management stakeholders? How would you design stakeholder management strategies to address their concerns? (LO2a) (14 Marks) (300 Words)

Answer all questions (4-10)

4. Discuss the following concepts of project framework giving an example for each with reference to any project.

a. Project initiation and proposal

b. Planning and scheduling

c. Execution

d. Monitoring and control

e. Closure and documentation (LO1b) (1 mark for each term x 5 = 5 marks) (150words)

5. If you were appointed as a project manager, discuss with examples which tools you would use to manage your project. Choose at least one tool for each of the following:

a. Communication

b. Planning and scheduling

c. Monitoring

d. Documentation (LO1c) (1 mark for each tool x 4 = 4 marks) (125 words)

6. Your supplier have send you low quality raw materials which should have been used in your project. To reorder the raw materials and receive it, it will take you 10 days to arrive. Without it you cannot continue further. Your project is supposed to be completed after 30 days. You have already ordered the high quality raw materials. Now, you will have only 20 days to complete this project.

In this critical situation, as a project manager how would you motivate and develop yourself and others for successful completion of the project? (LO3b) (2 marks) (80 words)

7. “The external environment can have a big impact on the project and/or initiative.” Discuss this statement using any one external factor and describe two strategies for managing the impact of the external environment.

External environment may include customers and competitors, geography, climate, social, economic and political settings. (LO4a) (4 marks) (125 words)

8. As a Project Manager, analyse the influence of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi when managing a project. In your answer, consider the three principles of the Treaty – partnership, participation and protection. (LO4b) (0.5 marks x 3 principles = 1.5 marks) (60 words)

9. Given below are some Māori values. Select any two and explain how you could incorporate these values during the course of managing a project. You may give examples to support your answer.

• Rangatiratanga

• Kaitiakitanga

• Whanaungtanga

• Manakitanga (LO4b) (0.75 marks x 2 = 1.5 marks) (60 words)

10. Analyse two ways multicultural teams can affect the success of a project and/or initiative in a global context. (LO4d) (1.5 marks x 2 = 3 marks) (50 words)