Assignment 1 - Scope

The scope of this assignment is Procurement applied to your PM organization. It is designed to apply new concepts in a practical way.

1. Choose a web site specific to a contractor or supplier related to your field in PM. Identify the company and very briefly summarize their scope of activities. Note that there are not many marks for this part of the assignment. It represents an introduction and framework for the balance of the assignment.

2. Discuss with the support of appropriate refereed articles, the ways the web site enables you to carry out preliminary prequalification of the company (for a hypothetical tender). In this part you should make up a tender scenario associated with the company you have identified. Don't be too elaborate. Think and write about prequalification and show the ways that the company provides specific prequalification information on its web site. Identify prequalification information/ detail where it occurs. Obviously the web site will have to have some appropriate information that would relate to prequalification. If not, choose another web site that does.

3. With reference to your own Project management organization, describe how prequalification will help produce a successful project outcome. Think about your organization and suggest the benefits to tendering processes that you may achieve when you carefully prequalify the company that you have identified.

Acknowledgment of Sources

All resources used must be acknowledged using Chicago style of referencing.

You should read extensively to complete this task.

Any form of plagiarism will result in failure of the assignment and unit.

For this assignment there must be a minimum of 5 independent sources referenced, 2 of which must be from appropriate/ recent journal articles

Assignment 2 - Scope

The scope of this assignment is the evaluation of a Procurement Plan for use in a project based organization.

1. Review the concept of Planning Purchases.

2. Discuss the general purpose of a procurement plan.

3. Identify and analyze three key component of a typical procurement plan.

Acknowledgment of Sources

All sources used must be acknowledged using Chicago style of referencing.

You should read extensively to complete this task.

Any form of plagiarism will result in failure of the assignment and unit.

Assignment 3 -

Assignment Three requires you to complete a reflective learning journal. Each topic in Procurement Management 642 has additional reading material, which are articles from journals. The journals you require are all on eReserve identified by my name and the unit title: Procurement Management 642

Assignment Details You must select TWO (2) journals from these readings, which will form the basis for your reflective learning journal writing. For EACH of your selected two articles:

DESCRIPTION - Briefly describe an issue/concept/situation/incident within the article (referred to hereafter as the ‘event'). The event can be a single particular part or overall theme of the article

ANALYSIS - Critically analyze the event e.g., Connections between event and reality of experiences or observations from your personal or professional world; what is important and why; Potential applications of the reading material to your own life.

LEARNING - e.g. what have you learnt from reflecting upon your analysis? What did you learn about the event and yourself? How can you use what you have learnt? Do you need t o change attitudes, behavior, processes, values, etc .? What will you d o differently in the future? How do you plan to use what you have learnt?

Some Guidelines

A reflective learning journal is not simply a diary but a thoughtful description that follows from reflective thinking. A reflective approach is required rather than a descriptive summary. Simple restatements of the concepts in the reading would not meet expectations for a reflective journal entry.

Each journal entry for each article must be structured into three sections - Description, Analysis, and Learning.

Writing style can be informal; be honest; let words flow; use your own simple words. All journals will be assured confidentiality.

For each article, 400-500 words are required (mostly in Analysis and Learning sections) - quality rather than quantity is sought.

Assessment criteria - clarity and depth of understanding, critical analysis, reflective thinking and learning; grammar

Background - Theory

Part of learning is reflecting upon your learning. A learning journal is essentially a vehicle for reflection. Reflective learning is the process of internally exploring an issue of concern which creates and clarifies meaning and results in new understandings. The creation of a reflective learning journal has three key steps:

Trigger - Reflection is triggered by thoughts and/or feelings about observation, event, issue, etc.

Analysis/Reflection - A critical analysis of the issue is undertaken. This can involve associating new knowledge with existing knowledge, linking theory and practice, or reinterpreting from different points of view. It uses one's own knowledge and experiences as well as any new knowledge resulting from the analysis process.

Learning - Reflection is not an end in itself but leads to learning outcomes such as a new way of doing or perceiving something, clarification of an issue or resolution of a problem. The learner develops a new perspective based on analysis and reflection. It leads to a perception for a need for change in the learner's world. A statement of planned actions may be produced.

The benefits of writing a reflective journal

Observation and awareness - Forces learners to draw out their experiences, articulate and assess them.

Clarification and understanding - Stimulated to develop understanding of concepts and crystallize beliefs. Helps bring clarity to material that appears ambiguous at first Critical thinking and Reflection - Journal writing facilitates reflection, to evaluate experiences, give in-depth consideration to issues and develop an understanding of their experiences.

Making Connections - Journal writing allows students to make connections, such as between: theory and practice; concepts and observations; readings and experience; beliefs and behaviors; old knowledge and new knowledge.