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Volume X - Issue VIII - August 2008
Viewpoints
PM World Today™ Viewpoints articles reflect the personal opinions of the authors and not that of PM Forum™ and PM World Today™. Publication does not constitute endorsement by either PM Forum™ or PM World Today™. We strive only to provide a non-biased platform for the exchange of constructive and diverse ideas, opinions, perspectives, and thought-provoking articles about matters affecting the world of project management. PM World Today™ also does not endorse nor allow abusive, inaccurate or unprofessional content. PM Forum and PM World Today™ encourage and support high standards of ethical and professional conduct at all times. Contact information for each author is normally included with each article (when provided) so that if you have a differing opinion or a shared interest you may dialogue directly with the author.
The Evolution and Demise of Activity Float By Earl Glenwright During the past 50 years the Critical Path Method has matured from its very limited abilities into a sophisticated, comprehensive, and complex process. Some of the original concepts are no longer valid, Activity Float being one of them. The term 'Float' originated with the first application of the network concept by James Kelley and Morgan Walker. This application was severely limited due to the computing capability at that time. It was also of a very short time duration and had only one resource and calendar. In this unique application, Activity Float had a rational basis. However, in today's contemporary world of complex projects with diverse performers and stakeholders and where the resulting work plan schedule is based on numerous resources, date constraints, multiple calendars, 3 types of logical relationships with overlap or delay values, the determination of Activity Float is not realistic or of value. In fact, its 'theoretical' calculation and the display of it is counter-productive as illustrated by the 'student-paper-syndrome', and/or 'Parkinson's Law' of extending actual performance to the time [float] available. Read complete paper in English
Mobbing: Psycological Harassment! By Germán Bernate The 21st Century brings with it novelties on Administration and Management literature. Several Spanish authors are dealing with a very ancient problem of humanity, keeping for its definition the name in the language in which it was initially proposed: mobbing. In Spanish this word is read pronouncing letter by letter, as they are written: ‘mobbing’. The first reference made by authors is related to the fight described in the “Cantar del Mío Cid” poem when the king Don Alfonso VI prohibited all of the kingdom citizens to accommodate or host Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, ‘El Cid Campeador’, leader of the armies. What had happened? The other soldiers, his colleagues, set him against the king looking for his exile, which the king finally did. It was not enough merit that “el Cid” had regained kingdoms and lands on king’s behalf. On current terms we will say he was exiled all of a sudden and his properties seized, in other words, he was fired. However, the king, his manager, never told him the reason for such hostile behavior. And this took place around year 1072, a little more than nine hundred years ago. Read complete paper in English | Spanish
Why has there been increased interest in Project Management over the past decade? By Kevin Archbold Over the past ten years the US-based Project Management Institute (www.pmi.org) has grown from around 25,000 members to over 250,000. This ten-fold increase represents a marked departure from the steady but slow growth of the organization since its creation in 1969, and is a significant indication of an increased interest in project management. Certainly the institute has played a vital role in its own growth. PMI®’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) has become a standard in many industries, along with its Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification. International marketing has also created a global membership, versus a primarily US-based membership ten years ago. However there are other, more broad-based changes that have also contributed to PMI’s growth Read complete paper in English
Condolences to the PMBOK® 4th Edition Committees By Edward Fern Shortly after World War I, the United States Navy was conducting an exercise off the West Coast near San Diego on a very foggy day. As a consequence, each and every ship posted lookouts at several locations around the perimeter of the ship. On one ship, the fellow posted all the way to the bow sent a message to the bridge that he saw a light. The bridge asked if the light was to the right or left of their direction and the lookout replied that it was dead ahead. The bridge asked if the light was moving or stationary and the lookout replied that the light was stationary. Using its carbon arc lamp, the bridge signaled to the light ahead, “You are on a collision course, steer right 15 degrees.” Back came a message, “You are on a collision course, steer right 15 degrees.” So the bridge sent the message, “I am an admiral, you are on a collision course, steer right 15 degrees.” Back came a message, “I am a seaman second class, you are on a collision course, steer right 15 degrees.” So the bridge sent another message, “I am a battleship. You are on a collision course, steer right 15 degrees.” The response was short, “I am a lighthouse.” Read complete paper in English
For those who want to get on the PM road By Florin C. Gheorghiu, PMP It is a simple fact of life in our PM world that companies are paying efforts and money to turn to the Project Management course. Simple, quick, clean cut and without too many complications. Rather than being a simple surgical organization operation this is more of a chronic cure for those realizing that they make the money from project implementation and not from daily routine operations. Considered more than fashionably fit in today’s world, companies have taken to this road on their own approach, alone or helped by experienced professionals, simply due to the pressure they feel with every project award lost or because they saw the money cashed out to the more experienced PM companies, who are running the projects in lieu of an inexperienced customer. Read complete paper in English
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