Organizational Context for Project
Management
Charles B. Keating
Old Dominion University, Department of Engineering
Management, Kauffmann Engineering Hall Rm. 129A,
Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
There is little debate concerning the utility of project management tool and methods for planning, scheduling and control of temporary initiatives to produce a unique product or service. This paper develops a framework for understanding the assumptions necessary for effective deployment of the project management approach.
Understanding the dgeree to which an organization is compatible with these assumptions may determine thereadiness to effectively deploy project management methods.
Using Project Management Software in Different Work Environments Matthew J. Liberatore', Bruce Pollack-Johnson* 'Department of Decision and Information Technol,ogies,College of Commerce and Finance,Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA'Department of Mathematical Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA Using a random survey of PMI members, we analyze the factors influencing selection, usage, and future development of PM software. The findings lead to a categorization of the
differences in usage patterns by industry, experience, and package. Software adopters should consider these findings concerning industry practice and individual circumstances.
R&D Management Development of a Gap Assessment Strategy for R&D Management Amit N. Shah and Bahman Ghorashi Department of Chemical Engineering, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 441 15, USA A gap assessment strategy is developed to determine the status of a company's R&D operations. Among the specific factors that were considered are the following: the ability to respond to rapid and unexpected changes in the marketplace,
optimization of R&D process to the point where the conceptto-market time is minimized and the capability to produce future product extensions. This strategy is qualitative in its approach and the gap-assessment is done with the aid of a
software [2] developed for this purpose. The software is based on agility principles developed for' a R&D operation.
This paper primarily focuses on the development and capabilities of the R&D gap-assessment software.
Benchmarking R&D Best Practices in
Long and Short Life Cycle Industries
Onno W.F. Omta, F.T.J.M. Fortuin
University of Groningen, Faculty of Management and
Organisation, P.O. Box 800, 9700 AV., Groningen,
Netherlands
This paper presents the results of a cross-industry survey
among major R&D intensive companies. The life cycle
based differences in R&D and best practices in long and short
life cycle industries were examined.
Prototype-Based Life Cycle Costing
in the R&D
Markus Chr. Pfohl
University of Stuttgart, Keplerstr. 17,
70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Assistant Lecturer at the Department of Controlling,In R&D 75 to 85 % of accumulated product life cycle costs are determined, even though only 5 to 7 96 of these costs are incurred to this time. This gap between cost determination
and cost accumulation and the fact that the development and marketing of new products is related to increasing investments, requires a life cycle oriented perspective in R&D: Life cycle cost and life cycle profitability of an object have to be analyzed.Recent developments in technologies of Rapid Prototyping allow using more realistic prototypes in the early stages of R&D. The prototypes could be used as a means of communication. They help to explicate the implicit knowledge, which possess the representatives of the different functions, like R&D, marketing, logistics, etc., of the producer, the suppliers and the customer. So the prototypes are an excellent instrument to support the product life cycle
cost and profitability analysis.
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