MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCE PROJECTS

QUESTION 1: (40 MARKS)

(a) What do you understand by a Project? (5 marks)
(b) Define Project Management and Project Manager. (10 marks)
(c) Highlight the different types of activities involved in the management of a project. (10
marks)
(d) What are the main knowledge areas that project managers must possess in order to
successfully manage projects? (15 marks
QUESTION 2: (40 MARKS)
Conflict refers to any situation in which there are incompatible goals, thoughts or
emotions within or between individuals or groups. For effective management of conflict,
project managers must be able to analyze the sources of conflict and identify solutions
to the conflict. You are required to:
(a) Explain the reasons for conflicts in project management. (20 marks)
(b) Elaborate on at least five generic techniques for resolving conflict AND give an
indication of the extent to which each technique is able to resolve the conflict.
(Reference may be made to Blake and Mouton, among others). (20 marks)
QUESTION 3: (30 MARKS) Contemporary theory posits that conflicts are unavoidable
in projects.
a) Why do conflicts arise in projects? (10 Marks)
b) Discuss the impact of conflicts in projects. (10 Marks)
c) Discuss the main conflict resolution strategies (10 Marks)

QUESTION 4: (30 MARKS)

(a) Power is one of the most important human variables in the project management
process as it sets the framework for directing and influencing human resources. Explain
the sources of power of a project manager. (15 marks)

(b) Politics can be defined as an activity concerned with the acquisition of power.
Explain five ways of dealing with power and politics in project management. (You have
the option of writing on managing power and politics at upper management level or at
project level or at both levels). (15 marks)

QUESTION 5: (30 MARKS)

(a) Define power and politics in a project environment and explain how they influence
the success of a project. (18 marks)
(b) In what ways can project managers enhance their political and power position at the
project operating level? (12 marks
QUESTION 6: (30 MARKS)
(a) Explain the project management life cycle (15 marks)
(b) Explain the following terms so that the distinction among them comes out clearly: (i) Project
(ii) Project management
(iii) Management
(iv) Human resource management
(v) Project human resource management

(15 marks)

QUESTION 7: (40 MARKS)

2

(a) What are the principal stages of a project life cycle? (10 marks)
(b) Explain fully the steps involved in the project planning process.
(30 marks)

QUESTION 8: (40 MARKS)

(a) What are the various steps involved in the project management process?
(20 marks)
(b) Indicate how project planning can help in the management of projects?
(20 marks)
QUESTION 10: (30 MARKS)
(a) With the help of a diagram, provide a representation of a Project Life Cycle. (15
marks)
(b) Explain the different phases and activities of a project life cycle.
(15 marks)

QUESTION 11: (30 MARKS)

Explain the five- stage team development model, that is:
i. Forming
ii. Storming
iii. Norming
iv. Performing
v. Adjourning (5X6 marks)
QUESTION 12: (30 MARKS)
3

(a) Analyze the importance of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to project managers.
(10 marks)
(b) A project for the installation of new equipment must be completed in 30 weeks. Data
for the quantity of each type of shared resources required by each activity are as
follows: system designers, electrical engineers, fitters, labourers, workshop machine
time, etc. Assuming that the only significant shared resource is staff and that this has
been estimated for each activity as shown in Table 1 below:
Table 1: Staff required for each activity
Activity

Description

Staff identifier

Duration

EST

LFT

Prepare offices

10

10

Procure equipment

10

Design tests

10

17

Install equipment

10

17

Test system

13

17

30

Train users

10

15

30

Float

(i) Calculate the total number of staff effort required for the project. (5 marks)

(ii) Calculate the average number of staffs required (5 marks)

(iii) Assuming that initially every activity starts at its earliest start time, construct an initial
resource loading chart (10 marks)

QUESTION 13: (30 MARKS)

4

(a) What factors would you consider when selecting members of a project team? (15
marks)
(b) Why would you need to motivate your team members, if you were a project
manager? (15 marks)
QUESTION 14: (30 MARKS)
(a)

Group

development

consists

of

five

distinct

phases.

Explain.

(15 marks)
(b) There are various individuals/groups of persons working under any Project Team.
Name any five of them and briefly write on their corresponding role/tasks. (15 marks)
QUESTION 15: (30 MARKS)
a) Elaborate on the Verma;K (1996) model for effective human resource management
and

explain

its

importance

in

managing

projects.

(15

marks)

b) According to the Verma;K (1996) model for effective human resource management
the following variables are essential for effective project management;
(i) Communication
(ii) Teamwork
(iii) Leadership
(iv) Cultural Ambiance considers each variable and elucidates how they can help to
achieve the objectives of any Human Resource project. (15 marks)