L5M8 Project and Change Management Question and Answers

Alate deliveryby suppliers can directlydelay project timelines, representing asupply chain risk. The other options are internal project management risks, not supply chain-based.

InGreiner’s growth model, the first stage —Creative Evolution— is characterised byentrepreneurial energy,informal communication, andfounder-led creativitytypical of start-ups.

InSMART objectives, “time-bound” refers to setting adeadlineor timeframe. Cleo’s inclusion of the end of the financial year defines clear timing.

InGreiner’s growth phases, thecollaborationphase addresses bureaucratic overload usingteamwork, interpersonal collaboration, and flexible structures (e.g., matrix). It follows creative → direction → delegation → coordination →collaboration.

Arealistic business caseshouldclearly outline risks and concernswith contingencies, so leaders can judge whether benefits outweigh risks and avoid surprise later.

Thecontrol stageensures that resources, people, and materials areavailable when needed, that progress is monitored, and that corrective actions are taken when deviations occur. It focuses on resource flow and issue resolution — not strict adherence to plan, since projects often evolve.

TheAgilemethodology promotesadaptability,collaboration, anditerative development. Daily “scrum” meetings are a hallmark of Agile. It contrasts withWaterfall, which is linear and sequential.Project Diamondconcerns customer expectations, andLeanfocuses on waste elimination.

Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM)eliminates individual tasksafety buffers, consolidating them into a singleproject bufferto reduce delays and improve efficiency.

Contained changerefers to scenarios where outcomes can bepredicted with a degree of probability, though not with complete certainty. Weather forecasting fits this — not fully certain (like closed change), but predictable through data and modelling.

Clayton’s “Big 6” characteristics areinterest, impact, needs, attitude, power, and influence. “Money” and “status” are not listed directly (they may inform power/influence but aren’t core analysis headings).

Theinitiation stagefollows the strategic stage in the project lifecycle. Here, project approval is granted, thekick-off meetingoccurs, and abudgetis formally assigned. This ensures stakeholder alignment before detailed planning begins.

Open-ended changeoccurs whenoutcomes cannot be predicteddue to novelty or lack of precedent. There isno reliable datato forecast consequences, unlikecontained(partially known) orclosed(fully known) changes.

Absorptive capacityis the organisation’s ability torecognise, assimilate, and apply new knowledgefrom external partners to improve performance and add value.

In theconvergencephase, products/services becomestandardised, competition intensifies, and firms seekcost efficiency.Mergers and acquisitionsincrease as companies consolidate to sustain market position.

The guide advises definingrisk thresholds—acceptable limits of exposure—based on organisational appetite. This ensures balanced risk-taking without being reckless, maintaining strategic alignment.

TheBoard/Steering Grouphas ultimate accountability; itauthorises initiationandapproves major decisions/deviationsduring delivery. Budgeting and staffing are typically managed via other governance routes/roles.

The “project management triangle” (cost–time–quality) is most strained duringunplanned changeevents. Adjusting one constraint (e.g., deadline) affects others (e.g., cost, scope).

AnEntropy eventrepresents externalchaos or disorderbeyond management control — e.g.,natural disasters (force majeure). Such events demand flexible, creative, and resilient leadership responses.

The CIPS guide highlights thatsupply network roles and relationshipsevolve during project execution. Therefore, they must bereviewed regularly, not just initially, to maintain alignment and manage interdependencies effectively.

Thecritical pathidentifies thesequence of tasks with the longest total duration, determining the shortest possible completion time for the project.

Afunctionalstructure delivers projects through departmental silos (line hierarchy), handing work between functions; coordination is via line managers rather than a single project manager.

APIDis produced before delivery but can beupdatedas the project evolves. It should coverscope, objectives, constraints, risks, assumptions—i.e., bothpositive and negativeaspects.

In Cox’s Stepladder model,mergers and acquisitionsare not part of buyer–supplier relationship levels. They are described as acore competency, representing full organisational integration beyond contractual relationships.