OutcomeThis activity will test whether you are able to apply the strategies and tools that you learned in class to real-life scenarios and to present solutions/recommendations in a logical, concise, and easy to understand format.This is your opportunity to display your ability to apply the concepts learned in class to a real-world scenario. Remember, the content of your recommendation is as important as its presentation.Please ensure that your answers to the Case Study questions are logical, concise, and easy to follow. Imagine that your recommendations will be read by executive management, as well as by other project stakeholders.See the Course Calendar for the due date.Before you begin this discussion, be sure to complete the following:Read the following:
Gido, J., & Clements, J. P. (2012). Successful project management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.
o Chapter 1: Project Management Concepts
View the following:
PowerPoint presentations:
o Chapter 1: Project Management Concepts
In an essay of 500-600 words, prepare a well-organized examination on the case study topicE-Commerce for a Small Supermarket. The study should answer the following questions:
1. What are the needs that have been identified?
2. What is the project objective?
3. What are some things Matt and Grace should do before they talk with the consultant?
4. What should the consultant tell Matt and Grace?
Your sources are to be drawn from the Case Study Instructions [PDF file size 90.0 KB] (pdf.) and relevant peer-reviewed professional literature. Use the American Psychological Association (APA) style (6th edition) for writing your assignment.Developing a Case Analysis
A case study is a short description of a real business situation. Analyzing case studies gives you the
opportunity to apply the concepts that you have learned in the course to real business problems.
Usually, there is not a right or wrong answer. Rather, cases provide a vehicle for you to demonstrate
your understanding and ability to apply course concepts. You must use appropriate sources (properly
cited) to support your position. Check your analysis by assessing how well it demonstrates your
knowledge of project management tools and techniques. There are a number of ways to approach doing
a case analysis, each of which makes some valuable contributions. Feel free to incorporate any of those
methods here; what is below is a rather basic approach to analyzing a case.
Simply answering the questions which are part of the case is not enough; consider the questions to be
clues to the important concepts and facts. You are strongly encouraged to use the following outline so
that your analysis is organized appropriately:
Identify both the key issues and the underlying issues. In identifying the issues, you should be
able to connect them to the project management principles which apply to this situation.
Discuss the facts which affect these issues. The case may have too much information. In your
discussion, you should filter the information and discuss those facts which are pertinent to the
issues identified above.
Discuss your tentative solution to the problem and how you would implement your solution.
Once you have focused in on the issue(s) of the case, your first step is to examine alternatives
courses of action that could be utilized to address the issues. You should be able to define at
least three distinct possible lines to approach the problem. Once you have defined at least three
alternatives, you then will chose among them to select a recommendation. What actions would
you propose to correct the situation, based on the knowledge you have gained in this course?
Be sure to support your recommendation by citing references in the text and in the
supplementary readings. You should also draw on other references such as business periodicals
and Management journals. Remember that an ANALYSIS is more than simply a SUMMARY of the
Case Study.
Discuss followup and contingency plans. How will the organization know that your proposed
solution is working? What should they do if it does not work?
It may be helpful for you to roleplay this assignment. Consider yourself to be the project manager,
charged with developing a presentation for the CIO. Your presentation should cover the points listed
above. By roleplaying the situation, using the questions at the end of the case as hints, and by using
this guide, you should be able to develop an actionoriented analysis with a recommended course of
action.