Puerto Rico Education Project Case Study

Puerto Rico Education Project

Mequon Campus

Professor Habeck

Global Dimensions in Business AL367

24 August 2010

Puerto Rico Education Project

I. Background Summary

USCO had extensive experience and success with many complex projects for the government of the United States specializing in military contracts. Their projects were also successful in foreign countries around the world with well-established policies that covered such things as education of dependents, housing, cultural orientation, career tracking, compensation, taxation, and many other important factors. USCO negotiated a contract with the Puerto Rico Department of Education which was funded by the United States government. USCO’s job was to install a large mainframe computer with associated hardware, design and implement a system that will assist the department with evaluating the results of federally funded education programs, and the development of a large database that will contain data of all students, schools, and teachers throughout the island of Puerto Rico.

II. Problem Identification

There are many problems within this case study with the main one focusing on whether or not the company should send the disgruntled employees and their families back to the United States. The other serious problems I found include the poor personnel selection made, the lack of research done by the company in regards to living conditions on the island, the lack of employee training, the project was treated as a domestic assignment, data collection was enormous, hardware was not available when needed, and nothing seemed to be sufficiently detailed which caused a lot of confusion.

III. Research and Analysis

Puerto Rico is a small island that is in U.S. possession giving its people full U.S. citizenship. The Puerto Rican people receive government aid and protection but do not have to pay Federal taxes because of their vote to remain a commonwealth instead of becoming a state. The island is...