COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

PUTRAJAYA CAMPUS
Test No. 2
Special Semester, Year 2014 / 2015

PROGRAMME

: Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)

SUBJECT CODE

: CEPB 323

SUBJECT

: Project Management and Construction

DATE

: 16th April 2015

TIME

: 3.00 3.45 p.m. (45 min.)

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
1. This paper contains THREE (3) questions in THREE (3) pages.
2. Answer ALL questions in the answer sheets that are provided.
3. Total marks = 45 marks

THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF FOUR (4) PRINTED PAGES

INCLUDING THIS COVER PAGE.

CEPB 323 Project Management & Construction

Test 2

Question 1 (15 marks)

Answer the following questions by stating whether the statement is TRUE or FALSE in the
answer sheet.
a) Managing for competitive advantage only involves innovation, quality, speed
and service.

TRUE /
FALSE

b) The forces in a company's competitive environment are the company, its

competitors, suppliers and distributors only.

TRUE /
FALSE

c) "Cost competitiveness" means pricing your products lower than all

competitors' products.

TRUE /
FALSE

d) One potential advantage of using a group for decision making is that people
are likely to be more committed to the decision.

FALSE

e) A barrier to entry is a condition that prevents customers from using a firm's

products or services.

TRUE /

TRUE /
FALSE

Question 2 (15 marks)

Answer the following questions in the answer sheet.
a) The following persons are managers EXCEPT
A. A factory technician who has to supervise 10 workers who does maintenance
work in the factory.
B. A person who has the position of Technical Manager and does design work in the
company but does not have any subordinate.
C. An engineer who has just graduated from university and only has a technician
assisting him.
D. A General Manager who is responsible for 3 departments in the company.
E.

The President of a company.

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CEPB 323 Project Management & Construction

Test 2

b) Select the statement which is TRUE.

A. A President may not be a CEO because he has to meet and report to the Board of
Directors every month about the companys progress in achieving its goals.
B. Technical skill is not a necessary management skill for top managers because
they are not involved in any technical work anymore and are usually busy with
management work.
C. Quality of a product is only determined exclusively by the company in order to
come up with an innovative product.
D. A middle manager will have to report to the strategic manager and at the same
time have to supervise the operational manager.
E. None of the above.

c) Illusion of control, discounting the future, and framing effects are all examples of _____.
A. social realities.
B. psychological biases.
C. goal displacement.
D. vigilance.
E. time pressures.

d) Managers who optimize their decisions will attempt to:

A. choose the first, minimally acceptable alternative.
B. choose the decision that is fastest to make.
C. focus on the least expensive option available in the market.
D. decide on whatever produces the least challenge or conflict.
E. achieve the best possible balance among several goals.

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CEPB 323 Project Management & Construction

Test 2

e) Which of the following is a disadvantage of group decisions?

A. The decisions tend to be satisficing.
B. There is a much smaller pool of information.
C. The employees are not intellectually stimulated.
D. There are multiple perspectives to the decision.
E.

There is more transparency among employees.

Question 3 (15 marks)

Answer the following questions in the answer sheet based on the appropriate principles of
management.
a) Briefly explain the influence of any one relevant force in the macro environment on a
construction company that is not concern about taking care of the natural environment in
its construction activities.

[5 marks]

b) Briefly explain any one appropriate way or strategy to respond to the environment for a
company that has been experiencing very difficult competition against its rivals and
failing in the bidding of new projects.

[5 marks]

c) Briefly explain any one phase in a formal decision making process for a new civil
engineering consultancy company to decide what services to offer to potential customers.
[5 marks]

End of questions

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Special Semester, Year 2014/15