Case Study

Custom Load Trucking

It was time for Stewart Stockton’s annual performance review. As Monica Gibbons, an assistant vice president of information systems, prepared for the interview, she reviewed Stewart’s assignments over the last year and his performance. Stewart was one of the “up and coming” systems analysts in the company, and she wanted to be sure to give him solid advice on how to advance his career. For example, she knew that he had a strong desire to become a project manager and accept increasing levels of responsibility. His desire was certainly in agreement with the needs of the company. Custom Load Trucking (CLT) is a nationwide trucking firm that specializes in the movement of high-tech equipment. With the rapid growth of the communications and computer industries, CLT was feeling more and more pressure from its clients to move its loads more rapidly and precisely. Several new information systems were planned that would enable CLT to schedule and track shipments and truck locations almost to the minute. However, trucking wasn’t necessarily a high-interest industry for information systems experts. With the shortage in the job market, CLT had decided not to try to hire project managers for these new projects but to build strong project managers from within the organization. As Monica reviewed Stewart’s record, she found that he had done an excellent job as a team leader on his last project, where he was a combination team leader/ systems analyst on a four-person team. He had been involved in systems analysis, design, and programming, and he had also managed the work of the other three team members. He had assisted in the development of the project schedule and had been able to keep his team right on schedule. It also appeared that the quality of his team’s work was as good as, if not better than, other teams on the project. Monica wondered what advice she should give him to help him advance his career. She was also wondering if now was the time to give him his own project.

1. Do you think the decision by CLT to build project managers from its existing employee base is a good one? What advice would you give CLT to make sure it has strong project management skills in the company?

2. What kind of criteria would you develop for Monica to use to measure whether Stewart (or any other potential project manager) is ready for project management responsibility?

3. How would you structure the job for new project managers to ensure or at least increase the possibility of a high level of success?

4. If you were Monica, what kind of advice would you give Stewart about managing his career and attaining his immediate goal of becoming a project manager?