Astra Zeneca
Project Proposal to Streamline Operational Processes
The pharmaceutical industry in general is undergoing extreme amounts of external pressures. Not only has the economic environment since the global recession been less than ideal, but there are increasing regulatory pressures and healthcare reforms that are also expected to dramatically change the environment in which AstraZeneca operates. It is in this environment that the organization must streamline its operations so that it can be more lean and flexible when adapting to the new landscape that will emerge in the near future.
This project proposal outlines a project portfolio management program that can be implemented to ensure the organization can eliminate any unneeded waste in its operations. This portfolio will be implemented across many divisions and will require a schedule of one year. Each division will have an individual project that is tailored to a scope that suites there individual department's needs. However, these individual projects will be coordinated by the portfolio which will also provide oversight and guidance. The project requirements will also vary by department but the overall program goal is to eliminate ten percent of the company's current expenditures so that the organization will be more flexible to adapt to the upcoming changes.
Company Overview
AstraZeneca states that they are a global innovation-driven biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription medicines that make a meaningful difference in healthcare (AstraZeneca Global, N.d.). The global pharmaceuticals market is worth U.S.$300 billion a year, a figure expected to rise to U.S.$400 billion within three years. The 10 largest drugs companies control over one-third of this market, several with sales of more than U.S.$10 billion a year and profit margins of about 30% (WHO, N.d.). AstraZeneca is currently the fourth largest pharmaceutical company in the world and its also trying to increase its market share. Just recently AstraZeneca announced its bid to buy U.S. respiratory drug specialist Pearl Therapeutics for up to $1.15 billion as Britain's second biggest drugmaker steps up a drive to rebuild its product pipeline via deal-making (Hirschier, 2013).
Project Definition
This project is intended to provide an overhaul of the entire operating base at AstraZeneca and lower its operating overhead by ten percent to make the pharmaceutical company more nimble in the upcoming times of uncertainty in the market place. Each different operating division must construct its own reduction targets and orchestrate these with the project program. Although ten percent is a small fraction of the company's total expenditures, since the company is so large it will be a difficult task. However, by becoming leaner the company will be in a better market position to adapt to upcoming changes while still offering a reasonable rate of return for its investors. If the project is not approved then AstraZeneca could lose some of its market share to smaller and more nimble competitors who are better prepared to adapt to a changing market landscape.
The ten percent overall reductions does not have to be shared by each division equally. However, each division will be required to justify the resources that they use more carefully and reduce their resource expenditures if they are not offering returns that are demonstrable. Since much of AstraZeneca's overhead is devoted to research and development, R&D teams will be forced to make better use of their resources in their individual projects. The central project planning office will also have to reevaluate the cost of capital figures that they are using to compare current projects to fit the new projections. However, at the same time the projects will have to be careful not to have project proposal that underestimate the capital requirements so that there projects can be approved. AstraZeneca should carefully evaluate each of its research and development projects underway to ensure that the progress is suitable and the expected returns are still attainable. It is likely that some projects could be cancelled altogether to help meet the reduction in overhead.
Organizational Chart
Marketing
Operations
R&D
Stakeholders
Project Office
Customers
The end users of the pharmaceutical products stand to gain tremendously from a company that streamlines its operations. By eliminating waste from the company, customers will be subject to value added products. For example, research and development for products that are not promising add expense to the entire company and all of the organizations different product lines. Therefore, the entire consumer base will benefit. Furthermore, by adding competitive pressure to the market, the entire industry will benefit as well and the same could be said about the state of health care in general.
WBS
Project Phase
Activity
Duration (Weeks)
Planning
Fine Tune Scope Requirements
4
Fine Tune Schedule
3
Set Project Budget
3
Make Divisional Announcement
1
Select Divisional PM
3
Divisional PM Planning
4
Technology Product Project Charter: Technology Project for YourGard Technology Company The project at focus in this study will involve hiring an outside contractor to develop the new application and an outside firm to design and construct the website. The web site must maintain the company vision and make the company's operation available in a technological sense to the world. The purpose for this project includes the increase of market share and revenue through
Initial input from the preliminary plan received from Worldviewupgrades and from the advance trial version of the software will be sought from the ODSH User Groups and specifically from Linda Lee Danvers, the appointed liaison between the team and these User Groups, as well as from software engineer Diana Prince and Director of the Office of Network Support Peter Parker. In the execution phase of the project life cycle,
Project Management Supporting Activity Project Characteristics • What are some of the characteristics that differentiate projects from other functions carried out in the daily operations of an organization? List some examples of work considered to be a project and work not considered to be a project. The main trait and attribute that differentiates projects and non-projects is the duration of the event in question. Events that are ongoing in perpetuity are not projects.
Project Management Plan of a New Restaurant This project management plan is majorly concerned primarily with the first two steps which are defining the project; the project objective is broken down into a series of manageable steps called tasks and designing the project process; this work is performed by the project manager and is presented in the GANTT chart where the tasks are displayed in more detail (Hamilton, 2004). Besides, for
Project Management: The Essentials The Relevance of a Project Charter A project charter is, in basic terms, a fundamental document that marks the initiation of a project. It outlines details such as the project's objectives and goals, duration, budget, deliverables and scope (Grisham, 2011). The lead project manager prepares the same, and the sponsors, by appending their signature to it, authorize him or her to undertake any activity that appertains to the
Project Management Project Information, History, Intent, and Life Cycle Gray and Larson, (2008) define project as "a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result." (p 5). Essential feature of a project is that it has a defined beginning and end often subject to time or fund constraint to achieve stakeholder's goals and objectives. Gray and Larson (2008) differentiate between project and program. "A program is a group of
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now