Training Project Managers in Small Aerospace Businesses to Increase Sustainability

1
Training Project Managers in Small Aerospace
Businesses to Increase Sustainability

• Presented by Dr. John C. Leavitt

2
Background

• Small businesses constitute a significant roll
  within the U.S. economy
• They create over half of the non-farm private
  gross domestic product and hire over 40 of
  high-tech workers such as scientists and
  engineers. According to Yallapragada and Bhuiyan
  (2011),
• The U.S. government has historically supported
  small businesses since they play a significant
  role within the high-tech markets
• Small business is the spark that ignites
  innovation- 13-14 times more intellectual
  property (patents) come from small businesses
• Small business therefore should continue to
  receive assistance in obtaining government
  contracts because reductions may negatively
  impact the economy (SBA, 2010 Senge, 2009).
• The U.S. Government has levied requirements to
  retrain and certify project and program managers
  on Government contracts. They are now required
  or strongly encouraged for many AD government
  subcontractors.

3
Why do Small Businesses this matter to US? AACEI

• Governmental agencies are expecting programs and
  projects to contain costs and create functional
  cost estimates for small task order driven
  businesses to large Government contracts.
• Training Project Managers will help satisfy this
  requirement
• Realistic Basis of Estimates (BOEs) for cost and
  schedule to help the government evaluate true
  contract value.

4
Problem Statement

• The problem statement, from the research study I
  conducted is as follows
• More than 660,000 small businesses in the United
  States failed in 2009 (SBA, 2010).
• According to the DoD (2010), 31 of AD contracts
  are at risk of not being offered to small
  businesses.
• Small businesses focusing on high-tech markets of
  AD industries drive future innovation and are
  important to the overall health of the U.S.
  economy (SBA, 2009c).

5
Problem Statement

• The general business problem was that small
  businesses may not meet new federal government
  requirements for PM certification (NASA, 2009b).
• The specific problem in high-tech areas such as
  AD is that proof of PM competency or
  certification was either required or strongly
  encouraged to bid new government contracts (FAI,
  2007).
• Small businesses may be unable to afford the
  costs associated with new and future training or
  certification requirements and will risk the loss
  of significant government revenue opportunities
  (DoD, 2010).

6
Purpose Statement

• The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological
  study was to identify the contributing factors of
  a successful project management training plan. I
  interviewed 20 (purposely sampled) small business
  executives from the aerospace defense market of
  the Southeast United States.
• For a PM training plan designed for small
  businesses within the AD market to be
  successful, the plan has to be easy, quickly
  implementable, and have a low cost (Bager, 2011
  FAI, 2007 Haug, Soren Arlbjorn, 2011).
• Failure of small businesses within AD markets is
  a significant social concern- the impact on
  society if Small Businesses fail it would be in
  direct conflict with the FAR established to
  ensure the sustainability of small businesses
  (FAI, 2010). 

7
Research Question/s

• The overarching research question was what
  contributing factors for a PM training plan will
  help to sustain small businesses for U.S. AD
  markets?
• The researcher asked eight interview questions to
  obtain the data that fully answered the research
  question, such as
• What level of academic degree and PM
  certification, or combination thereof, would be
  the most desirable to your organization?

8
Conceptual Framework for qualitative studies
(looked at several-came back to TLT)

• transforming, or transformational, theory
  (Favored by PMI)
• First introduced by James McGregor Burns in 1978
• task oriented leadership
• Bales, 1950 (Task Driven good for managing
  process not leading teams)
• theory of constraints (Identify the constraints,
  resolve or re-org)
• The Goal Goldratt Cox, 1992 (Rhee, Cho,
  Bae, 2010) Weakest link ideology
• Transformational Leadership is concerned with
  not only performance but the development of
  followers to their fullest potential from within
  (Nichols, 2008)..
• The PMI stresses teamwork and the use of
  high-performing work teams within the PMBOK.
  Transformational leadership ensures that
  leadership will broaden and elevate the
  followers interests by stirring them to look
  beyond their own interests for the good of the
  team or the project (Andersen, Dysvik, Anne,
  2009).

9
Literature Reviewedan overview
Table 1 Breakdown of Historical Documents
Reviewed
Table 2 Breakdown of 160 Current Documents
Reviewed
Table 3 Breakdown of Current Peer-Reviewed
Documents (140 or approximately 88)
10
Method/Design chosen helped add new insights

• I considered many methods to test or quantify
  whether the stakeholders were aware of options
  for low-cost training available to them. A
  single-shot case study was considered. However,
  as Campbell and Stanley (1963) pointed out, Such
  studies have such a total absence of control as
  to be of almost no scientific value (p. 6).
• In the end, I used a qualitative method, and
  phenomenological designed approach. The use of
  open-ended interview questions was appropriate
  to collect data that took into account the
  essence of the lived (human) experience in
  addition, the data supported the knowledge
  obtained from the literature review (Creswell,
  2009 Turner, 2010)-provided valuable insight
  into the needs and perceived value of PMP
  certification training.

11
Population and sample size

• The researcher employed a combination of
  criterion sampling and purposeful sampling, as
  defined by Suri (2011).
• The specific criteria for selection was to hold a
  current position of leadership in a small
  business operating within the SE-US within the
  AD market.
• Purposeful sampling was to invite participants
  from within the AD market in the Southeastern
  United States.
• The established sample size of 20 for the
  interviews was considered an appropriate sample
  size for a qualitative study (Mason, 2009).
• The sample size was relational to the depth
  required (Marshall, 1996).

12
Data Collection/Organization Techniques and
Tools Employed

• 1. The researcher sent out over 150 invitations
  to participate
• 2. Selected participants completed a letter of
  Informed Consent
• 3. Telephone interviews were scheduled
• 4. The researcher recorded all interviews on both
  analogue and digital recording systems
• 5. The researcher coded and transcribed the
  interviews
• 6. The researcher used MS Word, MS Excel
  spreadsheets and NVivo v.9 software to sort,
  manipulate and store the coded data used to
  identify emergent themes through the IPA method
• I have secured soft copies of the resultant data
  on two sets of CD-ROMs and have placed them in a
  personal safety deposit box where they will
  remain for 5 years

13
Analysis of the DataThe use of Interpretive
Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)

• IPA was the primary method of analysis used.
• Except for the coding of participants names and
  identifying information, the coding or annotating
  the insights of the participants responses, used
  a bottom-up method generating the coding from the
  data rather than applying a pre-existing code set
  to the resultant data
• Using IPA required the researcher to gain
  insights into the meaning of the participants
  responses and then interpret those insights
  without changing the significance or connotation
  of the respondents response (Smith, Flowers,
  Larkin, 2009)
• Grouping took place by counting of participants
  who seemed to agree or trend together to align
  participant responses into a specific group or
  theme (Fade, 2004).
• Cross-validation and triangulation was then used
  to validate the groupings and themes found using
  the NVivo v.9 (QSR International, 2011) software
  (Kikooma, 2010).

14
After IRB approvala pilot study was employed

• To ensure the validity of the interview
  instrument, the interview questions were piloted
  with five participants
• This pilot followed the interview procedure and
  provided feedback about the clarity and
  answerability of the questions to ensure
  scholarly content
• The researcher discussed the feedback from the
  pilot study participants with the study chair
• would incorporate instructions that the
  participants could ask the researcher to slow
  down and/or repeat a question at any time
• Since, only a minor instructional adjustment was
  made as a result of the pilot study, therefore,
  resubmission to the IRB was not required

15
Research AccomplishedInitial Findings

• The research showed me that if the PM training
  plan was to be implemented successfully, it had
  to be easy, be implemented relatively quick and
  be low cost (FAI, 2007 Department of Interior,
  2008)
• As expected, participants expressed concerns
  about future governmental regulation and took a
  keen interest in identifying key factors for the
  success of a PM training plan written to help
  their organizations to prepare for the future
• The executives identified the most important
  components needed to support their businesses
  such as which knowledge areas within the PMBOK
  are valued the most by them (i.e., scope,
  schedule, and cost) (PMI TripConst/Kerzner Iron
  Trilt) the attributes of PMPs whom they might
  hire, and the overall strategy of success factors
  and potential barriers to ensure successful
  implementation

16
Presentation of the FindingsPrimary Theme

• One overarching research question guided this
  study What contributing factors for a PM
  training plan will help to sustain small
  businesses for U.S. AD markets
• The interview responses definitely furthered the
  knowledge gained from the literature review
• The questions were designed to identify
  contributing factors for a successful PM training
  plan implementation
• Costs, was a driving concern-whether from
  increases in benefit costs or from the costs of
  training, Costs can significantly hamper the
  ability of small businesses to remain solvent
  (SBA, 2009c).

17
Identification of Ten Subthemeslinked to
literature reviewed and participant responses
Each subtheme directly linked to the literature
as well as the executives responses. 10 subthemes
were derived from the interview responses. Some
related directly to the interview questions, and
others were derived from the answers to several
questions. This crossover was possible because
IPA relates meaning to groups and the
presentation of the data in a multitude of views
that helped group subthemes.
18
Application to Professional Practice

• Collection of the lived experiences of the
  participating executives identified the
  contributing factors for a successful PM training
  plan
• Once the study has been published, I expect to
  modify a PM training plan with the knowledge
  gained from this study
• The resultant training plan, will be made
  available to the small businesses within the
  SE-US AD market
• The plans optional curricula when tailored to the
  types, size, and abilities of a small business
  will drive success.
• The plan WILL IDENTIFY PMI local training
  resources train the trainer, and other methods
  that might provide successful PM training.

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Implications for Social Change

• I think that the 2010 report to the president by
  the SBA makes it clear that
• By assisting small businesses increase their
  sustainability job growth and overall economic
  health maybe positively impacted and improved
• Ensuring small business sustainability
  demonstrates social responsibility
• Provide lesser expensive options to small
  businesses for PM training
• Assist small businesses within High-Tech sectors
  from loss of revenue due to inability to bid
  future jobs
• Helping small businesses could be good for the
  employees, the organizations and owners, the even
  U.S. government agencies imposing the requirement
  to use certified project managers, most
  importantly the U.S. economy in general (Davis
  2009 GAO-08-1159T Defense acquisitions
  Fundamental, 2008).

20
Recommendations Call for action

• The intent of this study was to
• inform small businesses within the AD market of
  new government contracting requirements,
• Gather information designed to model a PM
  training plan,
• Ensure success of the plan by developing factors
  that contribute to success as well as address
  barriers to success through curriculum and
  program options.
• I plan to disseminate the findings to small
  businesses supporting the AD market of the
  southeastern United States through ProQuest
  publishing and offer the results to the PMI for
  discussion at the PMI World Congress in 2013
• I also plan to attend the NASA PM Challenge of
  2013 (NASA, 2009a, 2012).
• The plan when completed will provide a scalable
  and flexible PM training program that can be
  tailored to fit the needs of small businesses
  within the AD market.
• I expect I will need 6-months to complete the new
  revision of the training plan

21
Recommendations Call for action

• The PM and Cost Estimation community need to use
  one clear vernacular for Government proposals
• PM training includes multiple reviews of the PMI
  glossary of terms to ensure that there is a
  common framework to build from
• Understanding the DoD 5000.4-M Cost Analysis
  Guidance and Procedures C3
• Cost Terms, Definitions, and Relationship to
  Life-Cycle Costs, Work Breakdown Structures, and
  Appropriations
• Information shown from DAU ACQuipedia-public
  domain

22
DoD 5000.4-M
https//dap.dau.mil/acquipedia/Pages/ArticleDetail
s.aspx?aid8e8f5bf3-f517-4e98-8c07-80bb8670a830
23
Estimate method changes as programs progresses
(projects progressively elaborate)
https//dap.dau.mil/acquipedia/Pages/ArticleDetail
s.aspx?aid8e8f5bf3-f517-4e98-8c07-80bb8670a830
24
The PMI PMBOK

• Develop scope and requirements
• Develop schedule estimates that are resource
  based
• Develop budgets from rates multiplied to
  resources
• Does your estimating method change once in
  process?
• Of course if you use rolling wave planning or
  just take the time to update your estimate to
  complete

25
42 Processes within the PMBOK
Reproduced from PMBOK 4th Ed.
26
Education is the key

• It is my belief that education in project
  management processes and methods will produce
  better results for small businesses writing
  winning proposals that can be more consistent
• Low cost PM training education on skills that
  develop good risk informed basis of estimates is
  the key

27
Conclusions

• The qualitative interview data collected helped
  to refine, and clarify, the literature reviewed.
• I agree with the SBA -Government should not enact
  additional barriers that restrict small
  businesses, especially within the high-tech
  sector, because it could have such a negative
  impact not only on the growth of small businesses
  but also on recovery of the entire economy (SBA,
  2010).
• The results allowed the researcher to identify
  contributing factors that can help guide a PM
  training plan to focus specifically on the needs
  of small businesses.
• The research will help me and will help others
  manipulate the planned curriculum to support the
  flexible needs of small businesses
• A small business has differing needs than a
  Boeing or Lockheed Martin
• This research, if explored further, will add to
  the body of knowledge relevant to Project
  Management scholars and business practitioners.
• If only 1 of the small businesses at risk
  achieve efficiencies derived from this research,
  society will gain a significant benefit.

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Invitation for comments

• Questions?

29
Moved Charts from Oral Defense

• Holding place for charts moved.

30
Gathering and Organizing Research Data
SKIP for AACEi

• Over 150 invitations were sent out to obtain 20
  participants
• Telephone interviews of 20 small business
  executives that met the selection guidelines were
  completed using two audio recorders - one digital
  (researchers laptop using Audacity software), and
  one analogue (cassette deck) to capture the
  participant responses.
• Dragon SW did not work-Instituted the backup plan
  I Manually transcribed participant responses into
  MS Word -the files were then coded to protect the
  anonymity of the participants.
• Resultant files used to populate both MS Excel
  spreadsheets as well as the NVivo software tool
  where further data coding and mapping took place.

31
Recommendations Further Study
Skip for AACEi

• The researcher recommends further study to
  ascertain whether the assumptions, limitations,
  and delimitations applied to this study would
  hold true for other high-tech markets
• I would also recommend to study other regions
  within the United States, and nonrelated small
  business markets, and even nonprofit
  organizations that may not yet be feeling the
  effects of government regulatory interference but
  simply want to improve business practices and
  gain the efficiencies that PM training may offer
  (Atamian VanZante, 2010).
• specific disadvantaged categories could produce
  additional guidance for a more closely aligned PM
  training program to the target organizations
  needs.

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Reflections
Skip for AACEi

• Reliance throughout the interview process on
  technology was a hindrance to a timely
  conclusion. Short dont over-rely on technology!
• Had the researcher not made backup recordings on
  an analog voice recorder, three of the interviews
  would have been lost or repeated by necessity.
• Although I felt the first study should be
  Qual-Phen A mixed methods study performed in the
  future might provide a more complete final
  product, and is recommended to augment the
  knowledge gleaned from this study.
• This study provided the researcher with
  significant new knowledge that will shape
  developing a solid PM training plan.

33
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36
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• The following references in Backup References may
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  Defense.

37
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