The project manager should review the risk management plan to evaluate the probability and impact of these delays, and determine the appropriate response strategies. The risk management plan is a document that describes how risk management activities will be planned, structured, and performed throughout the project. It includes the processes, roles and responsibilities, tools and techniques, risk categories, risk appetite, risk thresholds, and risk response strategies for the project1. By reviewing the risk management plan, the project manager can identify the risks that are causing or contributing to the delays, such as cultural differences, communication barriers, or schedule conflicts. The project manager can also assess the likelihood and severity of these risks, and their effect on the project objectives, such as scope, time, cost, quality, and stakeholder satisfaction. Based on this analysis, the project manager can select the best risk response strategies, such as avoid, transfer, mitigate, exploit, share, enhance, or accept, and implement them to reduce the negative impact or increase the positive impact of the risks2. The project manager can also update the risk register, which is a document that records the details of all identified risks, their analysis, and their response plans3.

The other options, implementing crashing, fast-tracking, or conflict management, are not the best ways to handle this situation. Crashing and fast-tracking are schedule compression techniques that can be used to shorten the project duration without changing the project scope4. However, these techniques have drawbacks, such as increasing costs, risks, or rework, and they may not address the root causes of the delays. Conflict management is a process of resolving disagreements among project stakeholders, such as team members, sponsors, customers, or suppliers5. However, conflict management may not be effective if the delays are caused by external factors, such as holidays, that are beyond the control of the project team.

 1 A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 11.1.3.1 2 A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 11.5.2 3 A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 11.4.2.1 4 A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 6.6 5 A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Chapter 9.5