Network Analysis in Educational Applications

The changing environment within which schools must functions demands that school administrators be proficient in the application of a variety of managerial techniques to educationally-related projects (Sybouts, 1992, p. 3). Among the more important of these techniques in the contemporary period is network analysis. Two primary approaches to network analysis are CPM (Critical Path Management) and PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique). These two approaches to network analysis, together with their relevance for school administration, are reviewed in this research.

In the early years of the twentieth century, Henry Gantt and Frederick Taylor cooperated in adapting the system of scientific management for use in the construction management (O'Brien, 1992, p. 2). The resulting system was the Gantt Chart. The Gantt Chart was the predecessor of the bar charts, which were later used extensively in project control (Cale, 1990, p. 776). Although the Gantt Charts/bar charts and the later bar graphs were simple to construct and easy to use, they proved to be inadequate and inefficient for use in very large projects (Goldharber, Jha, & Macedo, 1991, p. 117). Although it was evident that improved scheduling and control procedures were required for project management, radically new approaches did not begin to be developed until the post-Second World War period (O'Brien, 1992, p. 5).

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n and review technique (PERT). From its inception, CPM was a computer-based system (O'Brien, 1992, p. 5). The critical path in a series of events in a network is defined as the longest route through the network of events. CPM emphasizes both time and cost in project applications. PERT also relies on computer support (Sybouts, 1992, p. 302). In its original form PERT emphasized time, and provided a means of calculating the most probable time for completion of a project (Sisk, 1994, p. 497). PERT provides probability estimates of the time required for completion of specific activities within a series of activities. The probability determinations employ three time estimates--the most optimistic time, the most probable time, and the most pessimistic time. The most optimistic time assumes that everything will work out as planned, while the most pessimistic time assumes that Murphy's Law will prevail. In PERT, each of these time estimates representing the polar extremes of the continuum is assigned a probability of occurrence of one-in-100. Following the successful development of the PERT system, the CPM system was slightly modified, without making any fundamental changes in the system (Sisk, 1994, p. 497). In effect, these
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Approximate Word count = 1269
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)

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