Resolving Agency Issues in Client-Contractor Relationships: The Use of an Award Winning Teaching Case Study

Featuring Christine Unterhitzenberger - August 11, 2020

Overview

The case study on resolving agency issues in client-contractor relationships was the winner of the 2019 DSI PMI Instructional Case Writing Competition. The author will present some theoretical background on the use of case studies in teaching and then introduce the case study itself and outline its potential use in online settings. The case study focuses on the management of relationships which has been acknowledged as a crucial element of project success. However, agency related issues such as goal conflict, information asymmetry or opportunistic behavior can make relationship management a real challenge. The program managers for One Global Headquarters at Merck developed their own way on how to deal with this challenge in a complex and uncertain environment. This case study will provide unique insights into their approach and motivation.

Learning Objectives

The case study on resolving agency issues in client-contractor relationships was the winner of the 2019 DSI PMI Instructional Case Writing Competition. The author will present some theoretical background on the use of case studies in teaching and then introduce the case study itself and outline its potential use in online settings. The case study focuses on the management of relationships which has been acknowledged as a crucial element of project success. However, agency related issues such as goal conflict, information asymmetry or opportunistic behavior can make relationship management a real challenge. The program managers for One Global Headquarters at Merck developed their own way on how to deal with this challenge in a complex and uncertain environment. This case study will provide unique insights into their approach and motivation.

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Acknowledgements: Fred Ulmer, Laura Schofield and Jill Diffendal

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