Deck 3: The Project Manager

Question 1

The project manager should be more skilled at __________,whereas the functional manager should be more skilled at __________.

A)synthesis; analysis
B)analysis; synthesis
C)communication; managing
D)managing,analysis

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The project manager's responsibility to the project and to the client is met by ensuring that the __________ of the project is preserved in spite of conflicting demands made by stakeholders.

A)management
B)integrity
C)analysis
D)synthesis

Answer 2

B

Question 3

What is scope creep?

A)A change in the budget for the project
B)A reduction in what is required for the project in order to reduce the budget
C)A change in what is required for the project
D)A change in the budget for the project

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The __________ states that to understand the system,we must understand the environment (or larger system)of which it is a part.

A)systems approach
B)cultural awareness
C)systemic congruence
D)project management

Question 5

How are most of the workers on a project acquired?

A)Temporary agencies
B)Borrowed from functional departments
C)Transferred from functional departments
D)Subcontractors

Question 6

According to the authors,three major questions face the project manager with respect to synthesizing the requirements of a project.Identify the item that is not listed as one of the three major questions.

A)What needs to be done?
B)Who will actually do the work of the project?
C)When must it be done?
D)How will the required resources be obtained?

Question 7

According to the authors,the analytic method,when applied to systems,focuses on __________.

A)assembling the components of a system into an integrated package
B)building an array of individually designed and manufactured components
C)calculating the cost and schedule requirements
D)dividing the components of a system into smaller and smaller elements

Question 8

Which of the following is not an important characteristic for effective team members?

A)High-quality technical skills
B)Political,and general,sensitivity
C)High self-esteem
D)Strong sense of self

Question 9

According to the authors the project manager should be more skilled at __________.

A)general management
B)technology
C)synthesis
D)analysis

Question 10

Which of the following is not typically recommended to be considered when hiring new team members?

A)high-quality technical skills
B)political,and general,sensitivity
C)strong goal orientation
D)low self-esteem

Question 11

The Project Management Institute (PMI)offers a certification for project managers.PMI offers examination for certification as __________.

A)Project Management Professionals
B)Project Management Experts
C)Project Management Associates
D)Project Management Engineers

Question 12

The project manager's responsibilities are broad and fall primarily into three separate areas.Responsibilities to _____________ is not one of these.

A)the parent organization
B)the project and the client
C)the members of the project team
D)special-interest groups

Question 13

Identify the attribute that is not normally associated with the job of functional manager.

A)The functional manager is usually a generalist in the area being managed.
B)The functional manager is responsible for deciding what resources will be devoted to accomplishing the task.
C)The functional manager is administratively responsible for deciding how something will be done.
D)The functional manager is responsible for deciding who will do the work.

Question 14

Which of the following is one of the most serious crises for the project manager?

A)Change in the budget for a project
B)A key worker leaving the project
C)A technical issue
D)Change in required project scope

Question 15

The ideal project manager should be __________.

A)a direct,technical supervisor knowledgeable in the technology of the process being used
B)both generalist / facilitator and have a high level of technical competence in the science of the project
C)a facilitator and specialist with technical credibility
D)a technical specialist competent in principles of robust design

Question 16

___________ is when someone takes over the project manager's job by exercising extremely close supervision over every action the project manager takes,or will actually tell the project manager precisely what to do.

A)Micromanagement
B)Over-management
C)Turnover
D)Supermanagement

Question 17

Research has shown that the chances for successful completion of a multidisciplinary project are greatly increased if project team members are _____ rather than _______,

A)problem-oriented; discipline-oriented
B)discipline-oriented; problem-oriented
C)problem-oriented; management-oriented
D)management-oriented; problem-oriented

Question 18

Resources initially budgeted for a project are frequently __________ for the task,partly because of natural optimism by the proposer about how many resources are needed.

A)sufficient
B)delayed
C)insufficient
D)hindrances

Question 19

The functional manager uses the __________ approach and the PM uses the __________ approach.

A)systems; analytic
B)numerical; nonnumeric
C)analytic; systems
D)nonnumeric; numerical

Question 20

When managing a project,the project manager is responsible for __________.

A)auditing the project
B)executing the project
C)budgeting the project
D)designing the project

Question 21

During the final or phaseout stage of the project lifecycle,__________ is the dominant goal of many project managers.

A)schedule
B)cost
C)scope
D)quality

Question 22

__________ result(s)when the demands made on an individual are greater than the person's ability to cope with them,particularly when the person has a high need for achievement.

A)Stress
B)Culture
C)Balance
D)Contingency plans

Question 23

The ability to sense conflict early,then confront and deal with it before the conflict escalates into interdepartmental and intradepartmental warfare is which of the following attributes?

A)credibility
B)sensitivity
C)competency
D)ability to handle stress

Question 24

In order to meet the demands of the job of project manager-acquiring adequate resources,acquiring and motivating personnel,dealing with obstacles,making project goal trade-offs,maintaining a balanced outlook,and establishing a broad network of communication-the project manager must be a(n)_______________.

A)highly skilled negotiator
B)hard worker
C)effective budgeter
D)cultural expert

Question 25

Most of the time spent by a project manager is spent __________.

A)attending technical workshops
B)overseeing the workforce
C)filing paperwork
D)communicating

Question 26

During the buildup stage of a project life cycle,__________ is the dominant goal of many project managers.

A)schedule
B)cost
C)scope
D)quality

Question 27

During the __________ stage of the project lifecycle,there is no significant difference in the importance that project managers place on the three goals of cost,time,and scope.

A)main
B)formation
C)buildup
D)phaseout

Question 28

Project managers must have __________,which refers to possessing enough technical abilities to direct the project.

A)technical credibility
B)managerial credibility
C)negotiation skill
D)drive to complete the task

Question 29

The project manager needs __________ credibility.

A)technical and personal
B)administrative and personal
C)technical and administrative
D)technical and financial

Question 30

During the buildup phase,the project goals,in order of importance,are __________.

A)schedule,scope,cost
B)cost,schedule,scope
C)schedule,cost,scope
D)cost,scope,schedule

Question 31

According to the textbook,in Latin America,the __________ system leads a manager to give preference to relatives and friends when hiring.

A)amigo
B)compadre
C)counterpart
D)diablo

Question 32

__________ is the entire way of life for a group of people.It contains the four elements of technology,institutions,language,and arts.

A)Management
B)Systemic living
C)Nomadic living
D)Culture

Question 33

Projects are conducted in four important environments.They are __________.

A)economic,political,legal,and sociotechnical
B)internal,external,transitional,and multicultural
C)routine,unique,fast-paced,and complex
D)profit,not for profit,government,and industry

Question 34

According to the authors,of all the characteristics desirable in a project manager,__________ is the most important.

A)availability
B)a strong technical background
C)ability to keep the project team happy
D)drive to complete the task

Question 35

The structure of a society is determined by its __________.

A)institutions
B)wages
C)jobs
D)enemies

Question 36

Three approaches are paramount for handling complex projects.Which of the following is not one of those approaches?

A)Communicating effectively with all stakeholder groups
B)Skill with Microsoft Project or other similar software
C)Learn as much about the client as possible
D)Leadership

Question 37

Which of the following is not a phase in the Tuckman ladder?

A)forming
B)defining
C)norming
D)mourning

Question 38

A project manager must make trade-off decisions between the project,the firm,and _____.

A)other projects
B)their own career goals
C)demands of the functional managers
D)completion time for the project

Question 39

According to the authors,the key to coping with uncertainty at the end of a project (a common obstacle for project managers)is __________.

A)discipline
B)communication
C)planning
D)supervision

Question 40

The project manager must make trade-offs between project progress and process.Conceptually,this involves trade-offs between the __________ functions.

A)technical and managerial
B)schedule and cost
C)performance and schedule
D)cost and performance

Question 41

Identify three important characteristics that would be desirable in a project manager.Explain your reasoning.

Question 42

Listed below are three aspects of leadership.Match them with their associated competencies.

A)Intellectual quality
B)Managerial quality
C)Emotional quality
1)Engaging communication,managing resources,empowering,developing,and achieving
2)Self-awareness,emotional resilience,motivation,sensitivity,influence,intuitiveness,conscientiousness
3)Critical analysis and judgment,vision and imagination,and strategic perspective

Question 43

The __________ is an alternative action if the expected result fails to materialize.

A)trade-off
B)system plan
C)feedback
D)contingency plan

Question 44

The __________ represents everything outside the system that delivers inputs or receives outputs from the system.

A)environment
B)feedback
C)culture
D)system

Question 45

The Tuckman ladder suggest that teams progress through four development phases.Those phases are listed below.Match each phase with its description.

A)Forming
B)Storming
C)Norming
D)Performing
1)Teams function as a cohesive unit focused on accomplishing the goals of the project.
2)Team members come together for the first time and begin learning about their roles and responsibilities.
3)In this phase,the team members begin to establish team norms and team cohesiveness develops.Individual team members reconcile their behaviors to support the overall team,and trust develops.
4)Work on the project begins,but initially the team members tend to work independently,which often leads to conflict.

Question 46

The __________ is the "corporate culture" within the organization,or even within the project.

A)cultural anomaly
B)microculture
C)multiculture
D)interfirm culture

Question 47

The __________ is a person who spearheads an idea or action and sells it throughout the organization.

A)stakeholder
B)champion
C)interviewer
D)coach

Question 48

Compare and contrast the analytic and systems approaches.As part of your answer,be sure to indicate which part of project leadership is likely to use each approach.

Question 49

At the inception of a project,crises tend to be associated with resources.Explain why this scenario could be common in some organizations.

Question 50

The project manager makes a __________ by allowing one aspect of the project to get worse in return for allowing another aspect of the project to get better.

A)decision
B)turnaround
C)trade-off
D)chart

Question 51

Compare and contrast a functional manager with a project manager.

Question 52

Match these terms with their meanings.

A)Analytic approach
B)Systems approach
C)Champion
D)Facilitator
1)A wide-ranging,synthesizing method for addressing problems that considers multiple and interacting relationships
2)A person who helps people overcome problems,either with technical issues or with other people
3)Breaking problems into their constituent parts to understand the parts better and thereby solve the problem
4)A person who spearheads an idea or action and "sells" it throughout the organization

Question 53

When asked,"How do you motivate astronauts?" a representative of NASA responded,"We don't motivate them,but,boy,are we careful about whom we select." Discuss the implications of this statement for project managers seeking to motivate project team members.

Question 54

A __________ is a person who helps people overcome problems,either with technical issues or with other people.

A)problem solver
B)stakeholder
C)synthesizer
D)facilitator

Question 55

With respect to acquiring resources,there is a high potential for conflict between the functional manager and the project manager.Describe a major source of that conflict and suggest how it can be managed properly.