Sheger Collage

Masters of Project Management (MPM)

Course Out line:
Course Title: Introduction to Project Management, Course Code: MPM 611, Credit Hours: 2 Hr
Course Instructor: Dasalegn M (Assistant Professor)
Personal Email: dasalegnm@gmail.com

Course Description:
This course introduces students to the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques needed to
successfully manage projects throughout the life of a project, known as the project life cycle.
Students learn about the project management Knowledge Areas and Process Groups as well as
the distinguishing characteristics of each. Students gain an appreciation for how these two
dimensions of project management interact in initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and
controlling, and closing a project.

Project is a distinct and well organized group of activities to which economic resources are
committed and is undertaken within a specific time frame to achieve one or few specific
objectives. Projects are associated to alleviating socio economic problems or enhancing business
interests of business organizations. Project Management is the process of planning,
implementing, and monitoring a set of activities to be accomplished with in a specific time frame
in order to achieve some specific objective/s through the production and provision of some
unique deliverable/s. This course, therefore, introduces the fundamentals of the project concept
such as the meaning, attributes, characteristics, importance, and classification of projects as well
as their relations with the environment and stakeholders and the life cycle concept and models of
project. The course also covers meaning, features, and process of Project Management from a
System point of view. The unique environment, functions, and roles of project management and
project managers are given special consideration in this course. Such advanced issues as
organizing and staffing the project office, team management, time management, and project
leadership (stress and conflict management, performance management etc) shall also be
overviewed here.

Course objectives:
After discussing this course, the student will be able to:
 Define, characterize, justify the importance, and classify projects.
 Differentiate the roles of the environment and stakeholders in projects.
 Identify projects as life cycle systems and distinguish among the various models of
project life cycle.
 Define project management; establish its basic features and background.
  Identify the key focus areas of project management and distinguish its similarities and
differences with functional management systems.
 Apply and practice project management system and process.
 Identify the values of effective project management and the requirements to create and
maintain effective project management systems.

COURSE CONTENTS:

CHAPTER ONE- PROJECT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT - AN OVERVIEW

1.1. Introduction
1.2. What Is a Project?
1.3. Systems, Programs, and Projects: A Definition
1.4. General management versus Project Management
CHAPTER TWO- PROJECT MANAGEMENT GROWTH: CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS
2.1. Introduction
2.2. Project Management: 1945-1960
2.3. Project Management: 1960-1985
2.4. Project Management: 1985-2009
2.5. Project Management Today
2.6. The Many Faces of Project Success
2.7. The Many Faces of Project Failure
2.8. Project Management Methodologies
CHAPTER THREE- PROJECT MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Organizational Theory and Structures
3.3. Examples of Organizational Structures
CHAPTER FOUR- MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Controlling
4.3. Directing
4.4. Project Authority
4.5. Leadership in a Project Environment
4.6. Management Pitfalls
4.7. Project Review Meetings
4.8. Project Management Bottlenecks
4.9. Proverbs and Laws
CHAPTER FIVE- TIME MANAGEMENT
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Understanding Time Management
5.3. Time Robbers
5.4. Time Management Forms
5.5. Effective Time Management
CHAPTER SIX- PROJECT CONFLICTS MANAGEMENT
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Objectives
6.3. The Conflict Environment
6.4. Understanding Superior, Subordinate, and Functional Conflicts
6.5. The Management of Conflicts
6.6. Conflict Resolution and Its Modes
CHAPTER SEVEN- THE VARIABLES FOR SUCCESS
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Predicting Project Success
7.3. Project Management Effectiveness
7.4. Expectations
7.5. Lessons Learned
7.6. Understanding Best Practices
MODE OF DELIVERY
 Lecture on major conceptual frameworks of Project and Project Management.
 Case analysis on the Roles of Projects for sustainable Socio-Economic Development.
 Individual and group presentation on main topics of the course.
 Analysis of the Project Environment and Stakeholders in view of their impact on the
successful management of projects.

ASSESSMENT SCHEME
Article Review and Presentation (Individual)---------------- 30%
Term Paper Assignment (Group) ------------------------------ 20%
Final Exam --------------------------------------------------------- 50%
References
1. Chandra, Prasana (2019), Projects planning, analysis, selection, financing,
implementation, and review, 9th edition, India, Mc Grow Hill.
2. Nicholas, John M. and Steyn, Herman (2008), Project Management for Business,
Engineering, and Technology: Principles and Practice, 3rd edition, Elsevier Inc.
3. Aiiuja, Hlra N, Dozzl, S. P And Abolurlzk, S. M. (1994), PROJECT MANAGEMENT:
Techniques in Planning and Controlling Construction Projects,2nd edition, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.