Assignment: PMBOK Ch# 2 Organizational Influences &

Project Life Cycle

Submitted to: Sir Shahid Naseer

Submitted by: M Saad Sarfraz

Date: 24-3-2017

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Table of Contents
Purpose of CH#2:.................................................................................................................................3
Organizational Culture and Style.........................................................................................................3
Policies.................................................................................................................................................3
Working Environment..........................................................................................................................3
Vision...................................................................................................................................................3
Mission................................................................................................................................................3
Values..................................................................................................................................................3
Organizational Communications..........................................................................................................3
Organizational Structures....................................................................................................................4
Functional Organizational Structure....................................................................................................4
Strong Matrix Organization.................................................................................................................5
Balanced Matrix...................................................................................................................................5
Weak Matrix........................................................................................................................................6

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Purpose of CH#2:
Ch # 2 talks about influencing factors on Project.

Organizational Culture and Style

Culture is developed by organizations
 Policies
 Procedures
 Working Environment
 Values
 Mission
 Vision

Policies
Policies define disciplines like wearing a proper uniform during project work. Wearing a helmet and PPE during
project work is a Policy.

Company’s policies influence a lot on project.

Working Environment
Good environment will create a positive impact on project.

Vision
CEO defines the vision of company like where do he sees his company in coming 5-10 years.In order to achieve this
vision, PMO starts such types of projects to achieve defined vision like Bill Gates saw vision of Microsoft Windows
product in 1993.

Mission
To achieve vision, we make small goals. This is what defines a mission.

Values
Values of company vary. Values of ‘ITHEIGHT’ are that they believe in delivering training to newly hired employees.

Values can be to believe in customer satisfaction.

One Value of Zong company is customer delight that is to give customer more then what he pays just like their
internet bundles.

One’ company values can be to focus on HSE. This can be policy as well. First we define values then policies
originate from these values.

To believe in innovation, can also be a company’s value. Values of Google Company is that they believe to be Risk
takers.

Organizational Communications
Communication in organization can be formal or informal. It can be of two types: Written or Verbal.

You should keep in mind the culture of the organization of the people you are communicating with. During
communication, you have to judge people of their context. High context people focus on background. Low context

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people do not go deep with background rather they focus on getting work done. During communication in project
being PM, you have to see if the next person is high context or low context person.

During Project, do not make issue of your ego rather adopt such objectivity so that you can successfully close the
project.

Organizational Structures
When organization gets a project, question that who will be responsible for project, defines the type of
organizational structure company will have .There are 6 types of organizational structures which have impact on
project.

 Functional Organization
 Weak Matrix Organization
 String Matrix Organization
 Balance Matrix Organization
 Projectized Matrix Organization
 Composite Matrix Organization

Functional Organizational Structure

Three functional managers and their departments will have interdepartmental communication to get the project
done.

In such organizational structure, Functional managers are responsible. In above case, all three functional
managers will be responsible for the project.

Advantages Disadvantages
1. Clean Carrier path for staff working in functional 1. ‘One’ Project manager is missing. More than one
department. project manager result in blame game.
2. When Project ends, these staff members will have 2. Silo Mentality
‘home department’ to return to instead of getting
fired.
3. Chain of command is very clear. 3. Staff is not dedicated to project.
4. Interdepartmental communication is always a sign
of poor communication.
5. One functional department does not know the
criticality of works of other functional department.

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Strong Matrix Organization

In this structure, “How to do Project work” will be told to staff be their respective functional departmental head
meanwhile “what part of project work to do” will be told to staff be the one designated project manager.

In strong matrix organization, the designated project manager has strong project oriented skills.

There are no interdepartmental barriers because the team assigned to PM, will form a group who will not do their
routine work rather they will be dedicated to Project. Once project ends, staff returns to their home department.
Both PM and FM decides members of team to be assigned to project while ‘Manager of Project Managers’ decide
which PM will lead the project on the basis of their capability.

Advantages Disadvantages
1. No interdepartmental barriers. 1. Operational work of functional department may be
affected when resources are assigned to project.
2. One project manager responsible for project.
3. Dedicated team as they are not working on routine
work.
4. Clear chain of command for “How to do” & “what to
do”
5. Home department advantage

Balanced Matrix

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Project manager is taken from that department whose nature of work is similar with nature of project assigned.
Designated PM has strong Product oriented skills but no project oriented experience.

Weak Matrix

When a Project manager having no ‘Product Oriented’ and ‘Project Oriented’ skills, is assigned the project, such
matrix is called weak matrix. For example FYP studies group of final year students in university. One of the guys in
team starts to act like PM.

Two types of people are found in weak matrix.

 Project Coordinator
 Project Expeditor

Project coordinator tries to be PM and such people take small decisions as well. Such people inform higher
management about the status of project.

Project expeditor never takes decisions.

Advantages Disadvantages
Team members maintain a home. Functional managers may have different priorities then
project expediters
Team members have more than one boss
Complex to monitor and control

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