2006 Graduate Student Paper Award:

Sabin Srivannaboon is an enthusiastic researcher and avid practitioner. He holds a Ph.D. in Systems Science: Engineering Management and a M.S. in Engineering Management, both from Portland State University (USA), and a B.E. in Environmental Engineering from Chulalongkorn University (Thailand).

As an academician, Sabin has presented his research at technology and project management conferences, where his articles have been published as chapters in books.  He was also a co-investigator and participated in proposals granted by NASA and Project Management Institute. In addition, Sabin has published articles in different journals like the Project Management Journal, International Journal of Project Management, and Engineering Management Journal, is a co-author of a chapter in the second edition of "Global Project Management Handbook", and is an author of multiple case studies in the book "Program Management for Improved Business Results".

As a practitioner, Sabin currently works as a Program Manager for Tektronix, Inc., a world leader in test, measurement and monitoring. He is responsible for RoHS product conversions. Prior to joining Tektronix, Sabin served as an NPI Program Manager for RadiSys Corporation, the leading supplier of advanced embedded systems. He also worked as a QA technician for Intel Corporation, the world leader in silicon innovation.

Sabin was included in the 2005-2006 “Honors Edition” of the United Who's Who Registry of Executives & Professionals as a professional who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and achievement in his profession. He also won the “2005 Outstanding Graduate Student Award” from Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at Portland State University.

In his leisure time, he enjoys watching movies, listening to all varieties of music, and playing acoustic guitar.

Abstract

This study addresses three aspects of an under-researched topic in the strategic management literature, aligning project management with business strategy, by examining the alignment in terms of:

• a two-way influence between project management and business strategy,
• a process used for achieving the project management/ business strategy alignment, and
• the degree to which a project is aligned with a business strategy.

Read the whole paper

2005

2005 Undergraduate Student Paper Award:

Emily Gray is a senior at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. She will be graduating in December 2005 with her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration along with minors in Project Management and Industrial and Organizational Psychology. In January 2006, Emily will begin her Master’s in Business Administration program, also at Metropolitan State University.

Emily works as a coordinator in Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota Department of Medical Education. Besides the full time commitments of school and work, Emily enjoys exercising, coaching soccer, and reading. She resides in a suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul with her husband and two daughters.

Abstract

Throughout the history of the world, the application of ethics has been vital to various organizational and professional practices. Webster’s Dictionary defines ethics as “The science of human duty; the body of rules of duty drawn from this science; a particular system of principle rules concerning duty, whether true or false; rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions.” (www.webster-dictionary.org) This definition is multifaceted in its description; for this paper, a simpler definition will be used from the book Managing for Dummies, which states that “ethics are standards of beliefs and values that guide conduct, behavior, and attitudes…simply doing the right thing.” (Nelson, 2000, p. 200). As previously stated, ethics have been utilized across multiple organizations and professions, the most highly mentioned studies consisting of business ethics, medical ethics, religious ethics, and environmental ethics.

This paper will focus on the application of the ethics utilized in the profession of Project Management, as stated in the Project Management Institute’s (PMI^®) Member Code of Ethics (PMI, 2004) to a healthcare organization, as modeled by the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota (Children's) organization in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota (www.childrenshc.org). The first section of this paper will give a brief history of the ethics science, including the ethical fields that are the framework for both business and medical ethics. The second section will address the PMI Member Code of Ethics and provide the guidelines that will be applied to healthcare throughout this paper. The third section of this paper will center on the application of the PMI code to organizational ethics at Children's as well as to the general healthcare profession. The final section will then discuss the PMI code application to the professional ethics followed by individual professions within the healthcare field, including Physician ethics and Registered Nursing ethics. At the conclusion of these three sections, the intertwined relationship between the ethics utilized in Project Management and those in health care will have been clearly illustrated.

2005 Graduate Student Paper Award:

Guru Prakash Prabhakar, PMP is a young trainer and researcher. He has a B.B.A (Hons.) and an MBA degree.

His present research, as a PhD scholar, is in the discipline of project management, leadership and strategic management under Prof. Christophe N. Bredillet, Director, ISGI, ESC Lille, France. He has also conducted research, in conjunction with the Wharton School, USA in the area of global leadership & organizational behaviour.

He has a lecturing experience in South East Asia and in Europe and also has corporate experience in the area of Financial Management, Banking and e-commerce.

Abstract

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Gandhi

This paper documents an empirical analysis of leadership in project management practices on 153 projects across 28 nations. This is a two-phase research study for which 46 projects were studied in phase 1 representing 14 nations and 107 projects were examined in phase 2 originating from 25 nations. The main purpose of this research is to study the importance of project leadership and team related factors and enlist the factors that play a pivotal role in achieving project success.

It is a multinational and thus multicultural research study that represents the present day project environment, which is highly multicultural and multidisciplinary.

The results from the analysis of data obtained from phase 1 lead to the development of the phase 2 questionnaires that further explores the links between different leadership aspects and project success as pointed out in the phase 1.

At the end the author provides a tentative and suggestive list of factors displaying the impact of critical leadership factors on project success using.

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2004

George Brook has enjoyed a varied and highly successful career in the entertainment industry, contributing to the production of film, television, animation, and video games in a number of capacities.  Highlights include a Gemini nomination (the Canadian equivalent of an Emmy) in the category of Best Sound Design for a Documentary, and a Gemini award for Best Practical Information Program or Series.  He has just wrapped up production on the award-winning home improvement series The Broken House Chronicles, serving as co-creator, co-writer, and co-host.  BHC is currently airing in the U.S., Canada, and England.  George has also recently completed a Masters of Business Administration at the University of Ottawa.  He has been studying project management under the guidance of Prof. John Rakos, and is engaged in an examination of how PM methodology can contribute to the television production industry.

Mr. Rakos has been teaching project management related courses for over twenty years to government, private industry and at the University of Ottawa last year.  He has also taught in the U of O Executive MBA in Hong Kong this year.  He has presented papers at many Project Management Institute conferences on planning, scheduling, and controlling projects in Canada and abroad.  His research interests include managing multiple projects using software such as Microsoft Project for management projects.

As well as being a lecturer, Mr. Rakos is also a project management consultant to many government and private firms.  Mr. Rakos has published a book entitled Software Project Management, for Small to Medium Sized Projects, 1990, Prentice-Hall, and is presently working on a book entitled Project Management Documentation Handbook, to be published by the Project Management Institute in collaboration with the University of Ottawa.

Abstract

Despite the fact that the television production industry offers many advantages in the practice of project management, including highly developed methodologies and straightforward (technical) quality management, productions fail or encounter significant setbacks with great regularity. This points to the inherent complexity and difficulty of the production process. This paper identifies commonalties in the project management experience within television production, examining both worst and best practices. 

It was relatively easy to pinpoint these commonalties, as there was significant agreement in the literature and in the professional experience of industry insiders. Worst practices that emerged included:

• Do not secure interim financing
• Ignore budgetary constraints in establishing scope
• Do not work out clear lines of authority
• Do not hire the right people for the job
• Ignore red flags in the script
• Do not allow for contingencies, do not establish contingency reserves
• Do not maintain the reputation of key personnel
• Do not lock down the script
• Do not manage the human side of production
• Do not secure all necessary rights before production

 Industry best practices that were uncovered include:

• Pay attention to red flags in the script
• Manage the creative team
• Keep an eye on the big picture
• Do an accurate cash flow analysis
• Ensure the project scope matches the project budget
• Allow for contingencies
• Hire the right people

These best practices are examined in the context of financial control mechanisms, budgeting, human resource issues, health and safety, insurance, integration management, and risk management during the production phase.

Despite the difficulties inherent in the television production industry, it continues to thrive and flourish. Given the huge amount of experience, expertise, and resources available, it is possible to manage projects in television production with excellence and integrity. It is hoped that the best and worst practices outlined here will be helpful in guiding future production endeavors.

2002

Kam Jugdev is a PhD Candidate in the Project Management Specialization at the University of Calgary (Faculties of Engineering and Management). Her thesis is on strategic project management.

2001

WANG Xiaojin, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne City, Victoria, AUSTRALIA
"Dimensions and Current Status of Project Management Culture"
Sponsor: Dr. Anona Armstrong

2000

GRADUATE
Valerie Lynne HERZOG, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CANADA
"Trust Building on Corporate Collaborative Project Teams"
Sponsor: Dr. George Jergeas

UNDERGRADUATE
Wendy E. STEWART, Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
"Balanced Scorecard for Projects"
Sponsor: Professor Anthony Tsoukanas, PMP

1999

Diane S. HAYES, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
"Evaluation and Application of a Project Charter Template to Improve the Project Planning Process"
Sponsor: Susan Fife Dorchak, Ph.D., Long Island University, Long Island, NY
Published: Project Management Journal, March 2000

1998

Ines SIQUEIRA, Westmount, QUE, CANADA
"Automated Cost Estimating System Using Neural Networks"
Sponsor: Osama Moselhi, Ph.D., PE
Published: Project Management Journal, March 1999

1997

Connie L. GUSS, Vancouver, BC, CANADA
"Virtual Project Management: Tools and the Trade"
Sponsor: Francis Hartman, Ph.D., PEng
Published: Project Management Journal, March 1998

1996

James G. CASLER, Fargo, ND, USA
"Management of Research and Development Project in Small
Technical Services Companies"
Sponsor: John R. Cook, Ph.D.
Published: Project Management Journal, March 1997

1994

Pasit LORTERAPONG, Concordia University, Montreal, QUE, CANADA
"A Fuzzy Heuristic Method for Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling"
Sponsor: Osama Moselhi, Ph.D., PE
Published: Project Management Journal, December 1994

1993

M. Güven IYIGÜN, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
"A Decision Support System for R&D Project Selection and Resource
Allocation under Uncertainty"
Sponsor: Dr. Dundar F. Kocaoglu

1992

Chotchai CHAROENNGAM, University of Texas at Austin, USA
Utilization of Influence Diagram for the Design and Integration of the Construction and Measurement Control Environment"
Sponsor: Dr. Calin Popescu
Published: Project Management Journal, March 1993

1991

Capt. Korina L. KOBYLARZ, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA
"Establishing a Department of Defense Project Management Body of
Knowledge"
Published: Project Management Journal, March 1992

1990

Bryce G. SCHROEDER, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA
"Estimation Issues in Software Project Management"
Sponsor: Dr. Dundar F. Kocaoglu
Published: Project Management Journal, March 1991

1989

Sherri L. SWEETMAN, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
"Utilizing Expert Systems to Improve the Configuration Management Process"
Sponsor: Dr. Richard G. Donnelly
Published: Project Management Journal, March 1990

1988

Richard DESBIENS, M. Sc.; Rejean HOUDE, M. Sc.; Université du Quèbec à Montréal, CANADA
"Archipel Feasibility Study: A Questionable Consensus Approach"
Sponsor: Pierre Normandeau, Ph.D.
Published: Project Management Journal, March 1989

1987

Glen L. JANSMA, Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
"The Relationship between Project Manning Levels and Craft Productivity for Nuclear Power Construction"
Sponsor: Dr. John Borcherding
1987 Proceedings of the Project Management Institute Seminar/Symposium, Milwaukee, WI, USA

1986

Suresh K. TADISINA, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
"Support System for the Termination Decision in R&D Management"
Sponsor: Samuel J. Mantel, Jr.
Published: Project Management Journal, December 1986

1985

Nelson E. KING, Anaconda Minerals Co.
"A Decision Support System for Mine Evaluations: A Tool for Project Planning"
Sponsor: Bob Miller, Anaconda Minerals Co.
Published: 1985 Proceedings of the Project Management Institute Seminar/Symposium, Denver, CO, USA

1984

John R. WARD, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC, USA
"Project Management Cost Estimate: A Case Study in Electronic Warfare System Flight Test Costs"
Sponsor: Dr. Panna Nagarsenker, Air Force Institute of Technology
Published: 1984 Proceedings of the Project Management Institute Seminar/Symposium, Philadelphia, PA, USA

1983

Michael D. STALL, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
"Analyzing and Improving Productivity with Computerized Questionnaires and Delay Surveys"
Sponsor: Colin Popescu, Ph.D.
Published: 1983 Proceedings of the Project Management Institute Seminar/Symposium, Houston, TX, USA

1982

Jill Anne GREEN, Memphis State University, Memphis, TN, USA
"Management for Research Projects: A Synergistic Model
Sponsor: Dr. Fred Swift
Published: 1982 Proceedings of the Project Management Institute Seminar/Symposium, Toronto, ON, CANADA

1981

Paul Hart De LEON, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
"Expanding Non-Specialist Participation in Development Project Management"
Published: 1981 Proceedings of the PMI/INTERNET Joint Symposium, Boston, MA, USA

1980

Robert N. HARVEY, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
"Project Management in the Design Firm: The Development of a Diagnostic Model"
Sponsor: Hans Bjoinsson
Published: 1980 Proceedings of the Project Management Institute Seminar/Symposium, Phoenix, AZ, USA

1979

Jonas ULENAS, Polytechnic Institute of New York, USA
"Project Effectiveness: A Simulation Study of Some Causes of Time and Cost Overruns"
Sponsor: Itzhak Wirth, Ph.D.
Published: 1979 Proceedings of the Project Management Institute Seminar/Symposium, Atlanta, GA, USA