Synthesis of Wong: Project Management and Cultural Differences

With the progressive globalization of the workforce, businesses are more and more finding themselves working more often with culturally diverse employees and business partners, an experience that has proven to be rewarding and yet challenging. In fact, the impact of cultural diversity on team productivity and organizational culture is not clear and yet doing so is becoming more the norm than it is the exception. While in some cases, research suggests that teams characterized by demographic heterogeneity have advantages over teams who are not demographically diverse (e.g. added ideas, approaches, perspectives), other research indicates that the multicultural aspect of a team creates potential for added conflict. Still further research offers that conflict itself is not a problem as long as it is constructively handled. To at least some extent, the notion of what constitutes ‘‘constructive’’ handling is subjective and culturally sensitive. For example, the same silence or increase in personal space in one context or culture may be seen as respectful and constructive, the same might be viewed as non-participatory and disrespectful in another. Beyond very broad descriptors, the contributors to effectiveness within a multicultural team appear to be contextual and subjective. To this end, we focus on the Chinese culture and what the research reveals in terms of findings and accompanying recommendations with regard to cross-cultural teams and management.

Culture in the workplace can be a barrier that obstructs the good communication between people with different backgrounds. The main challenge that people face is language. This is because it is a very complex thing, and misuse of one word can change the meaning of the message. Also, hostile stereotypes can affect communication because the stereotypes only create a barrier of characteristics towards other people that prevents to have a good interaction. Behavior differences is also an obstacle to communication, this is because the cultures have guidelines of what is considered appropriate for their society. On the other hand, the demonstration of emotions is also considered a challenge, because what for some cultures is appropriate for others

An understanding of different cultural norms and their impact on team communication, problem solving, and conflict

Teams are people from different backgrounds. This is known as a diverse team. Your diverse team should have people from all ages, gender, cultures, and races. Even though you have a diverse team you will be faced with many conflicts and disagreements. You must be careful not to fall into the stereotype management role. (Wikipedia).

Civility crises are the major reason for mistreatment of colleagues at workplace. Workplace is one the places where people face incivility. A large number of people complain or witness frequent incivility while going to school, driving, participating in a political activity or even walking on the sidewalk. These people face incivility in no use of thank you and please. Studies have been attributing the crisis of civility to clash of cultures. People from various national backgrounds encounter more frequently each other in a global setting (Pearson & Porath 23) Similarly, the clash of codes of conduct across different age groups leads to older people dismissing young generation as uncultured and rude louts who do not have work ethics (Hershcovis 499–519)

Many influences affect single and group etiquette in the workplace. Many of these are external to the workplace, and include guidance of universal

The very differences that give a team its potential for high performance can sometimes make it difficult for members to develop a sense of team identity. Why? Differing assumptions, cultural backgrounds, and ways of working and thinking can lead to misunderstandings or tensions among members. For example, on a research and development team comprising members from three different nations, people from a country in which formality is valued might bristle if their counterparts from another nation address them in casual terms.

Common sense tells us that different people with different backgrounds and different perspectives are needed in the workplace; these differences increase team creativity (Stahl & Maznevski, 2011). Unfortunately, this creativity can only occur if all the people on the team are on the same page. Often times, with the cultural differences, members will find themselves involved in some sort of conflict (Stahl & Maznevski, 2011). An important part of culture is the way in which people, or in this case, members of the team, identify within a group (Stahl & Maznevski, 2011). Individualist Cultures are oriented around self and independence, instead of a group mentality; personal goals are valued

The work done in any organization and in any field is a combined effort of different people from diverse locations, towards our goal. Every individual is a key to the success of the organization of projects. The person working in a program is responsible for the processing and procurement. The behavior, their willingness to work and attitude towards the other team members is important. Every individual who comes from a different ethnic group needs to adjust and work for the success of the project and for the success of the overall company.

In week 4, I will be reviewing how project managers identifying potential team members. I will also be discussing four factors from our textbook to help project manager’s identify potential team members. I have discovered why it is so important for each factor to be identified. In my last discovery, I will be reviewing the types of project costs. In my conclusion, I will be reviewing the information I have gathered throughout my overview of these two topics.

As global restructuring takes place within the company, Koch leads a geographically dispersed project team (i.e. Germans and Chinese members ) to standardize its personnel selection methods in the APAC region for staffing 25 new middle management positions. The HR executive encounters problems when leading across cultural differences in work behaviors that arise within his multinational team. He fails to respect and understand his team members’ cultural diversity (Chinese behaviors and values), or bond his team together, which is essential to form such a team.

However, to achieve the project’s goal and avoid cultural misunderstandings, project managers must be sensitive to one’s cultural differences and promote creativity and motivation through flexible leadership. Success and failure in international, multicultural projects can only be accomplished through culturally-aware leadership, cross-cultural communication, and mutual respect. Without these components the project is destined to fail (Anbari, Khilkhanova, Romanova & Umpleby, 2003).

Purpose – This paper seeks to present the challenges reported by project leaders of cross-cultural

It also teaches individuals to respect the opinion of others and harmony within diversity and this is responsible for enhancing the quality of the teamwork and completion of the projects within a stipulated time frame.Due to different social and cultural traditions, the companies are now using the principle think global and act local. It is in fact a victory of the diversity principle as the organizations are getting acclimatized in doing business in different parts of the world.Harmony is instrumental in resolving the social problems because people from different cultural background tend to know and respect each other.India as mentioned above is a shining example of harmony within diversity because it allows people of different religions to live together in a peaceful

Considering that IBM has expanded to having clients in 170 countries and now does two-thirds of its business outside the United States it is vitally important to keep a management team devoted to IBM’s team projects. This has especially been noteworthy for IBM because the market has witnessed how instrumental management teams are and how they bring more positive changes to an organization. IBM’s human resources made a wise investment to commit so many hours to management time each year, because teams that are sent worldwide will have the opportunity to bring in new clients and expand the possibility of potential clients. In doing this IBM is preparing a very powerful and diverse team, which can work with all types of cultures and provide more effective work. Some of the benefits to devoting so many hours to management teams include creating an analytical thinker and problem solver, having the ability to cofunction worldwide and be receptive to cultural norms and practices, and be able to build mutual trust, awareness, and appreciation to accomplish shared outcomes.