Texas Southern University Mgtsc 302 Exam 1 Subtitle

Texas Southern University Mgtsc 302 Exam 1document Subtitle

This year the Druehl, Inc., will produce 57,600 hot water heaters at its plant in Delaware, in order to meet expected global demand. To accomplish this, each laborer will work 160 hours per month. If the labor productivity at the plant is 0.15 hot water heaters per labor-hour, how many laborers are employed to the plant.

As part of the Department of Labor Statistics, you are assigned the task of evaluating the improvement in productivity of small businesses. Data for one of the small businesses you are to evaluate is shown below. The data is the monthly average of the last year and the monthly average of this year. Determine the multifactor productivity with dollars as the common denominator for: a) Last year. b) This year. c) Then determine the percentage change in multifactor productivity for the monthly average last year versus the monthly average this year.

A project has these activities, precedence relationships and durations:

  • Activity a: Duration 3, no predecessors
  • Activity b: Duration 6, no predecessors
  • Activity c: Duration 8, predecessor a
  • Activity d: Duration 4, predecessor a
  • Activity e: Duration 4, predecessor b
  • Activity f: Duration 6, predecessor b
  • Activity g: Duration 5, predecessors d, e
  • Activity h: Duration 4, predecessors d, e
  • Activity i: Duration 3, predecessors c, g
  • Activity j: Duration 7, predecessors f, h
  • Activity k: Duration 9, predecessors j

Draw an Activity on Node (AON) network for this project. Identify the critical path. What is the earliest time the project can be completed?

Paper For Above instruction

Developing efficient project management strategies is essential for ensuring the timely completion of projects. The activity network diagram serves as a visual tool to understand task sequences, dependencies, and critical paths, which helps project managers allocate resources effectively and anticipate potential delays. In this paper, an AON network for the specified project will be constructed, the critical path will be identified, and the earliest project completion time will be calculated. The methodological approach involves mapping activities as nodes, illustrating dependencies through directed arcs, and analyzing path durations to determine the critical sequence.

Constructing the AON Network

The activity on node (AON) diagram begins with identifying nodes representing activities and arrows indicating dependencies. For this project, nodes are labeled from a through k, with directed arrows showing the sequence according to the predecessor relationships. The initial activities are a and b, which have no predecessors, thus they are the starting points in the network. Activity c depends on a, so it follows node a. Activities d and e depend on a and b, respectively, creating branching paths. Activities f depends on b; g depends on d and e; h depends on d and e; i depends on c and g; j depends on f and h; and k depends on j. The visual network illustrates how activities intersect and converge, highlighting the critical path with the longest duration, which dictates the overall project timeline.

Identifying the Critical Path

The critical path is determined by calculating the longest duration path from start to finish. Summing individual activity durations along each path reveals the critical sequence. The paths include:

  • a → c → i → j → k
  • a → d → g → i → j →k
  • a → d → h → j → k
  • b → e → g → i → j → k
  • b → e → h → j → k
  • b → f → j → k

By summing durations along these paths, the path with the maximum total duration is identified as the critical path. For instance, path a → c → i → j → k summing to 3 + 8 + 3 + 7 + 9 = 30 units. Similar calculations for other paths reveal that the critical path is a → d → g → i → j → k, with a total duration of 3 + 4 + 5 + 3 + 7 + 9 = 31 units.

Earliest Completion Time

The project’s earliest completion time aligns with the duration of the critical path. Therefore, the project can be completed in 31 time units, assuming no delays and immediate activity start after predecessors are completed. This information aids project planning by focusing attention on activities along the critical path, where delays could postpone the entire project.

Conclusion

The construction of the AON network facilitates visualization of task dependencies, enabling the determination of the critical path and overall project duration. Identifying the critical path ensures that project managers prioritize resource allocation and mitigate risks that could extend the project timeline. This structured approach enhances project control, ultimately contributing to successful project completion within stipulated timeframes.

References

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