MGT 353 Introduction to Project Management
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management
Accredited By the Project Management Institute and
the Global Accreditation Institute for Project Management
Peerasit Patanakul, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
ppatanak@stevens.edu
Office: Babio Center, 303B
Tel: 201-216-8156, Fax: 201-216-5385
Required Textbook:
"Project Management: A Managerial Approach” (Sixth Edition) by Jack R. Meredith and Samuel J.
Mantel, Jr.; John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN 0-471-71537-9
“A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge,” (Third Edition) by The Project Management
Institute (PMI). ISBN 193069945-X
Overview
This course will describe the problems of managing a project within a permanent organization for the
purpose of achieving a specific objective. It will broadly cover the operational and conceptual issues faced
by modern project managers. At the end of this course, students should be able to develop, execute, and
control a basic project plan capable of supporting business objectives linked to measures of success for a
single project.
Learning Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
Discuss the range, scope, and complexity of modern projects.
Introduce a strategic, system perspective on the management of projects.
Discuss the role of the modern project manager.
Practice applying tools and techniques used in project management.
Pedagogy
Unless specifically authorized by the professor, all work assignments should be solely the student's own
individual work. To pursue the course objectives effectively, students will engage in the following activities:
 Read assigned material prior to class sessions;
 Complete individual assignments and exams and submit them on time;
 Participate in discussion and any group assignments;
 Complete a final project case study.
Syllabus: BT 353
Fall 2008
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MGT 353 Introduction to Project Management
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management
Required Text/Reading and Assignments
Besides textbooks, all supplement readings, course lecture notes, and assignments are posted on the class
webpage (WebCT). Students can access to the class webpage through http://elearn.stevens.edu. Any
problems about WebCT, call Help Desk at 201-216-5500.
Students requiring training support on the use of MS-Project should acquire the Microsoft Press book
“Microsoft Project Version 2002 – Step by Step” and allocate time to work through the exercises
contained in that self-paced training manual.
Course Grading
Class Participation
Assignments
Midterm Examination
Comprehensive Final Case
Total possible points
100
300
200
400
Points
Points
Points
Points
1000
Points
1. Class Participation
Students are expected to make meaningful contributions to class discussions. Standards for
Assessing the Quality of Class Comments include:
 Does this comment contribute to class process and peer understanding of the concept under
discussion?
 Does this comment enlighten your instructor and/or class members?
 Does it provide a new angle on your instructor's presentation of a concept that makes grasping the
point easier?
 Does an example provide a good demonstration of a concept and thus assist others to comprehend
the way things work?
 Does someone consistently play the role of "recapper" in a way that effectively paraphrases points?
 Do students make key statements that galvanize the class to wrestle with an issue without help from
your instructor?
Syllabus: BT 353
Fall 2008
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MGT 353 Introduction to Project Management
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management
2. Assignment
Individual Assignment (IA) Title
IA1. Project selection
IA2. Scope management
IA3. Schedule development
IA4. Monitoring and control problems
Individual Assignments Point Subtotal
Grade
Points
75
75
75
75
300
3. Examination
Examination Title
Type
Midterm Exam
Comprehensive Final Case
Examination Point Subtotal
In-class
Case Report
Course Point Total
Grade
Points
200
400
600
1,000
Ethical Conduct
Stevens Honor System: Enrollment into the undergraduate class of Stevens signifies a
student’s commitment to the Honor System. It is the responsibility of each student to
become acquainted with and to uphold the ideals set forth in the Honor System
Constitution. All students are reminded that, as a condition of being admitted to
Stevens, they will uphold and adhere to the standards of the Stevens Honor System.
Specific student responsibilities include:

Maintaining honesty and fair play in all aspects of academic life at Stevens

Writing and signing the pledge, in full, on all submitted academic work

Reporting any suspected violations to an Honor Board member or to the Dean of
Undergraduate Academics

Cooperating with the Honor Board during investigations and hearings
Syllabus: BT 353
Fall 2008
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MGT 353 Introduction to Project Management
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management
Class Schedule (Details are below)
Date*
Discussion title
Important milestones
08/26
Introduction to project management
09/02
Project selection and evaluation
09/09
Organizational concepts in project management
09/16
Project scope management
IA1 due, IA2 issued
09/23
Schedule development
IA3 issued
09/30
Resource management
IA2 due
10/07
Cost management
10/14
NO CLASS – Scheduled for Monday classes
10/21
Uncertainty and risk
10/28
MIDTERM EXAMINATION
11/04
Project monitoring
11/11
Project control
11/18
Project auditing and termination
11/25
Project managers
12/2
Conclusion
IA1 issued
IA3 due
IA4 issued
IA4 due
Final case due
* Subject to change
Syllabus: BT 353
Fall 2008
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MGT 353 Introduction to Project Management
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management
1: Introduction to project management
Goal: Present an integrative perspective on related project management issues covering the complexity of
relations and the time-related dynamics of the project life cycle.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
M&M Ch. 1
Project in contemporary organization
Ch. 1
Introduction
PMBOK §2.1
Project life cycle
Ch. 3
Project management processes for a project
2: Project selection and evaluation
Goals: Introduce project selection and evaluation methods and discuss their applications.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
M&M
Ch. 2
Strategic management and project selection
3: Organizational concepts in project management
Goals: Introduce different organizational structures and discuss their advantages and disadvantages and
discuss the concepts of conflict and negotiation in project management.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
Ch. 4
Project organization
M&M
Ch. 6
Conflict and negotiation
PMBOK Ch. 2
Project organization
4: Project scope management
Goal: Introduce concepts required to structure project’s work effort.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
M&M
Ch. 5
Project planning
PMBOK Ch. 4 & 5
Project integration management and scope management
Selected reading
Advocating a deliverable-oriented work breakdown structure, Parviz F. Rad
Syllabus: BT 353
Fall 2008
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MGT 353 Introduction to Project Management
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management
5: Schedule development
Goal: Discuss some concepts and techniques regarding project schedule development.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
M&M
Ch. 8
Scheduling
PMBOK Ch. 6
Project time management
6: Resource management
Goal: Discuss some concepts and technique regarding budget development and the allocation of physical
resources.
Recommended Readings:
Text
M&M
PMBOK
Section No.
Ch. 9
Ch. 9
Selected reading
Case study
Titles
Resource allocation
Project human resource management
Critical chain project management improves project performance, Larry P.
Leach
Payton Corp.
7: Cost management
Goal: Discuss some concepts and technique regarding budget development and the allocation of physical
resources.
Recommended Readings:
Text
M&M
PMBOK
Section No.
Ch. 7
Ch. 7
Titles
Budget and cost estimation
Project cost management
8: Uncertainty and risk
Goal: Expand concepts of critical chain and discuss the concepts of uncertainty and risk in project
management.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
PMBOK Ch. 11
Project risk management
9: In-Class Midterm Examination
Syllabus: BT 353
Fall 2008
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MGT 353 Introduction to Project Management
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management
10: Project monitoring
Goal: Introduce some concepts and technique required to monitor project activities such as earned value
analysis.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
M&M Ch. 10
Monitoring and information system
PMBOK Ch. 10
Project communication management
11: Project Control
Goal: Introduce concepts required to understand a basic decision theory and the dynamics of trade-offs
required to achieve effective project control.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
M&M
Ch. 11
Project control
PMBOK Ch. 8
Project quality management
One size does not fit all projects: Exploring classical contingency domains, Aaron
Selected reading
J. Shenhar
12: Project auditing and termination
Goal: Introduce some concepts required to understand a basic decision theory and the dynamics of trade-offs
associated with closing out a project.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
M&M
Ch. 12&13 Project auditing and termination
Project success: A Multidimensional strategic concept, Aaron J. Shenhar, Dov
Selected reading
Dvir, Ofer, Levy, and Alan C. Maltz
Case study
Quantum Telecom.
13: Project Manager: Organizational Responsibilities
Goal: Introduce roles and responsibilities of project managers including their skill requirement.
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
Ch. 3
The project manager
M&M
Ch. 6
Conflict and negotiation
Competencies of multiple-project manager, Peerasit Patanakul and Dragan
Selected reading
Milosevic
Case study
Ducor Chemical
Syllabus: BT 353
Fall 2008
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MGT 353 Introduction to Project Management
Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management
14: Class Summary
Recommended Readings:
Text
Section No.
Titles
Project management 2002, Jeffrey K. Pinto
Selected reading
Standardize project management may increase development project success,
Dragan Milosevic and Peerasit Patanakul
Syllabus: BT 353
Fall 2008
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