1. Contemporary Planning Techniques
Project
A one-time-only set of activities that has a definite beginning and ending point time
Project Management
The task of getting a project’s activities done on time, within budget, and according to specifications
Define project goals
Identify all required activities, materials, and labour
Determine the sequence of completion
Learning Objective #3
Chapter 8, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

2. Exhibit 8.13 Project Planning Process
Define
objectives
Identify
activities
and
resources
Establish
sequences
Estimate
time for
Determine
project
completion
date
Compare
with
additional
resource
requirements
Source: Based on R.S. Russell and B.W. Taylor III, Production and Operations Management (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995), p. 287.
Chapter 8, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

3. Contemporary Planning Techniques
Scenario
A consistent view of what the future is likely to be
Scenario Planning
An attempt not to try to predict the future but to reduce uncertainty by playing out potential situations under different specified conditions
Contingency Planning
Developing scenarios that allow managers to determine in advance what their actions should be should a considered event actually occur
Chapter 8, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

4. Tips for Managers: Preparing for Unexpected Events
Identify potential unexpected events.
Determine if any of these events would have early indicators.
Set up an information gathering system to identify early indicators.
Have appropriate responses (plans) in place if these unexpected events occur.
Chapter 8, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada

5. Summary and Implications
What is environmental scanning and how is it done?
Environmental scanning screens large amounts of information to anticipate and interpret changes in the environment
What tools can managers use to allocate resources more effectively?
Managers can allocate resources through budgeting, scheduling, breakeven analysis, linear programming
How does one manage projects?
Project management
Chapter 8, Stephen P. Robbins, Mary Coulter, and Nancy Langton, Management, Ninth Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education Canada