Write Your Critique In Standard Essay Form Beginning With An
Write Your Critique In Standard Essay Form Begin With An Introduction
Write your critique in standard essay form. Begin with an introduction that defines the subject of your critique and your point of view. Defend your point of view by raising specific issues or aspects of the argument. Conclude your critique by summarizing your argument and re-emphasizing your opinion. You will first need to identify and explain the author's ideas. Include specific passages that support your description of the author's point of view. Offer your own opinion. Explain what you think about the argument. Describe several points with which you agree or disagree. For each of the points you mention, include specific passages from the text (you may summarize, quote, or paraphrase) that provide evidence for your point of view. Explain how the passages support your opinion. The following article, which may be found in the CSU Online Library, discusses project risks and its implications to failure. Identify how lack of vendor (procurement processes) and quality processes led to increased negative risks that ultimately impacted this project. Explain the negative and positive risk plans. Weiss, T. F. (2005). United to scrap baggage system at Denver airport. Computerworld, 39(24), 8. Your APA-formatted critique should be at least two pages in length (not including title and reference pages). All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.
Paper For Above instruction
The critique focuses on the article by Weiss (2005), which examines how risk management—or the lack thereof—can significantly influence the outcome of large-scale projects, specifically in the context of the Denver airport baggage handling system. My primary stance is that deficiencies in vendor management and quality control processes heighten project risks, ultimately leading to failure, a perspective that the article exemplifies through its discussion of the Denver project’s setbacks.
In the introductory sections of Weiss’s article, it becomes evident that poor procurement procedures allowed for inadequate vendor selection and oversight, which directly contributed to the project’s failure. Weiss highlights that “the baggage system was plagued with delays, technical failures, and cost overruns” (Weiss, 2005, p. 8). These issues stemmed from a failure to establish rigorous vendor evaluation criteria and quality assurance protocols. The lack of a comprehensive risk management plan, especially one that addresses negative risks associated with vendor dependence, created an environment conducive to project failure.
I agree with Weiss’s assertion that proactive risk planning and mitigation strategies are crucial in complex projects. The absence of a solid positive risk plan, which could have included contingency measures or alternative vendor arrangements, resulted in the escalation of negative risks. For instance, the article discusses how initial optimistic planning led to underestimating system complexity. If a positive risk approach—such as building buffer capacities or adopting modular system components—had been implemented, some of the problems may have been mitigated or avoided altogether.
One key point of agreement is that rigorous quality processes are vital to project success. Weiss emphasizes that “failing to enforce quality standards during vendor selection and throughout the project lifecycle was a significant contributor to the system’s failure” (Weiss, 2005, p. 8). This aligns with established project management principles that underscore the importance of continuous quality assurance. When quality controls are neglected, defective or suboptimal components can propagate, causing delays and increased costs. I believe that integrating quality audits at multiple stages could have mitigated some of the project’s risks.
Conversely, I disagree with the extent of the article’s implication that the project failure was solely due to vendor and quality issues. While these are critical factors, organizational risk culture and leadership decisions also play crucial roles. Effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and leadership commitment to risk management are equally necessary for project success. Weiss does not delve deeply into these organizational factors, which I think are equally important in understanding project failures.
In conclusion, Weiss’s article offers valuable insights into the importance of structured risk management, especially concerning vendor relations and quality processes. The Denver baggage system failure underscores how neglecting these areas can escalate negative risks and ensure project failure. Effective risk planning, including the development of positive risk strategies, along with rigorous quality assurance, could have significantly improved the project’s trajectory. Ultimately, a comprehensive approach that combines technical safeguards with strong organizational risk culture is essential for successful project execution.
References
- Weiss, T. F. (2005). United to scrap baggage system at Denver airport. Computerworld, 39(24), 8.
- Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Wiley.
- PMI. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). Project Management Institute.
- Information Technology Project Management. Cengage Learning.
- Meredith, J. R., & Mantel, S. J. (2017). Project Management: A Managerial Approach. Wiley.
- Hillson, D. (2017). Managing Risk in Projects. Routledge.
- Hillson, D., & Murray-Webster, R. (2017). Understanding and Managing Risk Attitude in Projects. Routledge.
- Standish Group. (2014). CHAOS Report. The Standish Group.
- Hillson, D., & Murray-Webster, R. (2020). Risk Management in Projects. Routledge.
- Kutsch, E., & Hall, M. (2010). Deliberate ignorance in project risk management. International Journal of Project Management, 28(3), 245-253.