Prepare a formal academic[1] essay[2] (word guide 3,000).  [Part 1] Question: (i) What issues/challenges would a post graduate masters student need to be cognisant of when entering the world of projects? (ii) How does this reveal fundamental flaws in our current interpretation of it? (iii) What are the implications for practice?

Abstract: 150 words approx.. Make the abstract ‘give away’ your conclusions, a complete, but succinct view of the argument.

Word Count: circa 3000 words (-/+ 10%)

INTRODUCTION

The introduction sets out the relevance of the topic to the management of projects.

Some scene setting’ will be important to your assignment answer. So, answer this part here … (i) What issues/challenges would a post graduate masters student need to be cognisant of when entering the world of projects?

Notes on some the content that needs to go into this section…

In general, this will involve the contemporary issues raised in the first half of the module.

i.e., Projects and project management is poorly defined…

Project performance is variable…  Projects fail.  Critical parts of what appears essential are doomed to inadequacy.

A number of issues can be observed to reoccur on projects in practice and impact on project performance (list these with a brief explanation the topics considered in the lecture programme. Different students might break this down in differing ways.)

LITERATURE REVIEW

In an essay this will be an important section that sets out the notes of your reading from the literature and class notes.  You will reference the whole of the paper according to Harvard, as it is in the University’s referencing guide: “Quote: Unquote” … you can download this guide and see guidance on academic communication (writing) in the library pages in MyBeckett.

For the detail of the paper, look at 2 or 3 contemporary issues that you are particularly interested in.

List the issues you are looking at, explain them, their interconnectedness, and their impact on project performance and/or outputs and outcomes.  Use this to answer this part of the question (ii) How does an examination of repeating contemporary issues in ‘project management’ this reveal fundamental flaws in our current interpretation of it?

It seems likely that you will call on other aspects in the module to help explain the issues you are focussing on.  This is because a project is an interconnected system, so one issue impacts throughout the project.

DISCUSSION and CONCLUSIONS

This section seeks to answer the (iii) part of the essay question through the comparison of the literature (Secondary data) and the impact on project’s performance.   This section should summarise the main arguments in the literature review and gives you an opportunity to show how various contemporary issues in the management of projects might be interconnected, and how they might have a bearing on project outcomes.  Use it to answer the question (iii) What are the implications for practice?

CONCLUSION

Finally, state what you think are the hypotheses arising from your preceding argument.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Your ‘futures’ paper will follow on from this paper and you may include ‘recommendations here. The contemporary issues assignment will not include this section.

REFERENCES

Here the author has listed some examples, using the Harvard method.

Bleier M & Heathcote J (2010) “The Early Stages of Project Planning” Conference paper Leeds Metropolitan University, International Conference on Strategic Project Management.

Bleier M (2009) “The Early Stages of Project Planning” Wuerzburg Fachhochschule, MEng Baumanagement, Masters Thesis

Cooke-Davis T (2002) “The ‘real’ success factors on projects” International Journal of Project Management 20 (2005) 185 – 190.

Englund R L Graham R J Dinsmore P C (2003) “Creating the Project Office”. Jossey-Bass

Gardiner, P. D. (2005). Project management – A Strategic Planning Approach. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.

Hamilton, A. (2001) “Managing projects for success: A trilogy” Thomas Telford

Heathcote A, Rowe M (2012) “ (Presentation Heathcote & Rowe) Leeds Metropolitan University, International Conference on Strategic Project Management.

Heathcote,J  Mangan S Nyashanu M (2013 u.p.) “The Myth of Team working: Facilitating better team working”. Leeds Metropolitan University, International Conference on Strategic Project Management.

Hewitt M (2009) “An Investigation intoTime Management and its application for Project Managers” BSc (Hons) Dissertation, Leeds Metropolitan University.

Kerzner, H. (2000). Applied Project management: best practices on establishment, New York, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Koltveit B J Karlsen J T Gronhaug K (2005) “Perspectives on Project Management” International Journal of Project Management 25 (2007) 3 – 9.

Lock, D. (2007) “Project Management”. 9th ed. Aldershot, Gower Publishing Company.

Marsh, D. E. (2002). The Project and Programme Support Office Handbook. Hants, Project Manager Today Publications.

Maylor, H. (2003). Project Management. Essex, Pearson Education Limited.

Nogueira F B (2010) “Projects as Problems” Masters Thesis. MSc Project Management.  Leeds Metropolitan University, International Conference on Strategic Project Management.

Pollack J (2007) “The Changing Paradigms of Project Management” International Journal of Project Management 25 (2007) 266 – 274

Riley P (2009) “The Implementation of a Project Management (Governance) Methodology” Leeds Metropolitan University, International Conference on Strategic Project Management.

Sutherland, S. (2007) “Irrationality” Pinter & Martin

Walker, D. H. T. Loosemore (2003) Flexible Problem Solving In Construction Projects on the National Museum of Australia Project, Team and Performance Management: An international Journal, Vol. 9 Number 1/3, 2003, Pages 5-15. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.  

Possible Project Futures: Prepare a formal academic[3] essay[4] (word guide 2,000).  [Part 2] Question: (i) What are the implications for practice of the contemporary issues reviewed in the module?  (ii) What professional solutions and academic solutions (in both terms of general guidance and emphasis and the way we think about projects) might offer useful ‘theory for practice’?

Your Name

Your name@email.com

Abstract: 150 words approx.. Make the abstract ‘give away’ your conclusions, a complete, but succinct view of the argument.

Word Count: circa 2000 words (-/+ 10%)

INTRODUCTION

The introduction sets out the relevance of the topic to the management of projects.

Some scene setting’ will be important to your assignment answer. So, answer this part here … (i) What are the implications for practice of the contemporary issues reviewed in the module? 

Notes on some the content that needs to go into this section…

In general, this will involve the implications of the contemporary issues raised in the first half of the module.

LITERATURE REVIEW

In an essay this will be an important section that sets out the notes of your reading from the literature and class notes.  You will reference the whole of the paper according to Harvard, as it is in the University’s referencing guide: “Quote: Unquote” … you can download this guide and see guidance on academic communication (writing) in the library pages in MyBeckett.

In this section answer this part of the question (ii) What professional solutions and academic solutions (in both terms of general guidance and emphasis and the way we think about projects) might offer useful ‘theory for practice’?  Use material from the module reader and class notes.

CONCLUSIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS

Say how our perspective of projects and project management needs to change.

What might practitioners do to improve project outcomes?

Finally, state what you think are the hypotheses arising from your preceding argument.

REFERENCES

Here the author has listed some examples, using the Harvard method.

Bleier M & Heathcote J (2010) “The Early Stages of Project Planning” Conference paper Leeds Metropolitan University, International Conference on Strategic Project Management.

[1]  Guidance on essay writing is available to you on X-Stream, Google Drive and from the Library’s “Skills for Learning” web-pages.  You may also be able to take advantage of the Library’s ‘skills for learning’ short tutorial programme of classes run at both Headingley and City campuses each semester.  We strongly recommend these for all students.  And from Sept 2015 support is available in web based formats.

Most especially if you are a part time student, and may find coming into Leeds harder: If you are unsure about essay writing, or any assignment preparation, do take advantage of course team staff’s offer to advise you: in a one to one appointment; telephone consults; skype; or other method.)

[2] The format of the essays should in final draft, conform to the standard template guidance.  See Google Drive/X-Stream.

[3]  Guidance on essay writing is available to you on X-Stream, Google Drive and from the Library’s “Skills for Learning” web-pages.  You may also be able to take advantage of the Library’s ‘skills for learning’ short tutorial programme of classes run at both Headingley and City campuses each semester.  We strongly recommend these for all students.  And from Sept 2015 support is available in web based formats.

Most especially if you are a part time student, and may find coming into Leeds harder: If you are unsure about essay writing, or any assignment preparation, do take advantage of course team staff’s offer to advise you: in a one to one appointment; telephone consults; skype; or other method.)

[4] The format of the essays should in final draft, conform to the standard template guidance.  See Google Drive/X-Stream.