Why did CIPI decide to implement the PAS project?
CIPI changed its strategic direction and focused on total quality management (TQM) at the company level. The Payables Audit Project (PAS) was part of the larger reevaluation of managing accounts payable at CIPI. As it was mentioned above, CIPI had an ineffective process of managing accounts payable: it was challenging for the company to match the three parts of the procurement process – purchases, receiving the goods, and sending payment. A particular issue in accounts payable management was the lack of match between purchase orders and invoices/receiving reports that caused delays in payment. The delays in payment had a significant negative impact on vendors’ financial position and affected relationships with vendors. This situation contradicted the goals and approaches of TQM, so CIPI decided to make fundamental changes and streamline the purchasing and overall procurement processes.
What are the roles of Ted Anderson, Peter Shaw, and Linda Watkins on the project?
Ted Anderson, Peter Shaw, and Linda Watkins were important project members. According to the organization chart, the positions of these project members were the following: Ted Anderson was the Director of Disbursements in CIPI, Peter Shaw was one of the supervisors for the accounts payable department, and Linda Watkins was the Director of the PAS project. Ted Anderson was the project’s Executive Sponsor: he approved all expenditures, had budgetary responsibilities, and was responsible for authorizing the team’s transition to every new stage of the project. Peter Shaw’s role in the project was the User Project Manager: his responsibility was to make sure that the new system meets the users’ needs, connect and alert the right people, and resolve emerging political issues. Linda Watkins, as Project Director, managed the information systems personnel on the PAS project. She was responsible for project planning, costing, connecting with clients, involving the right technical people, and was in general responsible for the project’s success.
