Reflection and Discussion Forum Week 5(chapter 10 and 11 attached)
Reflection and Discussion Forum Week 5
Reflect on the assigned readings for the week. Identify what you thought was the most important concept(s), method(s), term(s), and/or any other thing that you felt was worthy of your understanding.

Also, provide a graduate-level response to each of the following questions:

You have recently been promoted to district manager of a large scale restaurant chain which specializes in affordable meals in a pleasant environment. In accordance with management objectives, you are responsible for increasing sales of appetizers by 20 percent by the next quarter for the 15 locations in your area. Keeping channel richness in mind, how will you make contact with the restaurant employees to facilitate the sales increase? 

While it is popular today to ascribe all successes to the concept of leadership, much of an organization’s success or failure is due to factors outside the influence of leadership. Based on what you have studied, what do you see as the true value of leadership? 

 
Reflection and Discussion Forum Week 13(chapter 10)
Reflection and Discussion Forum Week 13
Reflect on the assigned readings for the week. Identify what you thought was the most important concept(s), method(s), term(s), and/or any other thing that you felt was worthy of your understanding.

Also, provide a graduate-level response to each of the following questions:

It has been said that Earned Value Management (EVM) came about because the Federal Government often used Cost-plus contractors with project organizations.  Cost-plus contracting allows the contractor to recover full project development costs plus accumulate profit from these contracts.  Why would requiring contractor firms to employ earned value management help the government hold the line against project cost overruns?
What do the Schedule Performance Index and the Cost Performance Index demonstrate? How can a project manager use this information to estimate future project performance?

 
Activity 13
Case 13.3 Dear Mr. President”Please Cancel our Project!: The Honolulu Elevated Rail Project
This case is a great current example of a very expensive project that was kicked off because of an assumed need”to relieve congestion in downtown Honolulu through an elevated urban rail system.  Critics argue that in addition to having a ballooning cost, the actual planning was poorly conceived, leaving Honolulu with an intrusive and ugly rail system through the downtown area, ruining panoramic views, and impeding traffic.  Additionally, advocates underestimated the power needs for the rail system, requiring the transport authority to renegotiate electricity fees for the system.  Finally, the original costs that were assumed for the project were calculated during an economic downturn and with the economy booming again, the costs of the project have gone up dramatically.  All of these elements points to a state Governor who is anxious to be rid of the project and hoping that President Trump will deny additional federal funding, in which case the project will likely be cancelled.
Questions

Why are public works projects like the Honolulu Rail project nearly impossible to stop once they have been approved, even if later cost estimates skyrocket?
Project Management researchers have charged that many large infrastructure projects, like this one, suffer from delusion and deception on the parts of their advocates.  Explain how delusion might be a cause of ballooning budgets in this project.  How does deception affect the final project budget overruns?