Project Management Tutorial: 2nd Edition

Author: (USA) Clifford Gray
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: This book adds many new contents based on the previous edition, including forecasting, project portfolio management, nominal group technique, etc. Additionally, it includes numerous case studies to help readers understand, digest, and apply the theories presented in the book. We hope to provide our readers with a project management textbook that offers a comprehensive and integrated perspective, combining our combined 50 years of teaching and experimental experience in project management both domestically and internationally. We have positioned this book for a broad audience, including students, project managers, corporate executives, management consultants, and analysts. Moreover, we emphasize not only the processes of project management but also why it works; the concepts, principles, and techniques we use are universally applicable.
—By the authors, Clifford Gray, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Oregon State University College of Business
—Erik Larson, Director and Professor, Department of Management, Marketing, and International Business, Oregon State University College of Business
The book Project Management in Practice by renowned project management expert Clifford Gray and senior project management professor Erik Larson breaks away from the traditional methodology of project management books, which focus on techniques, methods, and calculations. Instead, it presents project management concepts and techniques from a high-level perspective, enabling readers to grasp the essence of project management and develop their practical application skills.
—Qiangmaoshan, Professor, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction Management, School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University
—Certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Institute (PMI)
The second edition updates many topics and adds new content. The most significant change is the inclusion of a separate chapter on forecasting. Accurate forecasting of time and cost is the cornerstone of effective project planning and control systems. Poor project forecasting can lead to substantial differences between planned and actual costs, sometimes demoralizing the team and eroding their confidence in the project plan. We have also revised the chapters on resource allocation and performance management to make them more accessible. Other new additions to this edition include project portfolio management, coordinating project stakeholders, nominal group technique, contingency reserves, comparisons of methods to accelerate project completion, virtual organization implementation, and more.
Based on feedback from students and instructors, we have added more than 20 practical examples of project management in the case studies. This book addresses the key challenges encountered by the authors over their combined 50 years of teaching project management domestically and internationally, as well as during their consulting experience with practicing project managers. Below are some of the most challenging issues project managers face:
- What strategic position does the project hold within the current organization?
- How is the project prioritized?
- What organizational and management styles contribute to project success?
- How does a project manager manage the complex network of relationships involving suppliers, subcontractors, team members, executives, department managers, and clients?
- What factors contribute to the formation of high-performing project teams?
- What kind of project management system should be established to control the project?
- How should a project manager prepare for new international projects in foreign cultural environments?
- Can senior management change the organizational culture to support the project?
To be an effective project manager, one must address all of these issues. These challenges represent the integrated perspective of project management, and the content of each chapter is framed within a comprehensive structure that integrates these issues. The case studies and practical examples in this book include real-world experiences of practicing project managers.
The future for project managers is bright, and effective project success management will determine one’s career trajectory.