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APM811S - ADVANCED PROJECT MANAGEMENT - 1ST OPP - JUNE 2025 |
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n Am I BI A u n IVER s I TY
OF SCIEnCE Ano TECHnOLOGY
FACULTYOF COMMERCE,HUMAN SCIENCESAND EDUCATION
DEPARTMENTOF GOVERNANCEAND MANAGEMENTSCIENCES
QUALIFICATION: BACHELOROF BUSINESSMANAGEMENT HONOURS
QUALIFICATION CODE: 08BBMH
LEVEL: 8
COURSECODE:APM811S
COURSENAME: ADVANCED PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
SESSION:JUNE/JULY 2025
DURATION: 3 HOURS
PAPER:THEORY
MARKS: 100
FIRSTOPPORTUNITYEXAMINATION PAPER
EXAMINER(S) Dr VUSUMUZI SIBANDA
MODERATOR: MR. J.V. OLU OJO
INSTRUCTIONS
1. There are five questions, answer all questions in Section A and only one question in
Section B
2. Read all the questions carefully before answering.
3. Number the answers clearly
PERMISSIBLEMATERIALS
1. Examination question paper
2. Examination answer sheet
3. Calculator
THIS QUESTION PAPERCONSISTSOF _5_ PAGES{Including this front page)
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SECTION A (Answer all three questions)
Question 1
Case Study: SunVille Solar Park Project
EcoPower Inc. is a fictional energy company that specialises in renewable energy projects. The
company has recently acquired a vast stretch of land in SunVille, a small town known for its
sunny weather throughout the year. EcoPower's ambitious project aims to transform this land
into one of the region's most extensive solar parks, which could potentially power the entire
SunVille town and its neighboring areas.
The SunVille Solar Park promises significant environmental benefits by reducing the region's
reliance on fossil fuels. However, the project's scale means that a large portion of the acquired
land, currently used for agriculture, will have to be repurposed. This transition will undoubtedly
impact the local community, which primarily depends on farming.
While the local government is generally supportive of renewable energy initiatives, they're also
concerned about the potential job losses in the agricultural sector and the change in the town's
rural character. At the same time, environmentalists, although supportive of green energy,
worry about the local flora and fauna being affected by such a large-scale installation.
EcoPower's investors are enthusiastic about the project's potential returns, given the increasing
global emphasis on clean energy. However, they also emphasize the importance of smooth
execution without significant delays, as such setbacks could affect projected returns.
Local businesses, especially those in the hospitality sector, see an opportunity. They believe
that the solar park, if designed innovatively, could attract eco-tourists, leading to increased
business.
Residents are divided. While some are excited about SunVille potentially becoming a landmark
for clean energy, others, especially farmers, are anxious about their future. To navigate this
complex scenario, EcoPower decides to create a Stakeholder Power/Interest Grid.
Questions:
1. Identify up to ten (10) relevant stakeholders in the above project.
(5 marks)
2. Using the identified stakeholders above, plot each stakeholder on the properly labelled
Power/Interest Grid and indicate how each class/group of stakeholders must be
managed.
(10 marks)
3. How can EcoPower address the concerns of stakeholders with high interest but varying
levels of power?
(2 marks)
4. Considering the potential positive and negative impacts of the project, how should
EcoPower prioritize its communication and engagement activities?
(4 marks)
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5. How might the Power/Interest Grid evolve as the project progresses, and how should
EcoPower adapt its stakeholder management strategies accordingly?
(4 marks)
Question 2
A project has the following activities as shown in the table below where the project times in
days, shown as optimistic (a), most likely (m) and pessimistic (b) time estimates have been
provided.
Activities
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
Immediate Predecessor
-
A
A
B
B
C
D
E,F
G,H
Optimistic Time
2
1
1
3
2
1
1
3
1
Most Likely Time
4
3
2
4
5
2
3
5
2
Pessimistic Time
6
11
3
5
8
9
5
7
9
You are required to:
(i) Calculate the expected (mean) time for each activity
(5 marks)
(ii) Construct the project activity network using the AON methodology and label it.
(5 marks)
(iii) Identify the critical path and non-critical paths through the network.
(4 marks)
(iv) What is the earliest time that the project may be completed?
{2 marks)
(v) Calculate the total project variance
(4 marks)
(vi) Calculate the standard deviation of the project
{3 marks)
(vii)
Calculate the probability of the project completing in 23 days
{2 marks)
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Question 3
A company has N$200 000 to be invested on either project A or project B with the following
cash flows:
Year
Project A
Project B
1
N$70 000
N$10 000
2
N$70 000
N$30 000
3
N$70 000
N$60 000
4
N$70 000
N$132 000
5
N$70 000
N$40 000
The current cost of capital is 12%
{a} You are required to calculate for each project:
{i} Simple payback period
{ii} Net Present Value
(iii} Internal rate of return
(iv} Profitability index
(4 marks)
(6 marks)
(6 marks)
(4 marks)
{b} Based on your results in (a} above, advise the firm on which project to undertake.
(5 marks)
SECTION B: (Answer any one question from this section)
Question 4
(a)
Organisations often struggle to align their project selection and project
portfolio management {PPM) with their overall strategic objectives. Using
relevant examples, critically analyse how an organisation can ensure that its
project selection process supports its strategic goals.
(15 marks)
(b)
Evaluate the role of project portfolio management in balancing competing
projects to optimise resource allocation and strategic impact.
(10 Marks)
Question 5
{a} As a newly appointed project manager, you have taken over a project that is running
way behind schedule, explain at least ten steps you would take to recover that project?
(20 marks)
(b) Outline any five (5} reasons why organisations or project managers continue with failed
projects.
(5 marks)
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.. STAND!\\RD NI ORMAL DISTRIBlJTION Table VaIues Represent AREA t0 fhe LEFT0 fth e Z score.
z .00
.01
.02
.03
.04
.05
.06
.07
.08
.09
0.0 .50000 .50399 .50798 .SI 197 .51595 .51994 .52392 .52790 .53188 .53586
0.1 .53983 .54380 54776 .55172 .55567 .55962 .56356 .56749 .571112 .57535
0.2 .57926 .58317 .58706 .59095 .5948) .59871 .60257 .60642 .6!026 .61409
0.3 .61791 .62172 .62552 .62930 .63307 .63683 .64058 .64431 .64803 .65173
0.4 .65542 .65910 .66276 .66640 .67003 .67364 .67724 .68082 .68439 .68793
0.5 .69146 .69497 .69847 .70194 .70540 .70884 .71226 .71566 .71904 .72240
0.6 .72575 .72907 .73237 ,73565 .73891 .74215 .74537 .74857 .75175 .75490
0.7 .75804 .7CilIS .76424 .76730 .77035 .77337 .ii631 .77935 .78230 7852,1
0.8 .78814 .79103 79389 .79673 .79955 .80234 .80511 .80785 .81057 .81327
0.9 .81594 .81859 .82121 .82381 .82639 .82894 .83147 .83398 .83646 .83891
1.0 .84134 .84375 .84614 .84849 .85083 .85314 .85543 .85769 .85993 .86214
I.I .8643.) .86650 .86864 .87076 .87286 .87493 .87698 .87900 .88100 .88298
1.2 ,88493 .88686 ,88877 .89065 ,89251 .89435 ,89617 .89796 ,89973 .90147
1.3 .90320 .90490 .90658 .90824 .90988 .91149 .91309 .91466 .91621 ,91774
1.4 .91924 .92073 .92220 .92364 .92507 .92647 .92785 .92922 .93056 .93189
1.5 .93319 .93448 .93574 .93699 .93822 .93943 .94062 .94179 .94295 .94408
1.6 .94520 .94630 .94738 .94845 .94950 .95053 .95154 .95254 .95352 .95449
1.7 .95543 .95637 .957211 .9581!> ,95907 95994 .%080 .96164 .96246 .%327
1.8 .96'107 .96485 96562 .96638 ,96712 .96784 .96856 ,96926 96995 .97062
1.9 .97128 .97193 .97257 .97320 .97381 .97441 .97500 .97558 .97615 .97670
2.0 .97725 .97778 .97831 .97882 .97932 .97982 .98030 .98077 .98124 .98169
2.1 .98214 .98257 .98300 .98341 .98382 .98422 .98461 .98500 .98537 .98574
2.2 ,98610 ,98645 .98679 .98713 .98745 .98778 .98809 .98840 .98870 ,98899
2.3 .98928 .98956 98983 .99010 ,99036 99061 .99086 ,99111 ,99134 .99158
2.4 .99180 .99202 .99224 .99245 .99266 .99286 .99305 .99324 .99343 .99361
2.5 .99379 .99396 .99413 .99430 .99446 99461 .99477 .99492 .99506 .99520
2.6 .99534 .99547 .99560 .99573 .99585 .99598 .99609 .99621 .99632 .99643
2.7 .99653 .99664 .99674 .99683 .99693 .99702 .9971 I .99720 .99728 .99736
2,8 ,99744 .99752 .99760 ,99767 .99774 .99i8l .99788 .99795 .99801 ,99807
2.9 .99813 .99819 99825 .99831 .99836 .99841 .99846 .99851 .99856 .99861
3.0 .99865 .99869 .99874 .99878 .99882 .99886 .99889 .99893 .99896 .99900
3.1 .99903 .99906 .99910 .99913 .99916 .99918 .99921 .99924 .99926 .99929
3.2 .99931 .99934 .99936 .99938 .99940 .99942 .99944 .99946 .99948 .99950
3.3 ,99952 ,99953 ,9')955 .99957 .99958 .99960 .99961 .99962 ,99964 .99965
3.4 .99966 ,99968 .99969 .99970 ,99971 99972 ,99973 ,99974 ,9'1975 ,99976
3.5 .99977 .99978 .99978 .99979 .99980 .99981 .99981 .99982 .99983 .99983
3.6 .99984 .99985 .99985 .99986 .99986 .99987 .99987 .99988 .99988 .99989
3.7 .99989 .99990 .99990 .99990 .99991 .99991 .99992 .99992 .99992 .99992
3.8 .99993 .99993 .99993 .99994 .99994 .99994 ,99994 ,99995 .99995 .99995
3,9 ,99995 ,99995 99996 ,99996 ,99996 .99996 ,99996 ,999')6 99997 ,99997
5