BOOK REVIEW: PROJECT MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 8
The authors motivation for writing this text is to provide for our students a text
built around a holistic, integrative view of project management. A holistic view of project
management focuses on how projects contribute to the strategic goals of the
organization. The linkages for integration include the process of selection of projects
that best support organizational strategy and all the technical and managerial processes
to complete those projects. The goals for prospective project managers are to clearly
understand the role of a project in their organizations and to master project
management tools/techniques and interpersonal skills necessary to orchestrate projects
to completion.
The role of projects in organization is receiving increasing attention. Projects are
becoming the major tools for reaching the strategic goals of the organization. Given
savage worldwide competition, many organizations have reorganized around a
philosophy of innovation, renewal and organizational learning to survive. Project
Management has developed to the point where it is a professional discipline having its
own body of knowledge and skills. Today it is nearly impossible to imagine anyone at
any level in the organization who would not benefit from some degree of expertise in the
process of managing projects.
This text is written for a wide audience, Students and prospective project
managers will find the text useful to understand why organizations have developed a
formal project management process to gain a competitive advantage. Readers will find
the concepts and techniques discussed in enough detail to be immediately useful in
new project situations.
Given this managerial perspective, we have arranged the book to use the project
life cycle as the primary organizational guidelines. For our introductory chapter, we
comments it on the role and importance of projects in our society and discusses project
management as a potential career for aspiring managers, the book covers the major
events and issues arising during the management of a project in the order in which they
usually occur in the life of a project. Part I Project initiation describes how projects are
selected for implementation. It also covers the role of the project manager, the various
ways that projects can be organized, and the special requirements for managing, a
cross cultural project. It is followed by a description of the project planning process and
some tools used in project planning. Part I concludes with a topic of major importance to
the project manager negotiation.
Project budgeting, scheduling, resource allocation, monitoring/information
systems and controlling are discussed in Part I Project Implementation. Finally, Part III
Project Termination concludes the discussion with a description of project auditing and
termination.
I. INTRODUCTION

Bibliographic information

Title Project management

Authors Marivic F. Flores, Angelita Ong Serrano

Publisher Unlimited Books Library Services & Publishing, 2015

ISBN 9719654112, 9789719654117

Length 372 pages

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DR. MARIVIC F. FLORES holds the distinction of being awarded as one of the
Outstanding Faculty of the Management and Finance Department of Pamantasan ng
Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM). Dr. Flores obtained her degree in Bachelor in Business
Administration and Doctor in Business Administration from Polytechnic University of the
Philippines (PUP). Dr. Flores assumed various administrative positions in ME, PLM, like
College Secretary and Department Chairman of different department such as
Management, Finance and Marketing. Alongside teaching and doing some research
work, shr continued to be an adviser and consultant of various firms especially on
issues of organization, management and development.
A self-motivated and multitalented educator, Prof. Angelita Ong Camilar-Serrano
graduated from De La Salle University- Taft as a scholar of Coca-Cola Foundation. She
completed her Bachelor of Science in Commerce Major in Business Administration with
honors (Jose Rizal Awardee). Now she is writing her dissertation in its final stage to
complete her Doctorate in Business Administration in Pamantasan g Lungsod ng
Maynila (PLM), where she is also currently teaching as an Assistant Professor. She
teaches Management, Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Finance subjects in PLM, De
La Salle-College of St. Benilde and Far Eastern University. She was the former Chief of
Staff to the President of PLM during the time of President Adel A. Tamano. She had the
opportunity to also hold various academic positions like Department Chair of
Management and Finance Department, Department Chair of Marketing and
Entrepreneurship and College Secretary of the College of Management and
Entrepreneurship. She had advised Entrepreneur students in Best Business Idea and
Development Award (BIDA) given by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(PCCI) who won as finalists. Aside from being an educator, she is a researcher, a
research adviser, an entrepreneur, a seminar speaker and a business consultant.
BRIEF OVERVIEW
Project management is the process of planning, organizing, executing, and
controlling a project to achieve specific goals and objectives. Project management
involves defining the scope, schedule, budget, quality, and risks of the project, as well
as assigning roles and responsibilities to the project team and stakeholders. Project
management also requires monitoring and reporting the progress and performance of
the project, as well as managing any changes or issues that may arise. Project
management is essential for delivering successful projects that meet the expectations
and needs of the customers and sponsors.

II. SUMMARY OF THE CONTENT

Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques
to achieve specific goals within a defined scope, time and budget. Chapter 8, Project
scheduling is a project management process that consists of creating and managing a
schedule to organize the tasks, deliverables and milestones of a project on a timeline.
The project schedule defines the duration, start and end dates for activities and is used
by project managers for resource management, task allocation and progress
monitoring.
Project scheduling is a crucial aspect of project management that involves
planning, executing, monitoring and controlling the activities and resources needed to
achieve the project objectives. A well-designed project schedule can help to optimize
the use of time, budget and quality, as well as to identify and mitigate potential risks and
uncertainties. In this report, we have discussed the main concepts and methods of
project scheduling, such as the work breakdown structure (WBS), the critical path
method (CPM), the program evaluation and review technique (PERT), and the earned
value management (EVM). We have also applied these techniques to a hypothetical
case study of a software development project and analyzed the results.
Based on these findings, we suggest that the project team should continue to
monitor and control the project schedule using the CPM, PERT and EVM techniques, as
well as to communicate regularly with the stakeholders and report any changes or
issues that may affect the project outcomes. We also recommend that the project team
should conduct a risk analysis and contingency planning to prepare for any possible
deviations or disruptions that may occur in the remaining tasks. Furthermore, we advise
that the project team should conduct a quality assurance and testing process to ensure
that the software product meets the specifications and requirements of the client.
Finally, we propose that the project team should conduct a post-project evaluation and
review to capture the lessons learned and best practices from this project and apply
them to future projects.
.
III. CRITICAL ASSESSMENT OR EVALUATION

Project scheduling is the process of planning and managing the time and
resources needed to complete a project. It involves defining the project scope,
identifying the tasks and dependencies, estimating the duration and cost of each task,
assigning resources to tasks, and monitoring and controlling the progress of the project.
Project scheduling is an evaluation of how well the project schedule meets the
project objectives, constraints, and stakeholder expectations. It involves analyzing the
schedule performance, identifying the schedule risks and issues, and recommending
corrective actions or improvements. It can help to identify and resolve potential
problems before they affect the project outcome, improve the communication and
coordination among project team members and stakeholders, and increase the
confidence and satisfaction of the project sponsors and customers.

IV. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Project scheduling is important for ensuring that the project is
completed on time, within budget and according to specifications. Project scheduling
also helps to improve communication, coordination and collaboration among project
stakeholders, team members and customers. Project scheduling can be done using
various tools and techniques, such as Gantt charts, network diagrams, critical path
method, agile methods and project management software.
.
V. RECOMMENDATION
Project management is a crucial skill for any professional who wants to deliver
high-quality results on time and within budget. Project management involves planning,
organizing, executing, monitoring and controlling all aspects of a project, from defining
the scope and objectives, to managing the resources and risks, to communicating with
stakeholders and evaluating the outcomes.
There are many benefits of project management, such as improving efficiency,
reducing costs, enhancing customer satisfaction, increasing innovation and learning
opportunities, and achieving strategic goals. Project management can also help you
develop your leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
If you want to learn more about project management, you can take advantage of
various resources available online or offline. For example, you can enroll in a project
management course or certification program offered by reputable institutions or
organizations. You can also read books, articles, blogs or podcasts on project
management topics and best practices. You can also join online communities or forums
where you can interact with other project managers and experts.
Project management is not only a skill but also a mindset. You need to adopt a
proactive, flexible and collaborative approach to managing your projects and
overcoming any challenges or uncertainties that may arise along the way. You also
need to constantly monitor and evaluate your progress and performance and seek
feedback and improvement opportunities.
By following these tips, you can become a more effective and successful project
manager and recommend project management to others who want to achieve their
professional goals.

VI. REFERENCES LIST

https://monday.com/blog/project-management/cost-estimation-in-project-management/
https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/cost-estimation-for-projects