1. Chapter 15 International Projects

2. International Projects
Project Management 6e.
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

3. Environmental Factors
Project Management 6e.
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

4. Environmental Factors (cont’d)
Project Management 6e.
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

5. Environmental Factors (cont’d)
Project Management 6e.
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

6. Project Site Selection
Use of general site selection criteria
Hierarchical 3 stage process
Global
Regional
Local
Different set of criteria in each stage
Use of multi-criteria assessment matrix

7. Cross-Cultural Considerations: A Closer Look
Project Management 6e.
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

8. Cross-Cultural Considerations… (cont’d)
Project Management 6e.
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

9. The Hofstede Cultural Dimensions Framework
Project Management 6e.
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.

10. Working in Different Cultures
Project Management 6e.
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.

11. Working in Different Cultures (cont’d)
Project Management 6e.
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

12. Selection and Training for International Projects
Project Management 6e.
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

13. Selection and Training for International Projects (cont’d)
Project Management 6e.
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

14. Selection and Training for International Projects (cont’d)
Project Management 6e.
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.

15. Chapter 16 Project Oversight and Future

16. Project Oversight Project Oversight Oversight’s Purposes:
Project Management 6e.
Project Oversight
Project Oversight
A set of principles and processes to guide and improve the management of projects.
Oversight’s Purposes:
To ensure projects meet the organizational needs for standards, procedures, accountability, efficient allocation of resources, and continuous improvement in the management of projects.
To support the project manager.

17. Oversight Activities At the Organization Level Project selection.
Portfolio management.
Improving how all projects are managed over time.
Assessing and elevating the maturity level of the organization’s project management system.
Using balanced scorecard approach to review progress on strategic priorities.

18. Oversight Activities At the Project Level Review projects’ objectives.
Decide on issues raised by the project manager.
Track and assist the project to resolve bottlenecks.
Review status reports from the project manager.
Audit and review lessons learned.
Authorize major deviations from the original scope.
Cancel the project.

19. Current and Future Trends in Project Management
Project Management 6e.
Current and Future Trends in Project Management
Forces for Change
Global competition, knowledge explosion, innovation, time to market, and shortened product life cycles
Two Major Outcomes for the 21st Century:
An increase in the scope of project management and system integration.
The focus of projects has shifted from tactical to strategic.
An increasing discipline in the way projects are managed.

20. Importance of Oversight to the Project Manager
Project Management 6e.
Importance of Oversight to the Project Manager
Oversight Functions:
Providing support and help to the project manager where needed.
Determining the environment in which the project manager will implement his or her project.
Influence the performance measures used to hold the project manager responsible and accountable.
Providing the oversight group to which the project manager will reporting at predetermined phases in the project.

21. Increasing Scope of Project Management and System Integration
Project Management 6e.
Increasing Scope of Project Management and System Integration
Portfolio Project Management
The centralized management of projects to ensure that the allocation of resources to projects is directed toward projects that contribute the greatest value to organization goals.
Project Office (PO)
The unit responsible for continued support of consistent application of selection criteria, standards, and processes; training of and general assistance to project managers; and continued improvement and use of best practices.

22. Key Responsibilities of Project Portfolio Management
Project Management 6e.
Key Responsibilities of Project Portfolio Management
Senior executive oversight committee
Reviews project options available by type (new, operational, compliance)
Confirms business case and linkage to organizational strategy
Selects, prioritizes, and balances the overall risk of all organizational projects
Ensures availability of resources and competencies
Sets macro time, cost, and requirements
Reviews gating outcomes

23. Benefits of the Activities of Project Offices
Project Management 6e.
Benefits of the Activities of Project Offices
Project Offices (POs)
Support integration of project portfolios for the use of best practices in strategic planning and control.
Serve as a bridge between senior management and project managers within the social/cultural environment of the organization.
Support integration of project management processes from selection through project closure and lessons learned.
Provide training that supports the movement of the organization to a higher level of project management maturity.

24. Phase Gate Methodology
Project Management 6e.
Phase Gate Methodology
Phase Gate Review Process
A structured process to review, evaluate, and document outcomes in each project phase and to provide management with information to guide resource deployment toward strategic goals.
Decision Gate Components
Required deliverables
Gate criteria and specific outputs
A clear yes/no decision on whether to go ahead.

25. Key Benefits of Using Phase Gating
Project Management 6e.
Key Benefits of Using Phase Gating
Phase Gating
Provides excellent training for functional staff who serve on oversight review groups.
Encourages a larger perspective and role of projects within the organization.
Is a clear-cut process, easily understood, and applicable to all projects in a portfolio.
Provides a structured process for a project office to follow on all projects.
Eliminates poor value projects.
Supports faster decision making with predefined deliverables for each gate.

26. Organization Project Management in the Long Run
Project Management 6e.
Organization Project Management in the Long Run
Capability Maturity Model (CMM)
Focuses on guiding and assessing organizations in implementing concrete best practices of managing software development projects.
Organizational Project Maturity Model (OPM3)
Is divided into a continuum of growth levels: initial, repeatable, defined, managed, and optimized.

27. The Balanced Scorecard Model
Project Management 6e.
The Balanced Scorecard Model
Balanced Scorecard Model
Assumes that people will take the necessary actions to improve the performance of the organization on the given measures and goals.
Reviews projects over a longer horizon—5 to 10 years after the project is implemented than other models.
Has a more “macro” perspective than project selection models.
Measures performance results for four major areas of activities—customer, internal, innovation and learning, and financial.