CHAPTER FIFTEEN

International
Projects

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All Rights Reserved.
PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook
The University of West Alabama

Where We Are Now

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 International Projects
• Types of Projects
–Domestic
–Overseas
–Foreign
–Global
• Issues in Managing International Projects
–Environmental factors affecting projects
–Global expansion considerations
–Challenges of working in foreign cultures
–Selection and training of overseas managers

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International Assignments
• Positives • Negatives
– Increased income – Absence from home and
friends, and family
– Increased responsibilities
– Personal security risks
– Career opportunities
– Missed career opportunities
– Foreign travel
– Difficulties with foreign
– New lifetime friends
language, culture, and laws

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 Environmental Factors Affecting
International Projects

FIGURE 15.1

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Environmental Factors
• Legal/Political
–Political stability
–National and local laws and regulations
–Government, state and local bureaucracies
–Government interference or support
–Government corruption
• Security
–International terrorism
–National and local security
–Local crime and kidnapping
–Risk management
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 Environmental Factors (cont’d)
• Geography
–Climate and seasonal differences
–Natural obstacles
• Economic
–Gross domestic product (GDP)
–Protectionist strategies and policies
–Balance of payments
–Currency convertibility and exchange rates
–Inflation rates
–Local labor force: supply, educational and skill levels

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Environmental Factors (cont’d)

• Infrastructure
–Telecommunication networks
–Transportation systems
–Power distribution grids
–Unique local technologies
–Educational systems
• Culture
–Customs and social standards
–Values and philosophies
–Language
–Multicultural environments
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 Assessment Matrix Project Site Selection

FIGURE 15.2

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Evaluation Matrix Breakdown for Infrastructure

FIGURE 15.3

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 Cross-Cultural Considerations:
A Closer Look

• Culture
–A system of shared norms, beliefs, values, and
customs that bind people together, creating shared
meaning and a unique identity.
• Cultural Differences:
–Geographic regions
–Ethnic or religious groups
–Language
–Economic

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Cross-Cultural Considerations… (cont’d)

• Ethnocentric Perspective
–The tendency to believe that one’s cultural values
and ways of doing things are superior to all others
• Wanting to conduct business only on your terms and
stereotyping other countries.
• Ignoring the “people factor” in other cultures by putting
work ahead of building relationships.
• Adjustments Required:
–Relativity of time and punctuality
–Culture-related ethical differences
–Personal and professional relationships
–Attitudes toward work and life

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 Cross-Cultural Considerations (cont’d)

Working in
France
Working in the Working in
United States China

Working in
Mexico

Working in
Saudi Arabia

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Cross-Cultural Orientations
• Relation to Nature
– How people relate to the natural world around them
and to the supernatural.
• Time Orientation
– The culture focus on the past, present, or future.
• Activity Orientation
– How to live: “being” or living in the moment, doing, or controlling.
• Basic Nature of People
– Whether people viewed as good, evil, or some mix of these two.
• Relationships Among People
– The degree of responsibility one has for others.

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 Kluckhohn-Strodtbeck’s Cross-Cultural Framework

Note: The line indicates where the United States tends to fall along these issues.
FIGURE 15.4

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The Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Framework

• Individualism versus collectivism

– Identifies whether a culture holds individuals or
the group responsible for each member’s welfare.
• Power distance
– Describes degree to which a culture accepts status
and power differences among its members.
• Uncertainty avoidance
– Identifies a culture’s willingness to accept
uncertainty and ambiguity about the future.
• Masculinity-femininity
– Describes the degree to which the culture emphasizes
competitive and achievement-oriented behavior or
displays concerns for relationships.

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 Sample Country Clusters on Hofstede’s Dimensions
of Individualism-Collectivism and Power Distance

FIGURE 15.5

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Working in Different Cultures

• Relying on Local Intermediaries
–Translators
–Social connections
–Expeditors
–Cultural advisors and guides
• Culture Shock
–The natural psychological disorientation that people
suffer when they move into a different culture.
• A breakdown in a person’s selective perception and effective
interpretation system induced by foreign stimuli and the
inability to function effectively in a strange land.

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 Culture Shock Cycle

FIGURE 15.6

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Working in Different Cultures (cont’d)

• Coping with Culture Shock
–Create “stability zones” that closely create home
–Modify expectations and behavior
–Redefine priorities and develop realistic expectations
–Focus on most important tasks and relish small
accomplishments
–Use project work as a bridge until adjusted
to the new environment
–Engage in regular physical exercise programs,
practice meditation and relaxation exercises,
and keep a journal

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 Selection and Training for
International Projects

• Selection Factors
–Work experience with cultures other than one’s own
–Previous overseas travel
–Good physical and emotional health
–Knowledge of a host nation’s language
–Recent immigration background or heritage
–Ability to adapt and function in the new culture

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Selection and Training for

International Projects (cont’d)

• Areas for Training to Increase Understanding

of a Foreign Culture:
– Religion
– Dress codes
– Education system
– Holidays—national and religious
– Daily eating patterns
– Family life
– Business protocols
– Social etiquette
– Equal opportunity

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 Selection and Training for
International Projects (cont’d)

• Learning Approaches to Cultural Fluency

–The “information-giving” approach—the learning of
information or skills from a lecture-type orientation.
–The “affective approach”—the learning of
information/skills that raise the affective responses on
the part of the trainee and result in cultural insights.
–The “behavioral/experiential” approach—a variant of
the affective approach technique that provides the
trainee with realistic simulations or scenarios.

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Relationship between Length and Rigor of Training

and Cultural Fluency Required

FIGURE 15.7
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 Key Terms

Cross-cultural orientations
Culture
Culture shock
Infrastructure

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