Project Management

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2008:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The objective of this subject is to extend the student’s ability to focus on the critical aspects of an industry firm or problem; understand management issues associated with initiating, implementing and terminating projects; assess approaches suitable for investigation of industry issues/problems; develop a proposal justifying the techniques suitable to investigation of the problem; analyse background literature relevant to the project area.

In an applied program such as this it is critical that students have the opportunity to undertake a project-based subject in which they can apply the concepts and skills they have acquired from their earlier subjects. In most cases students will be employed in the agribusiness sector and will have a number of problems, projects or issues in their own company or organization that they would be interested in investigating in some detail and with rigor. This subject provides a foundation for their work in the final project subject 208 731 Agribusiness Project. The project students undertake will hopefully effect some change within the student’s organisation or industry. The project will at least have a strong link to organisational problem solving.

The subject will provide an overview of the management issues associated with initiating, implementing and terminating projects. Particular emphasis will be given to the planning dimension in areas such as; project or problem selection; defining project scope; identification of project stakeholders; project scheduling; and resource allocation. The project the students eventually undertake will be used to simulate the project planning and management strategies. A range of suitable business research methods will be introduced including relevant quantitative and qualitative approaches. Students will be expected to nominate an agribusiness issue or problem suitable for study, develop a brief proposal/method and commence an examination of the background literature. Individual students will work with the Subject Coordinator on the development of the problem description and proposal.

Project Management Institute, (2004), A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 3rd Edition.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.