Question 1

Experience indicates that co-location of project teams is not worth the extra costs.

Accepted Answer

One of the best ways to overcome interorganizational friction is to have people from each organization working side by side on the project.Smart companies rent or make available the necessary accommodations so that all key project personnel can work collectively together.

Question 2

When using the traditional approach to managing contracted relationships, risk is transferred to the other party.Give a real life example of this.Discuss why this is not conducive of a partnering relationship and how it can impact project innovation.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When using the traditional approach to managing...

Question 3

The best defense against unreasonable, win/lose negotiators is having what Fisher and Ury call a strong BATNA.

Accepted Answer

The best defense against unreasonable, win/lose negotiators is having what Fisher and Ury call a strong BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement).They point out that people try to reach an agreement to produce something better than the result of not negotiating with that person.

Question 4

Security issues on an outsourced project can be mitigated with a properly written contract.

Accepted Answer

No matter how "air-tight" a contract is, there are always security risks.What may be very clear to your contractor may not be clear to one of their sub-contractors.There is a strong need to make sure that appropriate audit and enforcement mechanisms are in place as well.

Question 5

Discuss how key practices in the partnering approach to managing contracted relationships vary from those in the traditional approach for working relationships, goals, and communications.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss how key practices in the partnering...

Question 6

It is a good idea to add a penalty clause to an outsourcing agreement to ensure that work is completed on time.

Accepted Answer

Another important cultural difference relates to schedules and deadlines.To most Americans, a deadline is a set completion date.In many other cultures, a deadline is a suggestion that maybe something will be finished by that indicated date.To ensure that outsourced work is completed on time it is imperative to add a penalty clause to your contract or enforce late fees.

Question 7

Positive relationships going into a negotiation can have a beneficial effect on the ultimate solution.

Accepted Answer

Positive relationships will add a common interest beyond the negotiation occurring and helps to move the participants past the initial point(s)of contention.

Question 8

What is partnering and why has it become popular for managing projects?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is partnering and why has it...

Question 9

A value of 1.5 is the optimal target for the Met-Expectations model of customer satisfaction.

Accepted Answer

Under most circumstances, the most profitable arrangement occurs when the customer's expectations are only slightly exceeded.Returning to the mathematical model, with all other things being equal, one should strive for a satisfaction ratio of 1.05, not 1.50.

Question 10

When separating the people from the problem, negotiators don't react to the emotional outburst, but try to find the issues that triggered it.

Accepted Answer

By keeping the focus on the issues and not the personalities, negotiators are better able to let the other person blow off steam.

Question 11

In project negotiation each negotiator is out to win as much as he or she can for his or her side.

Accepted Answer

Many people approach negotiating as if it is a competitive contest.Each negotiator is out to win as much as he or she can for his or her side.Success is measured by how much is gained compared with the other party.While this may be applicable when negotiating the sale of a house, it is not true for project management.Project management is not a contest.

Question 12

One simple but useful way of viewing customer satisfaction is in terms of met expectations.Why should one strive for a ratio of 1.05 and not 1.50?

Accepted Answer

The answer of One simple but useful way of viewing...

Question 13

Identify and briefly describe three of the four advantages to outsourcing project work.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and briefly describe three of the...

Question 14

A prime consideration in choosing outsourcing vendors is to assess the fit with their project management system.

Accepted Answer

The best companies address this issue up front instead of waiting for problems to emerge.First they assess "fit" between providers' project management methods and their own project management system.This is a prime consideration in choosing vendors.

Question 15

"Team-building is nice to have for a project, but we really need to concentrate on the planning and technical challenges-this is the make-or-break point for this project." Agree or disagree? Support your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of "Team-building is nice to have for a...

Question 16

Discuss how key practices in the partnering approach to managing contracted relationships vary from those in the traditional approach regarding risk, length of commitment, and structure of project teams.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss how key practices in the partnering...

Question 17

Principled negotiation emphasizes developing win/win solutions while protecting yourself against those who would take advantage of your forthrightness.

Accepted Answer

Fisher and Ury from the Harvard Negotiation Project champion an approach to negotiating that embodies these goals.It emphasizes developing win/win solutions while protecting yourself against those who would take advantage of your forthrightness.Their approach is called principled negotiation.

Question 18

A partnering charter states the common goals for the project as well as the procedures that will be used to achieve these goals.

Accepted Answer

The team-building sessions often culminate with the creation of a partnering charter signed by all of the participants.This charter states their common goals for the project as well as the procedures that will be used to achieve these goals.

Question 19

Outsourced projects are less about reduced costs and more focused on bringing the best talent available to get the job done.

Accepted Answer

In the past 30 years outsourcing has evolved greatly.Organizations who are not strategic in what they outsource and why will end up on the losing end of the proposition.

Question 20

Conflict is inevitable on a project; however, if it is handled effectively, it can elevate performance.

Accepted Answer

Conflict is inevitable on a project; however, if it is handled effectively, it can elevate performance.On the other hand, dysfunctional conflict can catch fire and severely undermine project success.

Quiz 12: Outsourcing: Managing Interorganizational Relations

Experience indicates that co-location of project teams is not worth the extra costs.

When using the traditional approach to managing contracted relationships, risk is transferred to the other party.Give a real life example of this.Discuss why this is not conducive of a partnering relationship and how it can impact project innovation.

The best defense against unreasonable, win/lose negotiators is having what Fisher and Ury call a strong BATNA.

Security issues on an outsourced project can be mitigated with a properly written contract.

Discuss how key practices in the partnering approach to managing contracted relationships vary from those in the traditional approach for working relationships, goals, and communications.

It is a good idea to add a penalty clause to an outsourcing agreement to ensure that work is completed on time.

Positive relationships going into a negotiation can have a beneficial effect on the ultimate solution.

What is partnering and why has it become popular for managing projects?

A value of 1.5 is the optimal target for the Met-Expectations model of customer satisfaction.

When separating the people from the problem, negotiators don't react to the emotional outburst, but try to find the issues that triggered it.

In project negotiation each negotiator is out to win as much as he or she can for his or her side.

One simple but useful way of viewing customer satisfaction is in terms of met expectations.Why should one strive for a ratio of 1.05 and not 1.50?

Identify and briefly describe three of the four advantages to outsourcing project work.

A prime consideration in choosing outsourcing vendors is to assess the fit with their project management system.

"Team-building is nice to have for a project, but we really need to concentrate on the planning and technical challenges-this is the make-or-break point for this project." Agree or disagree? Support your answer.

Discuss how key practices in the partnering approach to managing contracted relationships vary from those in the traditional approach regarding risk, length of commitment, and structure of project teams.

Principled negotiation emphasizes developing win/win solutions while protecting yourself against those who would take advantage of your forthrightness.

A partnering charter states the common goals for the project as well as the procedures that will be used to achieve these goals.

Outsourced projects are less about reduced costs and more focused on bringing the best talent available to get the job done.

Conflict is inevitable on a project; however, if it is handled effectively, it can elevate performance.