Project Management

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A critical chain programme (CC) has been produced that reduces the duration of each task while original task fixed 5 days, identifies the critical chain, inserts project and feeder buffers. This project is presented in Figure 3 (Figure 3 is attached in separate file in Microsoft Project of CC version) that shows project duration of 50 days, a saving of 22 days on the programme when compared with the CP. However, to achieve this saving, then buffer management techniques will be applied throughout the project to manage any slippage within the project. As the project can be finished before end of November, it will be very helpful for renew distributor contract or terminating contract with one-month notice period and it will benefit for 2014 business plan.

- Stakeholders

Stakeholders are someone or a group who have a significant influence on the outcome of a project. In term of BP organization, BP RTM project team and project governance team showed in Figure 4. In addition, the project leader is BP sales director.

Figure 4: Castrol China Organization & Project Team[pic 3]

[pic 4]

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For BP RTM project, the stakeholders include the project team and project leader(sales director), BP China management team (CMT), BP sales team (client), BP marketing team and distributor management team, supply chain team and BP distributors (Client’s customer).The stakeholders can be grouped into four categories as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Power/interest analysis for key stakeholders

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BP Marketing Team

Key Stakeholders:

- China Management Team(CMT)

- BP Sales Team(client)

- BP RTM Project Leader

- BP Supply Chain

- BP Distributors

- BP RTM Project Team

- BP Distributor Mgt Team

From above analysis, we define BP China management team and BP sales team is the most important key stakeholders. To ensure the success of the project, we must meet the needs of the key stakeholders. As the project leader is the head of sales team, following elaboration is focus on meet needs of CMT.

- 1st prioritize that project leader should listen carefully and really understand BP CMT needs and always do what he has promised which could help earn the trust.

- For corporate needs of CMT, project leader should make sure the project outcome is strategically aligned with BP 2014-2018 China strategy. Apart from these, project and project process should align with BP safety, ethics and compliance standard as well as legal requirement.

- To meet CMT emotional needs, project need to update regularly and no surprise to them. Project leader should be open and transparent, build and maintain good relationship with BP CMT. Of course, the project could contribute to the profit, increased market share and enhancing customer satisfaction and company reputation. All of these could help to meet the emotional needs of certainty, choice, significance, connection, growth and contribution.

- Leadership

Norman Haste argued that projects never fail because of technical input; they fail because of lack of leadership. For BP RTM project which is very complex and strategic importance to BP’s 2014-2018 strategy and internal and external stakeholder.

As the project leader, I have worked in BP more than 15 years and experienced in sales management, marketing and strong distributor management. According to the self-assessment, my current leadership style is future thinking (Direction and strategy) which is good for defining the project direction, strategic thinking and produce the right strategy. Moreover, I know that it is very important to communicate and engage project team for project purpose, outcome, timescale, logical plan and their role in the project.

To be an effective project leader, I should positive, enthusiastic and committed and lead by example to create an environment that enables the project team to work well together, to achieve a successful project vision, mission and best project outcome.

People believe in the person first and then the message and what he is saying. As I have worked in sales director for years and my behavior is more result-oriented and always lead by example. As a project leader who leads the project member coming from different departments, the project member may uncertainty and doubtful about the project. I should always confident, deliver positive non-verbal message, focusing on the future and can do attitude. Of course, I need to build good and professional work relationship with CMT as well as other project members. This is one of the key focuses to build trustworthy to create trust within the CMT and project team. Because of the doubtful of team, I must have a strong belief of myself, understanding myself about my strength and weakness. In addition, selling the belief to CMT and team members is very important. I know that I cannot do everything, I cannot pretend and I need the team member to contribute their expertise. Above all, I must adhere to core values, ethics and principles. The last but not least actually it is most important to understand BP CMT’s needs and get their trust and support.

- Project team and management

From Figure 4, the members from different departments form the project team. Four of them are relatively important that is BP distributor manager –Kelvin Jiang, Legal manager- William Tan, marketing manager-Lisa Xu and financial manager- Clare Yu. All of them have solid knowledge and experience in each function expertise.

Distributor manager will be one of the most important member within the team who will responsible for understanding the BP existing distributor and competitors’ distributor landscaping and work together with marketing manager for competitive distributor offer. In the meanwhile, he needs to work together with legal manager for distributor selecting, appointing, revamping and consolidation for legal term. His strength is very experienced but not proactive.

Legal manager will work for managing the risk and legal