Moss and

McAdams
Accounting Firm
Case Study pages 82 -85 from
our Text book, Project
Management
by Clifford F. Gray and Erik W.
Larson

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm
was a well-established regional
accounting firm with 160 employees
located across six offices in
Minnesota and Wisconsin. The main
office where [Bruce] Palmer worked,
was in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Gray,
pg.82-83)

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm

This case study deals with two
projects handled by their main office
in Green Bay Wisconsin. Their office
manager Ruby Sands is responsible
for assigning project team leaders
and team members.

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm

Mr. Palmer was able to select his
team for the Johnsonville Trucks
Audit project; he was pleased with
the five accountants assigned to his
team; most notably was Zeke Olds,
an Army vet, known for coming up
with innovated solutions to problems.

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm

Mr. Olds is well liked and his talents
were sought after at the firm.
Additionally, Moss and McAdams had
just hired Ken Crosby, an accountant
with nine years experience, hired to
manage the special consulting
project (Springfield Metal Project ).
Mr. Crosby wants Mr. Olds on his
team.

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm

Rudy Sands was the office manager in the
Green Bay office responsible for assigning
personnel to different accounts. The problem
occurred when Ms. Sands assigned Mr. Olds
to split time on both teams; I assume she had
no way of knowing this would have gone so
poorly. However, I believe this is her fault or
at least her place to ensure this does not
happen again in the future at the Green Bay
office or anywhere within Moss and McAdams
again.

Moss and McAdams, Structure

Moss and McAdams
Accounting Firm

Main Office in Green

Bay

5 Other Offices
Across WI & MN

Ruby Sands, Office

Manager

Bruce Palmer, Team

Lead

Zeke Olds, Team

Member

Ken Crosby, Team

Lead

Zeke Olds, Team

Member

Other Team Leads

Other Team
Members

Moss and McAdams, Risk

Analysis
From what I can see, the problem occurred once
two project managers, Palmer and Crosby
wanted to both use Olds splitting time between
the two projects. After a short while Olds
splitting time between both projects was hurting
Olds family life and causing problems on
Palmers project.
Ms. Sands is the office manager and responsible
for who manages the team and who will be on
the teams. Ultimately, she is responsible for the
break down in team performance.

Moss and McAdams, Risk

Analysis
Risk Event

Likelihood

Impact

Detection
Difficulty

When

Johnsonville
Audit Failure

Throughout the
Project

Springfield Metal 2
Project Failure

Throughout the
Project

Bruce Palmer
Looking Bad

Early in His New

Position

Ruby Sands
Looking Bad

Anytime

Zeke Olds
Looking Bad

Early in His New

Career

Ken Crosby
Looking Bad

Early in His New

Company

Moss and McAdams, Risk

Analysis
Risk Event

Response

Contingency
Plan
Do Without

Trigger
Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams

Who is
Responsible?
Ruby Sands and
the Two Team
Leaders

Johnsonville
Audit Failure

Replace Mr.
Olds

Springfield
Metal Project
Failure

Use Mr. Olds

Replace Mr.
Olds

Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams

Ruby Sands and

the Two Team
Leaders

Bruce Palmer
Looking Bad

Learn From this

Event

Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams

Ruby Sands

Ruby Sands
Looking Bad

Learn From this

Event

Change Office
Policy

Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams

Ruby Sands and

Company Policy

Zeke Olds
Looking Bad

Learn From this

Event

Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams

Ruby Sands and

the Two Team
Leads

Ken Crosby
Looking Bad

Learn From this

Event

Mr. Olds
Splitting Time
on Two Teams

Ruby Sands

Moss and McAdams Accounting

Firm
Ms. Sands failed to support what
leaders and team members need to
understand about emotions: people
need to be valued, people need to
feel a sense of belonging ,people
need a realistic and hopeful future,
and people need basic organization
in their lives. (O'Connor, 2009).

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm

Aside from Ms. Sandys failure
additionally, Mr. Crosby was not
willing to work fairly with Mr. Palmer;
he did build an efficient team but at
Mr. Palmers expense. He broke
promises and did little to build
building social capital with Mr. Palmer
in fact he did just the opposite.

Moss and McAdams Accounting Firm

Finally, Ms. Sands, Mr. Palmer and Mr.
Crosby all failed Mr. Olds as he
struggled to balance both project
teams and his family life. He was the
one in the end who elevated the
issues to Ms. Sands; it seems strange
to me that with the office manager
and two team leaders involved one
of them should have been able to
make the difficult decision without

References
Gray, C. F., & Larson, E. W. (2008).
Project
Management (4th ed.). New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill.

O'Connor, K. R. (2009, October 8).

Emotional Rescue. Retrieved
October 14, 2009, from
http://www.projectsatwork.com/conte
nt/
Articles/252039.cfm