*** P3 June 2013 Exam was.. Post your comments ***

I found Q1 a struggle as part a covered such a vast area… The whole of project management.
Q2 part A was fine using porter five forces, however not sure how to approach path B … Scenarios!? I did SFA but know this is wrong.
Q3 part A was good using Harmons strategic matrix. Felt 10 marks for CRM was a bit too much.
Overall didn’t find this a good paper, I felt well prepared but this paper wasn’t a consistent style with past papers.

Was the CEO the project manager or the project sponsor??

<cite> @golamrahim said:</cite>
Was the CEO the project manager or the project sponsor??

I dont think it said. Maybe that was part of the problem, he was both?

One thing that took me totally off guard was project management in compulsory question . Never in my wildest dreams i thought that project management will be featured in 50 mark question

<cite>@jackbailey02 said:</cite>
I dont think it said. Maybe that was part of the problem, he was both?

You are right, he was both and that was part of the problem.

I really hope the marking scheme for Q1 (a) (i) isn’t weighted so that you had to distribute the project management criticisms evenly between the 3 phases of the project that they identified… I did make sure that I put a couple of things for each but way more for initiation phase as it was so clearly doomed from the start LOL!
Why am I even thinking about this? Must get to bed now. P2 in the morning!

AS PER MY THINKING, I WAS NOT EXPECTING 50 MARKS FROM PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND THATS THE REASON I MAY FACE TROUBLE THE OTHER PORTION WAS FAIR IN THAT CASE IF YOU HAVE GOOD APPROACH.
LETS SEE AND HOPE FOR THE BEST

DEAR ALL, PLEASE ALSO PRAY FOR MY MOTHER, SHE IS CANCER PATIENT AND IN SERIOUS CONDITION

REGARDS,
AHMED

hi,
I sat P3 4 times, I think this seesino is fair, i did the optional questions first ,then spent the remaining time in the case study,
Q3 is the easiest for me with 15 marks on BP change using Harmon Matrix (the processes with each one worth 5 marks)+ 10 marks on CRM with its three stages(Acquisition, Retention & extension) approximately 3-4 marks for each stage of CRM
Q2 15 marks on Porter’s 5Forces(3 for each force analysis)+ 10 marks on Scenario planning(this is the only part I missed for time pressure)
Q1 18 marks for criticizing the CEO’s Approach for Project management in each project phase(initiation, conduct & termination) I suspect that 9 mistakes have to be documented & supported from the Case study(lack of formality, resources not committed to the project, poor strategic fitness, etc.)
another 18 marks for culture & org. structural supporting the project failure(mintzberg is the best answer guide for this)
4 marks for professional skills
10 marks for strategy lenses
I did Q3 well, Q2 p-a well, Q1 P-a(i) well, poorly did Q1 p-a(ii) & p-b, with a loss of ten marks of Q2p-b
overall its a fair paper

$120 Billion, sorry.

it said 120,000 million = 120 billion

tchigbo, I can relate with your view of things here. its amazing only few, I think 2 people made mentioned I
of charles handy cultural confuguration. Everyone appear to focus on web.

Anyway below is my approach:

Q1.i. Mistakes with the project (in line with d initiation, conduct & eventual termination). Those were very evident from the scenerio.

ii. I followed Charles handy role, task, person & power culture + cultural configuration: proff. beraucracy, strategc appex etc I think this worked well here. Every good & well explained points will be fine as well.

b. Lenses: quite challenging for me. I discribed how each one works then conclude strategy as design would have safe medshire health from the trouble.

Q2. I think I missed out on few points, I indentified the various forces from entrying the market then conclude it’s a viable market. Offcourse I spoke for & against each forces. SFA will work too. Nesta has cash reserve, expertise & its a strategy they’ve chosen. The 3 supmrkets have not adopt the one dollar strategy.

b. Scenerio planning; did mentioned could be used alongside 5forces to further analyse the market. Scenerio considers possible outcomes from venturing into the market.

Q3. Harmon based on complexity & importance of process. Web service shld be subject to ERPS, done in houese. Legal svces was becoming too expensive. Brought in house then automate. Payroll: outsource.

Overall, the paper appear fair but timed pressured. I’m concerned with quality of answer I presented.

Best wishes to you All.

I thought question 1 was far too long and there was so much reading I struggled, I used the culture web with mendlow’s stakeholders as I did a question a few days prior and he mix the two, seems I was the only one who did by the comments, I also struggled with the culture web as the only obivious one was Power. As usual ran out of time got a sentence or two down for (c) but had to move on as ran over by 15 minutes.

I did Q3, part A was ok, outsource payroll, keep inhouse IT as there was a threat they could loose suppliers and Legal gave the pros and cons of employing, then went with employ, again ran out of time and just got a few points down about strong brand and experience as an intorduction point.

Finally I tackled Q4, I could do both but there was less reading in Q4 and I’m a slow reader, I found part (a) was ok, Sully was a transactional leader and then became a transformational leader but it didn’t work, mention Lewin’s unfreeze change and then freeze, also mention JS&W Edcuation, Participation and fogot the third.

Not sure if i got enought points fingers crossed for August and good luck to everyone