Developing Balanced Arguments in Project Management

Weighting within essay and coursework aim

Students should see each statement as a specific research project and their response to each should expand upon both the theoretical and practical/empirical arguments.

There is the expectation that each statement response should include brief organisational examples and discussion of specific techniques to support your points. Justifications based solely on personal opinion will not attract a high grade, rather your work should be evidenced through the use of academic journals and other quality sources. In all cases your answers must be applied to the given statements.

Students are required to develop a critical essay of a target 3,500 word length (+/- 10%), by developing a set of balanced arguments in support and in opposition to all of the four statements in Table 1 below.

Students should see each statement as a specific research project and their response to each should expand upon both the theoretical and practical/empirical arguments.

There is the expectation that each statement response should include brief organisational examples and discussion of specific techniques to support your points. Justifications based solely on personal opinion will not attract a high grade, rather your work should be evidenced through the use of academic journals and other quality sources. In all cases your answers must be applied to the given statements.

The weightings within the essay are shown in Table 1. For the avoidance of doubt students should aim to write in the order of 875 words for each of the four statements.  

Table 1: Coursework Statements and Descriptions.

Statement or Instruction

Weighting within essay

1 Business Environment Appraisal “Business environment appraisal methods are an effective measure for ensuring sustainable financial plans to guide an organisations programme or portfolio”. 20%

2 Financial Investment Appraisal “Using financial appraisal techniques is an accurate indicator for determining project, programme or portfolio success”. 20%

3 Project Supply Chain “Having influence and control over the whole supply chain for a project is beneficial for an organisation”. 20%

4 Contract Management, Procurement and Legal ““Contract management and dispute resolution processes effectively protect businesses to maximise commercial opportunities”. 20%

·Note that the remaining 20% weighting will be assessed on presentation, referencing and application of sources used to support points made.

To assess all learning outcomes

Coursework Learning Outcomes:

1Critically analyse the key commercial issues involved in management of projects.

2Critically appraise the business environment, finance, procurement integrity, contract management, disputes and legal frameworks within the project environment.

3Establish the project's supply chain and evaluate the commercial integrity.

Demonstrates an excellent degree of understanding and critical evaluation of project environment appraisal tools.

Demonstrates a high degree of understanding and critical evaluation of project environment appraisal tools.

Demonstrates a sound understanding and critical evaluation of project environment appraisal tools.

Demonstrates some evidence of understanding and critical evaluation of project environment appraisal tools.

Demonstrates excellent degree of Understanding and critical evaluation of the financial scenarios, controls and exposures of projects.

Demonstrates high degree of understanding and critical evaluation of the financial scenarios, controls and exposures of projects.

Demonstrates sound understanding and critical evaluation of the financial scenarios, controls and exposures of projects.

Demonstrates some evidence of understanding  and critical evaluation of the financial scenarios, controls  and exposures of projects.

Demonstrates extremely good understanding and critical evaluation of supply chain management principles and associated commercial impact to projects.

Demonstrates very good understanding and critical evaluation of supply chain management principles and associated commercial impact to projects.

Demonstrates good understanding and critical evaluation of supply chain management principles and associated commercial impact to projects.

Demonstrates some understanding and critical  evaluation of supply chain management principles and associated commercial impact to projects.