Project Management Strategy and Alignment

Study Notes

Organization Strategy and Project Selection

Only 23% of 150 global executives believe that projects are aligned with their core business.
Senior management is responsible for linking organizational strategy and objectives to projects through policies.

Implementation Gaps

Many organizations overlook implementation gaps and prioritizing projects, according to Fusco's research.
A significant number of organizations do not publish or circulate project objectives, with 24% failing to do so.
40% of organizations do not have clear priorities among competing projects, and only 17% report clear priorities.

Organization Politics

Projects often receive funding based on politics rather than facts and sound reasoning.
The term "sacred cow" refers to a project backed by a powerful, high-ranking official.
An example of politics influencing project decisions is the CEO's desire for a project to be their legacy, even if the project is not viable.

Project Sponsors

Project sponsors are high-ranking managers who endorse and support a particular project.
Active project sponsors can significantly increase a project's chances of success, with a 75% success rate in organizations with sponsors on at least 80% of their projects.
The lack of sponsorship can lead to project failure, as illustrated by the ALTO computer project at Xerox in the mid-1970s.

Description

This quiz assesses your understanding of organizational strategy and project selection, including the alignment of projects with business objectives and the role of senior management in creating policies. It also covers implementation gaps and prioritizing projects.