Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.

2351 Words5 Pages

Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.

Harrison-Keyes (HK) Publishing, Incorporated has some decisions to make concerning the future of e-publishing that could affect the entire corporation’s future. The new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) has given the e-publishing Project Manager 30 days to change his mind about the future of e-publishing at HK. The rest of this report details what the Project Manager needs to do to gain the CEO’s approval and complete backing for the project.

Describe the Situation

Issue and Opportunity Identification

Organizational mission, project management structure, and organizational culture are the major issues facing Harrison-Keyes. Organizational culture is a key building block towards an organization with the ability to build the proper structures to implement projects. Organizational culture refers to a system of shared norms, beliefs, values, and assumptions that binds people together, thereby creating shared meanings. This system maintains customs, norms, and habits that exemplify the values and beliefs of the organization (Gray & Larson, p. 73).

Mission statements identify the scope of the organization in terms of its product or service. A written mission statement provides focus for decision making when shared by organizational managers and employees (Gray & Larson, p. 24). No mission statement is available in the Harrison-Keyes scenario leading to the belief that a strong statement is not in place. Preparing a strong mission statement with a focus on people and culture is an opportunity for improvement.

The Project Management Structure of Harrison-Keyes is set along the lines of the Functional Organization approach where projects management is from within the existing functional hierarchy. Once a project is decided upon, the different functional units are delegated the various segments (Gray & Larson, p. 56). Disadvantages of projects organized along functional lines include lack of focus, poor integration, slowness, and lack of ownership (Gray & Larson, p. 58). These disadvantages are readily apparent in the Harrison-Keyes’ e-publishing project.

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

Among those with a major stake in the success of Harrison-Keyes e-publishing project are new the CEO, the Project Manager, and the employees. The new CEO is interested in making his mark on the company. He has an ethical dilemma in ensuring that he keeps an open mind toward the e-publishing venture, for which he openly states to have his doubts. Jan Peters is the Project Manager. She has interest in making the project succeed so she can get a promotion. An ethical concern for her is to avoid pushing the project so she can look like a success, but to do the right thing for the company as a whole.

More about Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.

Open Document