Training Teams in Managing Projects in a Matrix Structure

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lior Davidovitch ◽  
Avi Parush ◽  
Tom Hewett ◽  
Avy Shtub
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Team Learning ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Matrix Structure ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Dynamic Stochastic ◽  
Matrix Organization

Projects are performed in different kinds of organizations: functional structure, project-based structure or matrix structure. The matrix organization is a combination of the functional organization and the “pure” project organization. In a matrix organization, there are usually two chains of command. The chain dealing with issues related to the functional division and the chain dealing with issues related to the project. Due to the split authority between project managers and functional managers, management becomes much more complicated. The cooperation between the project managers is vital for the matrix organization to perform well. Therefore, training teams of project managers in the matrix structure environment is required. A new method for training teams of project managers is presented. The proposed method is based on a real-time simulation called the Project Team Builder (PTB). PTB simulates a dynamic, stochastic multi-project management environment. A project management course for graduate students in systems engineering utilized PTB. The students used the simulator in a multi-user multi-project mode. A class of undergraduate engineering students participated in the same experiment as a control group. The 132 participants were divided into teams of three students (44 teams) which performed repetitive simulation-runs. Three factors were investigated: 1. Previous experience, 2. History recording mechanism, and 3. Team debriefing process. The findings indicate that for the initial learning phase, and for the transfer to different scenario phase, these three independent factors affect the performances. Furthermore, the interactions between the experience and history factors; between the experience and debriefing factors; and between the history and debriefing factors were all significant. Based on these findings a new paradigm for simulation-based team-learning model in a matrix organization structure is presented. The new model includes integration of history mechanism and debriefing procedure in the Kolb’s Team Learning Experience model.

Project Managers and Functional Managers: A Case Study of Job Satisfaction in a Matrix Organization

1998 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan G. Turner ◽  
Dawn R. Utley ◽  
Jerry D. Westbrook
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Matrix Structure ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Matrix Organization ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Development Center

Information regarding job satisfaction within an organization using a matrix structure is limited. This paper provides empirical evidence regarding the difference in job satisfaction between project managers and functional managers in one matrix organization: a government research and development center. Key findings of this research include the identification of the factors that provide job satisfaction for both groups and the significant difference in job satisfaction between the groups. The perceived efficiencies provided by the matrix structure may be negated by the lack of job satisfaction experienced by the functional managers.

The Matrix Organization: Can the Human Factors Specialist Thrive or Merely Survive?

1988 ◽  
Vol 32 (13) ◽  
pp. 803-806
Author(s):  
Charles Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Matrix Structure ◽  
Organizational Research ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Matrix Organization

An increasing amount of Human Factors (HF) Specialists are providing their services through matrix organizations. If the Human Factors Specialist is to be successful, an understanding of recent organizational research involving matrix organizations is important. This paper differentiates among three basic types of organizations: the Functional organization, the Product organization, and the Matrix organization and examines the organizational pressures that force organizations to turn to a matrix organization. The advantages and disadvantages are explored. As the matrix structure grows in popularity, Human Factors Specialists familiar with the principles of a matrix organization, will be better equipped to deliver their services in the most effective manner.

Cross-Functional Structures: A Review and Integration of Matrix Organization and Project Management

1992 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert C. Ford ◽  
W. Alan Randolph
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Theory Building ◽  
Organizational Characteristics ◽  
Project Leader ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Matrix Organization ◽  
Project Characteristics ◽  
Team Characteristics ◽  
Definition Of

In this article, we review and summarize the literature on crossfunctional organization forms that has been published since 1976. We focus on the commonalities of the literatures that deal with matrix organization and project management. With a definition of cross-functional organization in hand, we review the literature for advantages and disadvantages of these organization forms, ending the section with a discussion of the great needfor empirical research to resolve numerous questions and paradoxes. Finally, we review a model for effective cross-functional organizations, comprising environmental influences, organizational characteristics, project characteristics, project team characteristics, project leader characteristics, and project effectiveness. Each section ends with a discussion of needed research, and the article ends with a call for research and theory building regarding cross-functional organizations, which continue to grow in application importance.

scholarly journals Designing matrix organizations that work: Lessons from the P&G case

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Jean Degen
Keyword(s):  
Structure Design ◽  
Matrix Structure ◽  
Systems Planning ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Simple Matrix ◽  
Proper Power ◽  
Matrix Organization ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Information Systems Planning

The matrix organization concept emerged from the US aerospace industry in the 1960s and was adopted by many companies in the early 1970s. In the late 1970s and early 1980s many companies were experiencing trouble with its operation and many argued like Peters & Waterman in their bestseller In search of excellence in 1982 (p. 306) that the matrix was too complex to work properly. Galbraith (2009, p. 10-14) explains that the reason for the problems were that the matrix in these organizations was wrongly adopted, hastily installed, and inappropriately implemented. He explains that adopting a matrix structure requires a collaborative organization form, proper power, and accountability distribution, complementing changes to the information systems, planning and budgeting process, the performance evaluation and bonus system, and so on. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate why companies adopted the matrix, what problems they had, the solutions for these problems based on Galbraith (2009) and other authors like Davis & Lawrence (1977), and the state of the art of matrix structure design today like the P&G front-back hybrid matrix organization. To illustrate the historical evolution of organization structure to the simple matrix and then to more complex matrix organizations we used the P&G case (Piskorski & Spadini 2007).

scholarly journals Matrix structures in management of quality of educational and scientific work of Ukrainian universities

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleksandr Velychko ◽  
Liudmyla Velychko
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Work ◽  
Matrix Structure ◽  
Consulting Services ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Matrix Organization ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Quality In Higher Education ◽  
The University ◽  
Further Development

For the past few years, major progress in providing academic autonomy to Ukrainian universities has been made. However, a large number of universities even now remain the establishments with post-Soviet bureaucratic type of organization of management. As a result, a severe and complicated system of control over current activity has been supported, which requires from scientific and pedagogical workers not only to work effectively, but also to keep the set of rules and procedures. The purpose of the research is to search for possibilities of efficient application by modern universities of flexible matrix structures of management while forming their own internal system of quality control. Threats from bureaucratic management have been generalized for competitiveness of a modern university at the market of educational, scientific and consulting services. The concept and methodology on de-bureaucratization of the system of quality in higher education on the basis of the process approach of the theory of management and rationalistic logistics obtained further development. The mechanism of management of quality at the operational level of the university through integration of the segment-focused approach, system of grading and matrix organization of regular processes has been improved. Ways to apply matrix structure the middle and low levels of managing university have been suggested. Author’s recommendations have been provided towards rating evaluation of work of departments and their segment-focused structural organization. The matrix structure of management of quality of carrying out the temporary research project in the university under the conditions of the budget commission has been developed and practically tested.

A practical, multidisciplinary approach for assessing leadership in project management education

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Mazzetto
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Manager ◽  
Practical Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Working Groups ◽  
College Of Engineering

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a practical approach to the teaching of project management as it was applied in the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the College of Engineering, Qatar University. The leadership skills of the project managers, leading several working groups, were evaluated by running a multidisciplinary collaborative project. Design/methodology/approach The main aim of the research was to propose a practical approach for assessing the extent to which the knowledge and skills of a leader are important for ensuring that a project is completed successfully. The research exercise highlighted the fact that some of the leadership attitudes of the project manager are fundamental to the success of the work. The project manager’s ability to lead a team through the different work stages of a project is seen as a fundamental contributor to its success. Findings This practical approach to the appraisal of leadership brings the theoretical teaching of project management closer to its practical applications, by encouraging students to learn the techniques and tools commonly used in the professional setting. The paper concludes by suggesting that there is a need to focus more attentively on assessing leadership skills when selecting a project manager, in either an academic or a professional context. Originality/value The research exercise highlighted the fact that some of the leadership attitudes of the project manager are fundamental to the success of the work. The project manager’s ability to lead a team through the different work stages of a project is seen as a fundamental contributor to its success.

Differences of the Project Management and Program Management

2014 ◽  
Vol 1030-1032 ◽  
pp. 2547-2550
Author(s):  
Hai Xie
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Program Management ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Management Office ◽  
Program Manager ◽  
Complex Projects ◽  
Decision Making Capacity ◽  
Cross Project ◽  
Project Level

Program management is the process of managing several related projects, often with the intention of improving an organization's performance. In practice and in its aims it is often closely related to systems engineering and industrial engineering. The Program Manager has oversight of the purpose and status of all projects in a Program and can use this oversight to support project-level activity to ensure the overall program goals are likely to be met, possibly by providing a decision-making capacity that cannot be achieved at project level or by providing the Project Manager with a program perspective when required, or as a sounding board for ideas and approaches to solving project issues that have program impacts. Typically in a program there is a need to identify and manage cross-project dependencies and often the PMO (Program or Project Management Office) may not have sufficient insight of the risk, issues, requirements, design or solution to be able to usefully manage these. The Program manager may be well placed to provide this insight by actively seeking out such information from the Project Managers although in large and/or complex projects, a specific role may be required. However this insight arises, the Program Manager needs this in order to be comfortable that the overall program goals are achievable.

Managing Semantic Consistency in Model-Based Systems Engineering Using a Matrix Structure

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Ye ◽  
Marija Jankovic ◽  
Jean-Claude Bocquet
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Modeling Languages ◽  
Matrix Structure ◽  
Engineering Systems ◽  
Semantic Consistency ◽  
Consistency Management ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Information Transformation ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Model Based Systems Engineering

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) currently lacks a formalized way of managing modeling consistency. This paper presents a new methodology for semantic consistency management in MBSE. At its core, a matrix structure which extends the Multiple Domain Matrix (MDM) and Engineering Systems Matrix (ESM) is used to organize semantic relations between modeling elements created by using various modeling languages and tools, and to represent how they change over time. In addition, this paper describes how the new matrix can be automatically maintained by a plug-in module which manages the bidirectional information transformation between the model and the matrix. We show that the utilization of our methodology has potential in avoiding ambiguous namings in models, enhancing the traceability of modeling elements as well as reducing manual work. A real world engineering use case with air-conditioning is used to show the utilization of our methodology.

scholarly journals Benchmarking model based on genetic mechanisms in project management

2020 ◽  
pp. 140-155
Author(s):  
L.S. Chernova
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Product Formation ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Knowledge Systems ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Global Trend ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Genetic Mechanisms

The application of knowledge accumulated in the fundamental mechanisms of wildlife is a global trend in the development of project ma-nagement. This trend requires additional research on the development of exis-ting methodologies, knowledge systems, and genetic mechanisms of project and program management. Convergence (oncoming) of knowledge systems of various branches and benchmarking are mechanisms that transfer knowledge and best practice between domains. The authors proposed a classification of convergence mechanisms for further transfer of knowledge − benchmarking between different domains. Four principles of constructing and developing methodologies for project management based on transfer of knowledge and best practice are formulated. These are the principles of the necessary diversity (Ashby), the coherence of methodologies, convergence, integration and harmonization, the focus on the result and product. They are given basic definitions and application of genetic models in creation of methodologies of project management. The model of application of genetic mechanisms of the matrix model of knowledge (mRNA), models and methods of project management is proposed. The benchmarking model of genetic mechanisms and information in project management is defined as a sequence of matrix RNA processing steps. The following steps that are described in the interpretation of project management methodologies are initiation, transcription, processing and transport, translation, splicing, modification, product formation, and termination. Considered approach has a significant impact on the development of the competence of project managers, taking into account the creation and production of fundamentally new knowledge and management mechanisms.

scholarly journals A Novel Development of TRIZ-Analogic Construction Interface Problem Identification and Solutions Framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Sou-Sen Leu ◽  
Chih-Yu Yang ◽  
Yao-Jen Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Medical Science ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Interface Problems ◽  
Interface Problem ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Problem Identification ◽  
Interface Management ◽  
Building Projects ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Clinical Experiments

One of the critical factors of project success is the interface management. Past project interface management mainly relies on knowledge and experience of the project managers. The existing studies of project interface management also mainly focused on the definition and the classification of project interfaces. There is no workable and flexible framework for construction interface problem identification and solutions. This study conducted an analogic study of contradiction matrix at Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) to develop such a framework. This research collected around six hundred interface management cases from civil works and building projects. For comparison, this research defined an experimental group (TRIZ case) and a control group (experience-oriented solution case) based on the concept of clinical experiments in medical science to evaluate and improve the rationality of the matrix. Subsequently, based upon the theory of information retrieval (IR), this research conducted statistical evaluation and TRIZ features remedies to develop generalized construction interface problem identification and solutions. For solving project management interface problems, the TRIZ-analogic construction interface problem identification and solutions framework provides a systematic approach to develop more robust solutions for interface problems in construction engineering rather than just simply relying on intuitive experience.

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