SUSSEX XGY Complex

SUSSEX XGY Complex Order Description Module: Managin" rel="nofollow">ing complex projects, products and systems (890N1) Coursework: Module papers Formal assessment of the course is made on the basis of a paper (3,000 words) submitted by the deadlin" rel="nofollow">ine in" rel="nofollow">indicated in" rel="nofollow">in Sussex Direct. Papers should be developed by the students. This can be done in" rel="nofollow">in consultation with the module convenor. The paper will give students the chance to more closely explore a topic from the course. Please use the module readin" rel="nofollow">ing list and any supplemental readin" rel="nofollow">ings you can fin" rel="nofollow">ind on your chosen topic. Evaluation of the module paper will take in" rel="nofollow">into account the student's ability to identify, outlin" rel="nofollow">ine and discuss a particular problem of his or her own in" rel="nofollow">interest related to one of the module themes presented in" rel="nofollow">in the lectures and/or discussed in" rel="nofollow">in classwork exercises/semin" rel="nofollow">inars. The paper may take one of two forms, critical essay or project case study. Critical essay The critical essay should be an analytical assessment of one of the module themes presented in" rel="nofollow">in the lectures and/or discussed in" rel="nofollow">in classwork exercises/semin" rel="nofollow">inars. Essays should be developed by the student (i.e. essay titles are not set by the module convenor). The essay can apply concepts, frameworks and approaches from module material and articles to a particular case (e.g. a project, firm, in" rel="nofollow">industry or category of CoPS). It can also critically evaluate the claims made by one of the articles in" rel="nofollow">in the module readin" rel="nofollow">ing list. Thin" rel="nofollow">ink about conflictin" rel="nofollow">ing theories and approaches, exceptions to the rule, competin" rel="nofollow">ing hypotheses and the generalisability of your conclusions across different types of projects, firms and in" rel="nofollow">industries. If possible, try to provide empirical support for your argument, usin" rel="nofollow">ing data from various sources such as newspapers, company websites and trade press. A comparison between CoPS and high-volume in" rel="nofollow">industries can be a helpful way of emphasisin" rel="nofollow">ing the distin" rel="nofollow">inctive characteristics of CoPS. Also comparin" rel="nofollow">ing and contrastin" rel="nofollow">ing different levels of complexity in" rel="nofollow">in projects and their environment can be explored and exploited. A critique of the traditional approach to project management can also be developed: for example, a critique on the limitations of plannin" rel="nofollow">ing and control as the optimum solution to the problem of managin" rel="nofollow">ing complex projects effectively. The key criterion for the module evaluation of the critical essay is the ability to show an awareness of the challenges of managin" rel="nofollow">ing complex projects, products and systems related to specific issues such as: • product complexity and the dynamics of in" rel="nofollow">innovation • project management capability, performance and strategies • critical views/approaches of project management • systems in" rel="nofollow">integration and competitive strategies • project organisations and the in" rel="nofollow">innovation environment • managin" rel="nofollow">ing complex software development • learnin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in temporary project organisations • strategies, capabilities and organisations for deliverin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">integrated solutions • application of the lessons learned from CoPS to high-volume (and other in" rel="nofollow">industries • in" rel="nofollow">innovative project management methods • megaprojects • sustain" rel="nofollow">inability in" rel="nofollow">in the management of projects: managin" rel="nofollow">ing the project ‘effect’ or ‘impact’) Project case study The case study should show how the experiences of one or more projects relate to one of the module themes presented in" rel="nofollow">in the lectures and/or discussed in" rel="nofollow">in classwork exercises/semin" rel="nofollow">inars. Referrin" rel="nofollow">ing to project and company background in" rel="nofollow">information from personal experience or secondary sources, the case study should reveal in" rel="nofollow">interestin" rel="nofollow">ing project events, facts, people, organisational approaches, challenges and how these are overcome (or not). The key criterion for the module evaluation of the case study is the ability to identify key lessons about managin" rel="nofollow">ing projects from one or more project cases. The project case study may cover a number of issues such as: • The project goal. • Type of project (e.g. usin" rel="nofollow">ing the NTCP framework). • The project success measures. • The project web: systems in" rel="nofollow">integrator/prime contractor, customers, subcontractors, government agencies, fin" rel="nofollow">inance, etc. • The project organisation: matrix, project-based organisation (PBO) or functional structures. • Project life cycle: phases of the project from in" rel="nofollow">invitation to tender (ITT), through bid and contract, to project execution and hand-over to the customer. • ‘Hot spots’ in" rel="nofollow">in the project: problem areas that had to be overcome durin" rel="nofollow">ing the project life cycle. • ‘Beauty spots’: areas of good practice in" rel="nofollow">in the project, in" rel="nofollow">innovative methods bein" rel="nofollow">ing deployed. • Appropriate and in" rel="nofollow">inappropriate approaches for the project accordin" rel="nofollow">ing to its type (e.g. managin" rel="nofollow">ing a high-tech project as a medium-tech one). • User participation in" rel="nofollow">in the project. • Core capabilities/competencies in" rel="nofollow">involved in" rel="nofollow">in the project, e.g. systems in" rel="nofollow">integration, project management, bid management, software engin" rel="nofollow">ineerin" rel="nofollow">ing, marketin" rel="nofollow">ing, etc. • Broader issues affectin" rel="nofollow">ing megaprojects (e.g. risks, decision-makin" rel="nofollow">ing, etc.)