What are the differences between project managers and general managers?
Divide & Conquer creates a collaborative learning process that allows you to cover many topics at a granular level. You will be assigned a question/topic to research, and in a short presentation, you will share what you learned. Additionally, you will review your classmates presentations.
Create a 3-5 minute narrated presentation that can include presentation slides, charts, or images relating to the topic(s) you are assigned. Your presentation should:
Address the question/topic.
Discuss how it is significant to a project manager or the profession.
Include mentor insight when appropriate.
For each topic, you are expected to collect a minimum of one (1) academic source and one (1) practitioner source.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Differences Between Project Managers and General Managers
Slide 1: Title Slide
– Title: Differences Between Project Managers and General Managers
– Subtitle: Understanding Roles in Organizational Context
– Presented by: [Your Name]
– Date: [Presentation Date]
Slide 2: Introduction
– Objective: – To explore the key differences between project managers and general managers.
– To understand the significance of these roles within an organization.
Slide 3: Definitions
– Project Manager (PM):
– Responsible for planning, executing, and closing specific projects.
– Focused on achieving project-specific goals within a defined timeline and budget.
– General Manager (GM):
– Oversees the overall operations of a business or a specific department.
– Responsible for broader organizational goals and resource management.
Slide 4: Key Differences
Criteria Project Manager General Manager
Scope of Work Specific projects Overall business or department
Timeframe Temporary (project-based) Ongoing (long-term)
Focus Deliverables and milestones Profitability and organizational efficiency
Skills Required Technical, risk management Leadership, strategic planning
Team Structure Cross-functional teams Functional departments
Slide 5: Significance to the Profession
– Project Managers:
– Play a critical role in ensuring projects align with business strategy.
– Contribute to innovation through effective project execution.
– General Managers:
– Ensure organizational health and sustainability.
– Responsible for setting strategic objectives and achieving long-term goals.
Slide 6: Academic Perspective
– Source:
– Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Wiley.- Discusses the distinct roles and responsibilities of project managers in driving project success.
– Key Insight:
– Project managers must balance multiple constraints (time, cost, scope) while general managers focus on aligning projects with broader business objectives.
Slide 7: Practitioner Perspective
– Source:
– Turner, J. R., & Müller, R. (2003). On the Nature of the Project as a Temporary Organization. International Journal of Project Management.- Explores the dynamic relationship between project management and organizational leadership.
– Key Insight:
– Successful project managers often require strong communication skills to engage stakeholders, a trait that differs from the more strategic focus of general managers.
Slide 8: Mentor Insight
– Insight from a Mentor (if applicable):- “Understanding the distinction between project and general management is crucial for career progression. While project managers are tactical in nature, general managers must adopt a holistic view of the organization.”
Slide 9: Conclusion
– Summary:- Both project managers and general managers play vital roles in organizations but operate in different scopes and timeframes.
– Recognizing these differences aids in better collaboration and understanding within teams.
Slide 10: Q&A
– Invitation for Questions:- Open the floor for any questions or discussions regarding the differences between project managers and general managers.
Narration Notes:
For each slide, provide a brief narration touching on the key points. Engage with your audience, emphasizing the significance of understanding these roles in the context of effective organizational management. Use examples from real-life experiences or case studies where possible to illustrate your points.
References
1. Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Wiley.
2. Turner, J. R., & Müller, R. (2003). On the Nature of the Project as a Temporary Organization. International Journal of Project Management.
This structure allows you to create an engaging presentation that effectively communicates the differences between project managers and general managers while incorporating academic and practitioner insights.
