Moss and McAdams
Accounting Firm
Case Study pages 82 -85 from our
Text book, Project Management
by Clifford F. Gray and Erik W. Larson
Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm
• Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm “was a
well-established regional accounting firm with
160 employees located across six offices in
Minnesota and Wisconsin. The main office
where [Bruce] Palmer worked, was in Green
Bay, Wisconsin.” (Gray, pg.82-83)
Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm
• This case study deals with two projects
handled by their main office in Green Bay
Wisconsin. Their office manager Ruby Sands is
responsible for assigning project team leaders
and team members.
Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm
• Mr. Palmer was able to select his team for the
Johnsonville Trucks Audit project; he was
pleased with the five accountants assigned to
his team; most notably was Zeke Olds, an
Army vet, known for coming up with
innovated solutions to problems.
Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm
• Mr. Olds is well liked and his talents were
sought after at the firm.
• Additionally, Moss and McAdams had just
hired Ken Crosby, an accountant with nine
years experience, hired to manage the special
consulting project (Springfield Metal Project ).
Mr. Crosby wants Mr. Olds on his team.
Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm
• Rudy Sands was the office manager in the Green
Bay office responsible for assigning personnel to
different accounts. The problem occurred when
Ms. Sands assigned Mr. Olds to split time on both
teams; I assume she had no way of knowing this
would have gone so poorly. However, I believe
this is her fault or at least her place to ensure this
does not happen again in the future at the Green
Bay office or anywhere within Moss and
McAdams again.
Moss and McAdams, Structure
Moss and McAdams
Accounting Firm
5 Other Offices Across
WI & MN
Main Office in Green Bay
Ruby Sands, Office
Manager
Bruce Palmer, Team
Lead
Ken Crosby, Team Lead
Other Team Leads…
Zeke Olds, Team
Member
Zeke Olds, Team
Member
Other Team Members
Other Team Members
Other Team Members
Moss and McAdams, Risk Analysis
• From what I can see, the problem occurred once
two project managers, Palmer and Crosby wanted
to both use Olds splitting time between the two
projects. After a short while Olds splitting time
between both projects was hurting Olds family
life and causing problems on Palmer’s project.
• Ms. Sands is the office manager and responsible
for who manages the team and who will be on
the teams. Ultimately, she is responsible for the
break down in team performance.
Moss and McAdams, Risk Analysis
Risk Event
Likelihood
Impact
Johnsonville
Audit Failure
Springfield
Metal Project
Failure
Bruce Palmer
Looking Bad
Ruby Sands
Looking Bad
Zeke Olds
Looking Bad
Ken Crosby
Looking Bad
3
7
Detection
Difficulty
3
2
8
2
4
6
4
1
9
5
2
8
1
4
3
4
When
Throughout the
Project
Throughout the
Project
Early in His New
Position
Anytime
Early in His New
Career
Early in His New
Company
Moss and McAdams, Risk Analysis
Risk Event
Response
Contingency
Plan
Do Without
Johnsonville
Audit Failure
Replace Mr.
Olds
Springfield
Metal Project
Failure
Bruce Palmer
Looking Bad
Use Mr. Olds
Ruby Sands
Looking Bad
Learn From this
Event
Change Office
Policy
Zeke Olds
Looking Bad
Learn From this
Event
8
Ken Crosby
Looking Bad
Learn From this
Event
3
Replace Mr.
Olds
Learn From this
Event
Trigger
Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams
Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams
Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams
Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams
Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams
Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams
Who is
Responsible?
Ruby Sands and
the Two Team
Leaders
Ruby Sands and
the Two Team
Leaders
Ruby Sands
Ruby Sands and
Company Policy
Ruby Sands and
the Two Team
Leads
Ruby Sands
Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm
• Ms. Sands failed to support “what leaders and
team members need to understand about
emotions: people need to be valued, people
need to feel a sense of belonging ,people need
a realistic and hopeful future, and people
need basic organization in their lives.”
(O'Connor, 2009).
Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm
• Aside from Ms. Sandy’s failure additionally,
Mr. Crosby was not willing to work fairly with
Mr. Palmer; he did build an efficient team but
at Mr. Palmer’s expense. He broke promises
and did little to build building social capital
with Mr. Palmer in fact he did just the
opposite.
Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm
• Finally, Ms. Sands, Mr. Palmer and Mr. Crosby
all failed Mr. Olds as he struggled to balance
both project teams and his family life. He was
the one in the end who elevated the issues to
Ms. Sands; it seems strange to me that with
the office manager and two team leaders
involved one of them should have been able
to make the difficult decision without Mr. Olds
forcing Ms. Sands to make the choice.
References
• Gray, C. F., & Larson, E. W. (2008). Project
Management (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGrawHill.
• O'Connor, K. R. (2009, October 8). Emotional
Rescue. Retrieved October 14, 2009, from
http://www.projectsatwork.com/content/
Articles/252039.cfm