Imagine that an important customer in your firm commissions you to complete a sophisticated worldwide market study that will form the basis of a global expansion strategy. Or that you are responsible for the development of the product which will determine your firm’s ability to go public. Or that you are in charge of handling the merger of your firm with another. Further imagine that in these situations you receive a strict budget and a precise schedule. You are, as such, involved in a project— and, moreover, you are involved in managing a project. Deliverables must be completed according to a schedule, which is usually aggressive, and within a budget, which is usually fixed.
