Question 1 - Vision, Mission, Objectives - Portfolio Management Decision Making
The following is an imaginary and theoretical vision, mission, and objectives exercise based on life at LU. In life, managers are faced all the time with competing opportunities to either support or take a pass on interesting projects. Without a structured understanding of the organization's priorities it is impossible to do a good job of keeping in alignment with what the university needs to be.
Your task: Read the vision, mission and objectives statements below as if you were an administrator with budgetary responsibility. Based upon their content evaluate the opportunities you are then presented with by various project managers. With the assistance of the evaluation sheet included below, as well as in WebCT, determine the correct ranking order for these opportunities. Hand back into WebCT your completed evaluation sheet as well as your conclusion.
Project 1 - An anthropology study of native Canadians living in the London area at the time of European migration is proposed. The study will focus on native Canadian transportation methods. Additionally archaeological fly over mapping for earth features that show signs of pre-European modification will be undertaken. Capital expenditure: $330,000. Due to the Canadian nature of the project this project will be 50% funded by the NRC.
Probability 80% 50% 20%
ROI 14% 20% 30%
Project 2 - A study of family law practices in Ireland where until very recently divorce had been illegal in part of the island is proposed. Undertaken by the Faculty of Law, the study will trace the lives of a statistically significant number of Irish and Northern Irish families and examine the social impact of maintaining the family unit trending both positive and negative results. The project will create 3 full time jobs in LondonOntario, 1 full time job in Belfast Northern Ireland, and will be supported by 15 grad students over the next 5 years. Capital expenditure: $550,000
Probability 80% 50% 20%
ROI 8% 13% 25%
Project 3 - A project is proposed to create a permanent home for the Team Canada economic mission at LU. Sponsored by the Ivey School of Business, the project proposes building a permanent war room for Canadian scholars and politicians in the new Ivey building on the west side of Western Rd. Capital expenditure: $3.6 million. It is expected that this will enhance even further an already stellar reputation for Ivey within the business community and will contribute towards attracting even better students.
Probability 80% 50% 20%
ROI 3% 9% 18%
Project 4 - A project is proposed to lay 2000 sqft of solar paneling on the roof of Spencer Hall. An additional 1000 sqft is proposed to be laid on the roof of the Student Union Building. This project is a green initiative but will serve primarily as an advocacy for green building methods because the existing boilers and related mechanical services will not be removed because calculations show that winter loading less than -10 C will still require them. The capital expenditure is estimated at $1.1 million. Due to its ability to influence in the community, this project is eligible for 50% NRC funding.
Probability 80% 50% 20%
ROI 3% 6% 9%
Project 5 - A project to study the medicinal value of various West African tree barks for Creutzfeldt - Jacob disease is proposed. The project will be jointly run by the University of Lagos as well as the University of Western Ontario. It is expected that any findings resulting in commercial opportunities can be US patented and that development of a marketable product can occur in Canada. The project will be run by one LU professor and will generate nearly 50 jobs in Nigeria. Capital expenditure: $900,000. This project is eligible for NRC funding. It is hoped that this project will be a flagship project for a proposed new Rare Illnesses research faculty for LU. Additionally, it is expected that funding of such a project will be well received by students wishing to attend LU.
Probability 80% 50% 20%
ROI 12% 20% 27%
Project 6 - A project to study the effects of vitamin D deficiency on the human body. It is now widely hypothesized that muscular dystrophy seems to have some sort of connection to vitamin D intake which is mostly from sunlight. It has been recorded that the incidence of this disease in nominally Anglo Saxon people has a direct correlation to the amount of sunlight in their country of residence be it Australia or England. While muscular dystrophy is a well funded illness, it makes sense that a Canadian university should contribute as our hours of sunlight per year in LondonOntario are nearly mid way between those of LondonEngland and Sydney Australia and a significant percentage of the population is nominally Anglo Saxon in origin. The work will employ 4 full time researchers and one PhD in the school of medicine. The capital expenditure is $850,000
Probability 80% 50% 20%
ROI 12% 20% 27%
Project 7- A project is proposed to build a new state of the art facility for the study of family law economics. Located on the main campus, this 15,000 square foot facility will be the workplace for 10 advanced degree law students, 4 law professors, and 25 sociologists. The building is to be LEED gold certified. The capital expenditure for this mission critical facility is $6.5 million.
Probability 80% 50% 20%
ROI 8% 14% 22%
Question 2 - Network Diagrams
Using the following information relating to the development of "Harbourfront - the Great Canadian Boardwalk", create an AON activity diagram, calculating TE, the total duration of the project, its early start, early finish, latest start, latest finish, and slack for each activity. Finally, show the project's critical path.
a - dredge
b - boardwalk install
c - landscape
d - vendor area rough in
e - boat moors
f - shore line earth works
g - final micro restaurants installs
h - boat house assembly
I - walkway and bike path developments
J - life guard interviews and train
K - Harbour authority completes training
Question 3 - Work Breakdown Structure and the Three Little Pigs
Possibly LU's most famous project platform is the apparatus that goes by the formal name "The Insurance Research Laboratory for Better Homes". You are more likely to have heard it referred to around campus as "the Three Little Pigs" project.