Concept of Concurrency in High Technology Development from MB0033

This question is, “Explain the Concept of Concurrency in High Technology Development.” This is an assignment question of Sikkim Manipal University MBA MB0033. It is a solved assignment of SMU MBA question. We already have discussed about Deming’s Philosophy relevant to project management and characteristics of project. Now, you will get the answer of – “Concept of Concurrency in High Technology Development”.

As the application of technology has become critical for the survival of organization it has become imperative for organizations to initiate measures for the development of high technology to be ahead of competition. No doubt, there are many specialized research and development firms which offer their expertise to their client’s problems. However, their services are available to the competitors and many technologies developed by the company’s own research personnel cannot be shared with outsiders. So the strategy would be utilize the services of external resource to the extent they are suitable for out purpose, but with a strong base of R and D of our own. This will really differentiate the best. The following give some guidelines in the form of rules which help organization to be strong in this area.

Build concurrency into every activity:

Building concurrency into every activity is essential to reduce the development cycle time and to counter the technology obsolescence. Many of the tasks that are normally done in a serial fashion can be done in parallel by synchronizing the flow of information. The practices of the concurrent engineering where the design of the product and all its associated processes are carried out simultaneously based on team work and participation. Would not only help in reducing the development cycle time, but also improves the product functionality with regard to requirements. Concurrency can be accomplished in many ways both for product development as well as technology transfer, user evaluation and production.

Deming’s Philosophy Relevant to Project Management from SMU MBA MB0033

This question is, “State the principle of Deming’s philosophy relevant to Project Management. Explain how each one is applicable in Management?” This is an assignment question of SMU MBA MB0033.

We can consider the five steps –DMAIS – as generic for any system of a journey towards excellence – it is highly relevant in project management for the simple reason that all the steps give out in detail the steps to be taken and that they will ensure readiness for the next. Verification of implementation is possible with checklists which can be prepared and used by employees at all levels. The team members can be given training to follow them. We will consider them one by one.

Define: This step requires that what is sought to be achieved is identified in all its detail. The step requires that what is going to make:

a) Benchmark –The standards achieved by the best in the industry. Our product is set to meet them

b) Customer Requirement

c) Process Flow Map – Activities that take place to result in the product at the end of them.

d) Quality function deployment – This tool compares the quality characteristics in our product with those is our competitors’ and their relative importance to the customer. To achieve them, we find the technical specifications we have to incorporate in our product.

e) Project management plan – This includes the materials, men, activities, schedules, milestones etc.

f) Measure – Measuring the outcomes of the activities.

g) Data collection – Data about the work that is done and compare as to how it corresponds with that is required

h) Defect metrics – The deviations that are in the effective position of the work whether they are acceptable or can they be rectified

i) Sampling – If the volumes are high, select a few of them and inspect them to see whether the entire batch is acceptable

2) Analyze – Use the data on measures to perform analysis.

Tools can be used:

a) Cause and effect diagrams – also called Fishbone Diagrams.

b) Failure mode and effect analysis FMEA

c) Root cause analysis

d) Reliability Analysis

3) Improve – Measures to remove the defects found earlier are implemented for improving the process

4) Standardize – When improvements have become consistent, the methods adopted are standardized.

Various Characteristics of a Project and Importance from MB0033 Assignment of MBA

You have to solve the question, “What are the various characteristics of a project? What is the importance of each characteristic? Give examples.” This is an assignment question of SMU MBA. The MBA assignment question is related to Project Management MB0033.

Project is a program of non-routine work bringing about a beneficial change.

Characteristics of project management:

a) Resource requirement: During the course of executing the project, it is seen that the resource requirement increase from start to an intermediate stage of the project. It further increases at rapid rate and becomes constant while the project is during it’s so to 95% progress stage. Thereafter the resources requirement decreases to zero i.e. when the project comes to finish. Refer the characteristic chart.

b) Funds: The requirement of funds to complete execution of the project also follows the same trends as that of the resources. The two are more or less proportional. Refer the characteristic chart.


c) Probability of completion: The probability of completing the project can be estimated based upon the normal distribution curve. In the initial stage of the project the probability of completing the project is low though not zero. It gradually increases and as the project approaches finish the probability of completing the project tends to become 100% Refer the characteristic chart.

d) Risk: The risks involved in the project effecting its completion time are high at the initial stages and low at the later stages of the project. Refer the characteristic chart.


e) Design changes: The project during the course of its progress may be subjected to changes because of some external factors. The influence of such external factors on the project may result in changes in the design of the project though not very often. It is observed that such changes.

Importance of project Management projects may be completed with one or more of the following: -

Stretched deadlines
Over stressed team
Wasted resources
Unmet customers’ functional requirements
Overshot budget

A good project management methodology provides a framework for the process.

It provides guidelines for the execution of the project that greatly increases the chances of the project being successful, and therefore provides value to the project.

Some of the steps of a good project management are –

Define the project
Reduce it to a set of manageable tasks
Obtain appropriate and necessary resources
Build a team to perform the project work
Plan the work and allocate the resources to the tasks.

Examples of project –

a) commissioning a new industrial unit
b) Construction of a house
c) Setting up at an office
d) Developing a technology
e) Launching a new product in the market