Question 1

Video 1:Michael Dell talks turnaround strategy - Videos ZDNet.flv

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbcQC7nbcBo.

Video 2:Michael Dell addresses Dell's future

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ivFDvzAzw8.

1 From the videos, evaluate the effectiveness of Dell's current turnaround strategies. Present at least three (3) examples to support your evaluation.

2 From the videos, analyze Dell's declining industry strategy. Next, compare the company's strengths, relative to remaining pockets of demand, to the intensity of the competition in the declining industry. Provide one (1) example of Dell's strength over the competition to support your response.

Question 2

Video:PMBWA# Float, Slack, Buffers, Leads and Lags
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHiPS9nlR8k.

1 Define "slack" in the project management environment. Next, as project manager, give your opinion on why "slack" is important to a project. Justify your response.

2 Determine the key differences between free slack and total slack in the project management environment. Provide an example or scenario of each type of slack to further justify your response.

Question 3

1 Interpret the network computation process, and discuss the key terminologies and examples that helped you understand the network computation process.

Case study

Greendale Stadium Case
The G&E Company is preparing a bid to build the new 47,000 seat Greendalebaseball stadium. The construction must start July 1, 2011, and be completed intime for the start of the 2014 season. A penalty clause of $100,000 per day of delaybeyond May 20, 2014, is written into the contract.Ben Keith, the president of the company, expressed optimism at obtaining thecontract and revealed that the company could net as much as $2 million on theproject. He also said if they are successful, the prospects for future projects arequite good since there is a projected renaissance in building classic ball parks withmodern luxury boxes.

CASE APPENDIX: TECHNICAL DETAILS OF THEGREENDALE BASEBALL STADIUM
The baseball stadium is an outdoor structure with a retractable roof. The projectbegins with clearing the site, an activity that lasts 70 days. Once the site is clear,work can start simultaneously on the structure itself and demolishing an adjacentbuilding site. This demolition is necessary to create a construction stage for storingmaterials and equipment. It will take 30 days to demolish the buildings andanother 70 days to set up the construction site.

The work on the stadium begins by driving 160 support pilings, which will take120 days. Nextcomes the pouring of the lower concrete bowl (120 days). Once thisis done and the construction site has been set up, then the pouring of the mainconcourse (120 days), the installation of the playing field (90 days), and the constructionof the upper steel bowl can occur (120 days).

Once the concourse and upper bowl are completed, work can start simultaneouslyon building the luxury boxes (90 days), installing the seats (140 days), installingthe jumbotron (30 days), and installing stadium infrastructure (120 days)which includes: bathrooms, lockers, restaurants, etc. Once the seats are installedthen the steel canopy can be constructed (75 days) followed by the installation ofthe lights (30 days).

The retractable roof represents the most significant technical challenge to theproject. Building the roof track supports (90 days) can begin after the lower concretebowl is constructed. At this time the dimensions of the roof can be finalizedand the construction of the roof at a separate site can begin (180 days). After theroof supports are completed then the roof tracks can be installed (90 days). Oncethe tracks and the roof are completed then the roof can be installed and made operational(90 days). Once all activities are completed it will take 20 days to inspectthe stadium.

Question: From the case study, determine the critical path for the project, and indicate whether you recommend that G&E pursue the contact in question. Justify your response.