APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2014/2015

BST 2531 Project Management

Responsible for the course
Jan Terje Karlsen

Department
Department of Leadership and Organizational Behaviour

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
15

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
In combination with BTH 2532 Bachelor thesis – Project management, 15 credits this course represents a specialization of 30 credits. On the final diploma a note stating that it is a specialization course is entered. The course is intended for students on the Bachelor prograramme in Marketing and the Bachelor programme in Business Administration. Other students may choose to take the course as an elective in their 3rd academic year.

The course will give an introduction to project management. The students will be given an understanding of what a project is and a basis for planning, organizing and controlling projects.

Please note
This course has some overlapping issues with the elective courses ELE 3709 Project Management (7,5 credits) and ELE 3725 Project Management (7,5 credits). Consequently a combination of theese courses can not be approved in a Bachelor's degree.

Learning outcome
The course will provide the student with a thorough knowledge of the various elements within modern project management.

Acquired knowledge

• Students will learn how a project can be defined broadly in terms of goals, characteristics, content, scope, duration, cost, and stakeholders. Terms such as goals, planning, organization, implementation, monitoring, control, risk assessment, and leadership should give the student a solid theoretical foundation.
• Students will also become familiar with how projects in different areas like product development and marketing are initiated and managed in practice.
• Students will gain knowledge about how a business can use projects strategically.
• Students will be familiar with the processes, tools, methods and concepts of project management.

• Students will develop some practical skills in planning, organizing and following-up projects so that the defined project goals are achieved.
• Students will be able to apply techniques, methods and tools for effective implementation of projects.
• Students will be able to effectively participate in or lead projects.

• Students will understand the role of projects in organizations and communities, and be able to reflect on ethical issues related to projects.
• Students will be able to understand what it means to work in a project team where you have to show respect for the other team members' knowledge, beliefs, roles and personality.

• What distinguishes a project? Different types of projects. The project's purpose and goals. The project life cycle/phases.
• Project stakeholders/sponsors. Introduction to key instruments such as planning, organizing, monitoring, management, etc. Varied and illustrative examples of practical project activities in business and management.

• What is project planning? What is to be planned? Why and how is it planned? Who plans?
• Planning levels. Project mandate. Planning of strategic and operational perspective. Milestone planning.
  Work Breakdown Structures (WBS).
• Task scheduling using the network. AON network. Critical path and critical activities. Gantt charts.
• Slack/float. Resource planning. The relationship between the strategic planning and detailed scheduling.
• Project budget and finances. The planning aspect in light of the different types of projects.

• Project versus line organization.
• Organization models/principles.
• Responsibility chart.
• Steering group.
• Project manager.
• Selection of organization structure for different project types. Organization of a project team.

• What could be uncertain in projects?
• Dealing with uncertainty/risk/opportunities.
• Repetition of basic knowledge of statistics.
• Uncertainty regarding the duration of the project (PERT).
• Determination of safety margins.
• Decisions under uncertainty.
• Risk reduction by means of contracts, insurance, etc.

• What can go wrong in projects?
• Control Factors. Plan and reality.
• Variance analysis.
• Planning as a continuous process.
• Identification, reporting, analysis, decision, action. Monitoring the costs, "earned Value", S-curves, etc.

• Project manager selection. Responsibility, tasks and motivation.
• Management styles, leadership.
• Information and communication.
• Project culture.
• Cooperation and conflict.
• Meetings - implementation of project meetings.

• Strategic business planning.
• Selection of projects.
• Project and programme.
• Multi Project Planning.
• The project organization. The history of project management, status and likely future.
• Project "schools".
• The relationship between project elements, the different teaching modules in the context.