...Orion Shield Project Analysis Emoke de Kun AMBA 640 Professor Larry Williams July 16, 2013 Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 Contractual Issues 4-5 Technical Issues 5-6 Ethical and Legal Issues 6-7 Project Management Issues 8 Conclusion 9 References 10 Executive Summary The purpose of this paper is to analyze the implications that Gary Larsen was faced with as project manager in the Orion Shield Project Case Study. Gary Larsen, who was chosen as project manager was faced with many hurdles and his inexperience as the project manager definitely had negative implications on the triple constraints of the project: scope, time and cost. In this paper, I will address the problems Gary Allison faced: contractual, legal, ethical, technical and project management. Henry Larsen chose Gary Allison to be project manager, knowing full well he did not have the knowledge, nor the know-how to be a project manager, especially of such a big project. I will address Henry Larsen’s unethical behavior and poor leadership skills as well. Henry Larsen tried to put all the blame on his project manager, but he as a sponsor was practically absent and let the project get totally out of control. My recommendation would be to have a project manager with experience and proper leadership skills who...
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...Executive Summary Projects have many facets to them, each of which can lead to either the success or the failure of the project, and all facets are dependent on how each situation is handled. In the case of the Orion Shield Project, which is an R&D, 10 Month, Fixed Price Incentive Fee (FPIP), 2.2 Million contract most of those facets ended up resulting in failures completed not only by the sub-contractor, Scientific Engineering Corporation (SEC), but by the prime contractor, Space Technology Industries (STI), as well. Primarily the Orion Shield Project case follows that of Gary Allison, an inexperienced project manager with SEC who follows the corrupt advice of Henry Larson, an SEC executive. With an inexperienced project manager, and a corrupt advisor the Orion Shield Project has multiple problems to include those of technical, ethical, legal, contractual, and managerial. Introduction In order to be a well-rounded project manager one must not only have the technical, but administrative and organizational background. Another imperative characteristic a project manager, especially those in the research and development (R&D), is that they “work well under pressure and are comfortable with Change and complexity in dynamic environments (Who are Project Managers, pmi.org).” A good outline to follow in project management is known as the project management triangle, consisting of scope, cost, and time, and in the instance of the Orion Shield Project, all three areas were botched...
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...Individual Team Assignment Case Analysis of the Orion Shield Project Dennis J Paffrath April 18, 2013 AMBA 640 Professor Marsh 1 Table of Content Executive Summary…………………………………………………………….3 Technical Issues…………………………………………………………………5 Initiating Process Group…………………………………………………5 Planning Process Group…………………………………………………5 Executing Process Group………………………………………………..10 Monitoring and Controlling Process Group…………………………….11 Closing Process Group………………………………………………….14 Ethical Issues……………………………………………………………………15 Legal and Contractual…………………………………………………………..16 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………17 References………………………………………………………………………18 2 Executive Summary K. Schwalbe (2012) has provided a basic understanding of what project management is and explains that it requires planning and use and management of organizational resources in order to complete a project within the required time, scope and cost. Project managers must understand that one of the most important aspects of project management is to complete a project with a successful delivery of the product while ensuring that it is within the required timeline and within the resources allocated to the project. Therefore, it is imperative that the managing of a project makes efficient use of time, resources, cost, risk, quality and scope. By understanding these constraints, the project manager will be able to successfully complete the project. In reviewing the Orion Shield project case, it is very clear that the Scientific...
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...Executive Summary “Projects account for about one fourth of the U.S. and the world’s gross domestic product” (Schwalbe 2012). With that said, there are many challenges and issues that hinder the ultimate success or completion of a project. So is evident in the case of the Orion Shield Project, whose execution faced issues of technical, ethical, legal, contractual and interpersonal natures. Taking on a role that assumes responsibilities in stark contrast to newly appointed project manager Gary Allison’s professional background and experience doomed the project from the start. Not only did Gary not have the experience, he failed to research and prepare himself, prior to the project’s inception, with the proper project management tools and techniques that are pertinent to the success of a project. The ethical issue of false promise, regarding the maximum temperature at which the shield could operate successfully, was apparent before planning had begun and the role of project manager was officially accepted by Gary Allison. This dishonest proclamation was unsettling to Mr. Allison but he failed to voice his concerns, therefore perpetuating his anxiety and lack of confidence of the projects success. Technical issues, straying from strictly scientific measures which were Mr. Allison’s sole forte, existed in the execution (or lack thereof) of project milestones. Contractual issues arise when Gary and is team failed to follow contract protocol and policy, regarding problems with communication...
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...Week 2 – Individual Assignment The Orion Shield Project Case Study Executive Summary: A good project management plan takes some preparation. In the case study of The Orion Shield Project that preparation never seemed to occur. From the beginning, the project was plagued with the subcontractor, Scientific Engineering Corporation (SEC), bidding for a project that they knew their current product would not be able to do. The case study shows the actions of an inexperienced professional, his poor planning methods, unethical decision skills and inability to manage a project to completion. While the project was looked at as a success, ultimately it was doomed from the start. There was specification issues that initially concerned Gary Allison, SEC’s project manager, but he was told by the Director of Engineering, Henry Larsen, that this wasn’t a big issue. By the project manager lying to the primary contractor, Space Technology Institute (STI), this created an unethical work environment from the start. There are various issues throughout the project such as contractual, legal, technical and ethical issues. A project manager should be concerned with time and cost, however, Gary was concerned mainly about his new career and promotion. With the stakeholders waiting for a complete project and funding on the line, the project team continuously upset STI until the primary contractor made a decision to work more closely with SEC to ensure accuracy. With good project management skills,...
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...Shield Project Case Study Helen Turner UMUC Executive Summary: The basic concepts of project management calls for proper planning, organization and the management of a variety of resources in order to successfully achieve a certain goal. The most important job of a project management is to deliver results within time constraints as well as according to a budget. Effective project managers strategically facilitate the entire project management process to ensure the project’s success. To do this the project manager must adequately meet the specific requirements (i.e., time, scope, quality, and cost) set forth by the project and its stakeholders. Project control is essential but if implemented incorrectly it can have devastating effects on the outcome of a project. Incorrect implementation of project control was the ultimate downfall for Gary Allison. The technical, ethical, legal, contractual and communication issues of project management will be discussed as they pertain to the Orion Shield Project. A thorough analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Gary Allison will also be discussed. Technical Issues . Gary recognized the presence of technical issues during the initiating stage of the project. According to the request for proposal (RFP) released by Space Technologies Industries (STI), the technical specification required that the design should be able to operate at temperatures ranging from 0 to 145 F. Gary attempted...
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...The Orion Shield Project Analysis Shruti Patel University of Maryland University College AMBA640 Executive Summary Any and every project or program requires a plan to be implemented and documented to ensure its success. The Orion Shield Project is an example of a project without such a plan in place, and an inexperience manager as lead. Gary Allison was impulsively appointed to the position of Project Manager for the Orion Shield Project by Henry Larsen, the Director of Operations. This paper will analyze the the technical, ethical, contractual/legal, and program management related issues that Gary Allison encountered while managing the Orion Shield project. The paper will outline the history and specifics of the project but it will mainly focus on the actions and reactions of Mr. Allison, and what steps he could have taken to result in a different outcome for the project. Gary’s lack of management experience and lack of ethical judgement led to a failed project mission, which could have been easily avoided. Introduction The Orion Shield Project has the mission to improve the structural capabilities of NASA’s Shuttle Launch booster by 3 years. Research found that the Booster showed signs of fatigue failure after six years in the field, where as the desired and originally specified time was nine years. This project was by NASA to find/create new materials that can support a longer life in the field for the Shuttle Launch Booster. Since the DoD/NASA contracting criteria...
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...Executive Summary Gary Allison had been with Scientific Engineering Corporation (SEC) for 14 years as a successful engineer. His boss, Henry Larsen promoted Gary as the project manager of the Orion Shield Project. Little did Gary know that this promotion that would significantly change his career at SEC and not for the better. Because of the Orion project Gary went from a star engineer at SEC, to almost losing his position with the company. This was all due to Gary’s lack of project management skills and Henry Larsen’s, lack of support and unethical guidance. Gary Allison did not have the tools or project manager experience to successfully meet the expectations of the company or the requirements of the project. Unfortunately project managers get picked based on availability and not necessarily because they possess project management skills. However, an inadequately trained and/or inexperienced project manager can doom a project as was the case with Gary and the Orion Shield Project. Gary encountered many technical, ethical, legal, contractual and project management issues. Gary’s lack of project management experience was obvious from the very beginning of the project. Many factors contributed to Gary’s failure as a project manager. Gary’s inexperience in project management, his bad communication with the customer and his not being honest with the customer contributed to the failure of the Orion Shield Project. Gary should have informed his counterparts of his missed...
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...Decision Making Professor Daniel Sersland 29 March, 2015 Orion Shield Project Robert King 2 Executive Summary Inside the Orion Shield project case study, varying degrees of issues are seen during every aspect of its existence. These include technical, ethical, contractual, as well as legal issues which ultimately limited the success of this project from the beginning. Gary Allison was the incorrect choice as a project manager for this project. His inexperience in this type of management jeopardized the contract, and has placed SEC under possible litigation by his actions throughout the project. Gary wasted valuable time and resources during his tenure as a project manager, and failed to provide himself with enough time to properly manage the technical design and development of the components for STI. As such, Gary was even blindsided when it was discovered that Henry Larson was testing new materials with Paula Arnold without Gary having approved or even known about the changes. This led to more scheduling, resting, and development issues down the road, and ultimately was the catalyst for going over budget on this product. Ethical issues persisted throughout this project, from Gary’s selection as an engineer which Henry could manipulate in order to allow Henry to run the project as his “Baby”, while leaving all liability solely on Gary’s head in the case of failure. As such, this on top of the fact that in numerous instances, critical information was withheld...
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...The Orion Shield Project Case Study An Analysis of What Went Wrong University of Maryland University College Author Note This paper was prepared for AMBA 640, Section 113, taught by Professor Executive Summary Project management is the application of knowledge, skills and techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently as defined from the Project Management Institute (PMI, 2008). It is a calculated proficiency for organizations enabling them to tie project results to business goals and improve chances to compete in their respective markets. Project management processes fall into five competency groups which are initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling and closing that ensures a project’s success. The Project Manager must possess certain skills to manage a process. A Project manager must also be able to manage time, quality and scope resourcefully. This paper will analyze the performance of Gary Allison, an engineer whose first project as a Project manager was to head up the Orion Shield Project. There were many issues that made this project a near failure. I will address the technical, ethical, legal, and contractual issues that affect his performance and critique his reactions to these matters. I will conclude my analysis with a reasonable deduction of what competencies Gary lacks that would make him a more effective project manager. Introduction The Orion Shield Project is the creation of tiles that are part of...
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... Due: January, 15th 2013 Executive Summary Gary Allison began his career as a mechanical engineer in which he got his Ph. D in working for Scientiic Engineering Corporation (SEC). He worked as a project engineer for the last 14 years but was given the opportunity to become a project manager from his boss Henry Larsen. The project name was Orion Shield which Gary’s boss was very excited about, as he believed the project would “take him to the top”. Gary soon would find out that even though he was a very good engineer, he was a horrible project manager almost costing the success of the project and the company as a whole. Gary could have avoided this by improving his communication and by following the five project management groups. I believe that he would have been more successful as a project manager and might have enjoyed it much more than he did. Technical In the Orion Shield Project Gary faced a lot of technical issues that was one of the causes of him not being a good project manager. He has a technical background, as he was a very successful project engineer doing mechanical work for Scientific Engineering Corporation (SEC). With a lot of effort and his excellent communication skills Gary was offered a promotion, which he accepted but later regretted his decision. I believe that one of the many mistakes he made was that he was relying too much on his previous knowledge of being an engineer. For example, the case states “Gary decided to let the other project office...
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...Executive Summary: The Orion Shield Project is a practical story of a newly appointed project manager whose poor leadership, unbalanced actions and unethical decision resulted in almost failing a project of manufacturing a Shuttle Launch Booster component for NASA. While the project was originally subcontracted by another company, it eventually produced a product that met most of the requirements, but the project was overwhelmed by many technical, ethical, legal, contractual and other project management challenges that caused cost overruns, strained internal relationships and customer distrust and dissatisfaction. These serious issues could be properly addressed with adequate management support, effective training, timely communication, and proper software tools which are vital for any project success. Thus the project could meet all its requirements as well as the internal and external stakeholder satisfaction. Introduction: The Orion Shield Project is a practical story of a newly appointed project manager whose poor leadership, unbalanced actions and unethical decision resulted in almost failing a project of manufacturing a Shuttle Launch Booster component for NASA. While the project was originally subcontracted by another company, it eventually produced a product that met most of the requirements, but the project was overwhelmed by many technical, ethical, legal, contractual and other project management challenges that could have resulted to fail it. However, it did result...
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...Marketing Management 14 PHILIP KOTLER Northwestern University KEVIN LANE KELLER Dartmouth College Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo Editorial Director: Sally Yagan Editor in Chief: Eric Svendsen Executive Editor: Melissa Sabella Development Editor: Elisa Adams Director of Editorial Services: Ashley Santora Editorial Project Manager: Kierra Bloom Editorial Assistant: Elizabeth Scarpa Director of Marketing: Patrice Lumuba Jones Senior Marketing Manager: Anne Fahlgren Senior Managing Editor: Judy Leale Production Project Manager: Ann Pulido Senior Operations Supervisor: Arnold Vila Creative Director: John Christiano Senior Art Director: Blair Brown Text and Cover Designer: Blair Brown Lead Media Project Manager: Lisa Rinaldi Editorial Media Project Manager: Denise Vaughn Full-Service Project Management: Sharon Anderson/BookMasters, Inc. Composition: Integra Printer/Binder: Courier/Kendallville Cover Printer: Lehigh-Phoenix Color/Hagerstown Text Font: 9.5/11.5, Minion Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on appropriate page within text. Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2006, 2003, 2000 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. All...
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...the speed of business “The 14th edition of Contemporary Business is dedicated to Joseph S. Heider, who brought me to John Wiley & Sons. Thank you, Joe.” —Dave Vice President & Executive Publisher Acquisitions Editor Assistant Editor Production Manager Senior Production Editor Marketing Manager Creative Director Senior Designer Text Designer Cover Designer Production Management Services Senior Illustration Editor Photo Editor Photo Researcher Senior Editorial Assistant Executive Media Editor Media Editor George Hoffman Franny Kelly Maria Guarascio Dorothy Sinclair Valerie A. Vargas Karolina Zarychta Harry Nolan Madelyn Lesure 4 Design Group Wendy Lai Elm Street Publishing Services Anna Melhorn Hilary Newman Teri Stratford Emily McGee Allison Morris Elena Santa Maria This book was set in Janson TextLTStd-Roman 10/13 by MPS Limited, a Macmillan Company, Chennai, India and printed and bound by R. R. Donnelley & Sons. The cover was printed by R. R. Donnelley & Sons. This book is printed on acid free paper. ∞ Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of knowledge and understanding for more than 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Our company is built on a foundation of principles that include responsibility to the communities we serve and where we live and work. In 2008, we launched a Corporate Citizenship Initiative, a global effort to address the environmental, social, economic, and ethical challenges...
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...Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness Houston/ Harris County Blue Ribbon Commission to End Chronic Homelessness Houston/Harris County May 2006 Table of Contents COMPONENTS OF THE 10 YEAR PLAN 1. Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness……………………………………Tab 1 a. Context b. Synthesis of Research Findings c. Strategic Plan Goals d. Summary of Year 1 Action Steps e. Funding Requirements f. Summary of Data Report Findings g. Models used to Develop Plan 2. Summary of System Management Function…………………………………Tab 2 3. Enumeration and Needs Assessment………………………………………...Tab 3 a. Enumeration b. Community Profile c. Profiles of Specific Sub-Populations d. Conclusions e. Recommendations 4. Gaps Analysis……………………...………………………………………...…..Tab 4 5. Rapid Re-housing Demonstration Report………………………………….....Tab 5 a. Pierce Intervention Evaluation 6. Open Doors Report………………………………………………………………Tab 6 a. Rapid Assessment of Needs of Hurricane Evacuees Blue Ribbon Commission to End Chronic Homelessness Anna Babin United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast David Benson Harris County Commissioners Court David S Buck, MD, MPH Department of Family & Community Medicine Baylor College of Medicine James Calaway Center for Houston’s Future Robert Eury Central Houston, Inc. The Most Reverend Bishop Fiorenza The Diocese of Galveston – Houston Skip Kasdorf Greater Houston Partnership Richard Lapin City of Houston Anna Leal Houston Endowment, Inc. The Honorable Pat Lykos Harris County Anthony Love Coalition for the...
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