Culture and project management : managing diversity in multicultural projects / Omar Zein

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The cultural diversity within many major projects require those managing them to adapt their project management approach to be in harmony with the preferences and behaviours of stakeholders from these cultures; failure to do so can lead to misunderstandings about the project s purpose and structure; significant difficulties in implementation and in some cases, to conflict or litigation. Omar Zein's Culture and Project Management explores the cultural impact on projects and their management, providing the reader with an understanding of the main elements of cross-cultural theory within the project context. These include our perception of context, achievement, power and group dynamics; and how we approach ambiguity and time. He then identifies key aspects of project management where cultural sensitivity is essential (for example, planning, risk management, project communication and leadership) and offers a structured plan for developing what he calls 'cultural tuning' within a project environment.

Contents: Foreword; Preface; Introduction. Part I Understanding Culture: Elements of culture. Part II Cultural Orientations and Project Management: An overview of modern culture and management studies; Boss knows best!; You are not alone!; Follow your desires!; Are you sure?; Safeguard your status; Gantt! What Gantt?; Correlations amongst the cultural dimensions. Part III Culture and the Project Environment: Organisational structure and project management; Roles and responsibilities; Planning and tracking; Risk management; Project communication and reporting; Delegation and accountability; Project leadership and motivation; Managing culture within the project environment. Part IV Culture and the Project Team: The six steps of project management cultural tuning. Afterword; Appendices; References; Index.