Human Resources Management

Reference Material to study:

What to Study?

Key Definitions

Concurrent Engineering: An approach to project staffing that, in its most general form, calls for implementors to be involved in the design phase. (Sometimes confused with fast tracking)

Functional Manager: A manager responsible for activities in a specialized department or function. (e.g., engineering, manufacturing, marketing)

Functional Organization: An organization structure in which staff are grouped hierarchically by specialty.

Line Manager: (1) The manager of any group that actually makes a product or performs a service. (2) A functional manager.

Matrix Organization: Any organizational structure in which the project manager shares responsibility with the functional managers for assigning priorities and for directing the work of individuals assigned to the prjoect.

Organizational Breakdown Structure: A depiction of the project organization arranged so (OBS) as to relate work packages to organizational units.

Project Management Team: The members of the project team who are directly involved in project management activities. On some smaller projects, the project management team may include virtually all of the project team members.

Project Manager: The individual responsible for managing a project.

Project Team Members: The people who report either directly or indirectly to the project manager.

Projectized Organization: Any organizational structure in which the project manager has full authority to assign priorities and to direct the work of individuals assigned to the project.

Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM): A structure which relates the project organization structure to the WBS to help ensure that each element of the project's scope of work is assigned to a responsible individual.

Team Development: Developing individual and group skills to enhance project performance.

Human Resource Mgmt Processes

Organizational Planning:

Staff Acquisition:

Team Development:

HR Management Concepts

Organizational Influences

Organizational Systems:

Organizational Cultures and Style:

Organizational Structure:

Project Manager Roles and Responsibilities:

Sources of Authority and Control: (Power)

Leadership Styles:

Motivation Theories:

Conflict Management:

One Party Conflict Management:

Team Building:

Sample Questions

  1. The project manager's leadership style should be matched to the corresponding developmental level of the project team and should move through successive steps in the following order:
    A. Disciplinary, autocratic, participative
    B. Staff planning, team training, performance monitoring
    C. Team building, team development, responsibility assignment
    D. Directing, coaching, supporting, delegating

  2. Human resource administration is the primary responsibility of the:
    A. Project Management Team
    B. Human Resources Department
    C. Executive Manager
    D. Project Manager
    E. Line Managers

  3. A mandatory prerequisite for team building is:
    A. Funding for staff development activities
    B. Shared work ethics among team members
    C. Commitment from top level management
    D. Removal of troublesome individuals

  4. Which of the following is best for handling cross-functional project needs for a large, complex project?
    A. A strong matrix organization
    B. A project coordinator
    C. A project expeditor
    D. Direct executive involvement
    E. A functional organization

  5. Collocation can mean:
    A. All, or almost all, team members are moved to a central physical location for the life of the project.
    B. Active team members may be at different physical locations, but meet on a regular basis.
    C. A war room is established where team members can meet periodically.
    D. a and c
    E. b and c

  6. A key barrier to team development is:
    A. A strong matrix management structure.
    B. When major problems delay the project completion date or budget targets.
    C. When team members are acountable to both functional and project managers.
    D. When formal training plans cannot be implemented.
    E. When members cannot be collocated.

  7. Which of the following are examples of project-based organizations?
    A. Architectural firms, engineering firms, and consultants
    B. Construction contractors and government contractors
    C. Organizations that have adopted a management by projects approach
    D. Most manufacturing companies and financial service firms
    E. a, b, and c
    F. a, b, and d

  8. Legitimate power is:
    A. Power derived from a person's formal position in the organization.
    B. Power bestowed due to a person's personal qualities and abilities.
    C. Power earned based on a person's technical knowledge, skill, or expertise in a particular area.
    D. Power to distribute information as one sees fit.

  9. What impact does a matrix organization have on project team development?
    A. No impact at all
    B. It complicates team development.
    C. It simplifies team development.
    D. It hinders team development completely.


  10. Which of the following is not a process of project human resource management?
    A. Organizational Planning
    B. Staff Acquisition
    C. Information Distribution
    D. Team Development


  11. A technique for resolving conflict in which the parties agree to have a neutral third party hear the dispute and make a decision is called:
    A. Negotiation
    B. Arbitration
    C. Smoothing
    D. Forcing


  12. Which of the following is not an input into organizational planning?
    A. Recruitment practices
    B. Project interfaces
    C. Staffing requirements
    D. Constraints


  13. Forcing, as a means to manage conflict:
    A. Exerts one's view at the potential expense of another party.
    B. Emphasizes areas of agreement while avoiding points of disagreement.
    C. Estabilishes a lose-lose situation.
    D. a and c


  14. When should the project expeditor form of organization be used?
    A. When the project is extremely important to the organization.
    B. When a project's cost and importance are relatively low.
    C. When the project manager has a lot of responsibility and accountability.
    D. When the organization's primary source of revenue is derived from projects.


  15. The belief that management's high levels of trust, confidence and commitment to workers leads to high levels of motivation and productivity on the part of workers is a part of which motivation theory?
    A. Theory Y
    B. Theory Z
    C. Theory X
    D. Contingency Theory


  16. Which of the following is part of the expectency theory of motivation?
    A. Clear, specific, and challenging goals generally motivate team members.
    B. Project managers should ensure that tasks assigned to project participants match their skills and
    the organizational climate is conducive to helping them meet their needs and acheiving a sense
    of competence.
    C. People tend to be highly productive and motivated if they believe their efforts will lead to successful results and that success will lead to personal rewards.
    D. b and c
    E. All of the above are part of the expectency theory
    of motivation

  17. Which of the following statements concerning compromise as a conflict resolution is false?
    A. Neither party wins but both parties get some degree of satisfaction.
    B. Important aspects of the project may be hindered in order to acheive personal objectiv s.
    C. Compromise is generally considered a lose-lose situation.
    D. A Definitive resolution is seldom acheived.

  18. In which type of organization is team building likely to be most difficult?
    A. Functional
    B. Projectized
    C. Matrix
    D. Project expediter
    E. Project coordinator

  19. A document or tool which describes when and how human resources will be brought onto and taken off the project team is called a:
    A. Staffing Management Plan
    B. Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM)
    C. Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)
    D. Resource Assignment Chart

  20. A tool which links the project roles and responsibilities to the project scope definition is called:
    A. Scope Definition Matrix
    B. Responsibility Assignment Matrix
    C. Roles Assignment Matrix
    D. Project Scope and Roles Matrix

Answers

  1. D
  2. B
  3. C
  4. A
  5. D
  6. C
  7. E project-base organizations fall into 2 categories: organizations that derive their revenue primarily from performing projects for others and organizations that use a management by
    projects approach -- meaning that they typically have management systems such as
    financial, accounting, tracking, and reporting specifically designed to support project management. PMBOK, pg. 17
  8. A See Adams, "Principles of Project Management", pg. 74 and Verma's, "HR Skills for the PM", pg. 233
  9. B Complicates team development because team members are accountable to both their functional manager and the project manager.
  10. C
  11. B
  12. A Recruitment practices is an input of Staff Acquisition.
  13. A Forcing establishes a win-lose situation
  14. B
  15. B Verma's "HR Skills for the PM", pg. 71-73
  16. C "A" is part of Goal-Setting Theory" and "B" is part of the Contigency Theory
  17. D A definitive resolution is acheived when a compromise is reached and accepted as a just solution by all parties in conflict.
  18. C
  19. A The staffing management plan often includes resource histograms
  20. B