Project Management for Business, Engineering and Technology, 3rd edition is a direct response to the ever-increasing need for better project management. First covering the essential background, from origins and philosophy to methodology, the main bulk of the book is dedicated to the concepts and techniques of practical application, including project initiation and proposals, scope and task definition, scheduling, budgeting, risk analysis, control, project organization and all-important "people" aspects--project leadership, team building, conflict resolution and stress management.
The Systems Development Cycle is used as a framework to discuss project management in a variety of situations, making this the go-to book for managing virtually any kind of project, program or task force. Focusing on projects as goal-oriented systems of interrelated components functioning in a larger environment, the book targets the ultimate purpose of project management--to unify and integrate the interests, resources and work efforts of many stakeholders, as well as schedules, budgets, and plans, to accomplish the overall project goal.
John Nicholas is professor of operations and project management and former associate dean of the Graduate School of Business at Loyola University Chicago. He is an active teacher, writer and researcher in project management and manufacturing management, conducts executive seminars and consults on project management and process improvement. He has authored numerous academic and technical publications and led projects for companies such as Lockheed-Martin Corporation, Bank America and Argonne National Laboratory. He has a BS in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, an MBA in operations research from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a PhD in industrial engineering and applied behavioral science from Northwestern University.