1. Multicultural Projects Alicia Trelles-Duckett, PMP
PMI OCEAN STATE chapter
SEPTEMBER, 2015

2. Alicia’s Bio Cuban-American BSIE - Georgia Tech, MBA - BU Belgium
IBM Global Services 15 years - deployed projects in USA, LATAM, Scandinavia, Europe
Five years PMP Certification Trainer, IIL UK
Currently
Faculty Instructor at RMC
Started ARBEILLE Cross Cultural Consultancy with Dr. Jorge Mastrapa
Pursuing PhD in Global Business
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3. Introduction

4. Interview with Chef Mario Batali
“...I come from an Italian family. One of the greatest and most profound expressions we would ever use in conversations or arguments was slamming a door. The slamming door was our punctuation mark.”
― Mario Batali
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5. La Sorbonne, Paris Speech
“The credit belongs to the man who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore Roosevelt President of the United States April 23, 1910
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6. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
“I tell you the story because I was raised the Chinese way. I was taught to desire nothing, to swallow other people's misery, and to eat my own bitterness. And even though I taught my daughter the opposite, still she came out the same way.
Maybe it is because she was born to me ..., and I was born to my mother..., and all of us like stairs, one step after another, going up, going down, but always going the same way....”
― An-Mei
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7. QUIZ Italian culture American culture Chinese culture
A) Strong pursuit of personal achievement and success
B) “The group” is much more important than “the individual”
C) Passionate, emotional
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8. QUIZ Italian culture American culture Chinese culture
A) Strong pursuit of personal achievement and success
B) “The group” is much more important than “the individual”
C) Passionate, emotional
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9. Multicultural Project Challenges

10. Multicultural Project Challenges
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast”
Peter Drucker
“The thing I have learned at IBM is that culture is everything”
Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. former CEO IBM
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11. Multicultural Project Challenges
Can we assume Brazilian
and Chinese project team
members will behave
differently?
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12. Multicultural Project Challenges
Yes They Will!
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13. Multicultural Project Challenges
Yes They Will!
As Project Managers, can we
foster interactions familiar
to our global teams?
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14. Multicultural Project Challenges
Adapted from the PMBOK® Guide
Closing Processes
Initiating Processes
Monitoring & Controlling Processes
Planning Processes
Executing Processes
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15. Multicultural Project Challenges
Different communication strategies...
PRESENTATIONS – Formal/structured or informal/feedback
COLLABORATIVE – Individual or group, set agenda or flexible
QUALITY CHECKPOINTS – Frequent or infrequent, small or large group
Cultural traits offer great guidance!
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16. Cultural Components

17. Cultural Components Dr. Geert Hofstede Study
Group of IBM employees in similar professional positions
Originally in 74 countries, later extended
Detailed questionnaire with numerical values per answer
Geert-Hofstede.com
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18. Cultural Components Examples
How often are employees afraid to express disagreement with their managers? 1=Very Frequently to 5=Seldom
How important is it to have a job which leaves you sufficient time for personal or family pursuits? 1=Utmost importance to 5=Little or no importance
(Adapted from “Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind” © 1994,
Dr. Geert Hofstede)
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19. Cultural Components The role of ‘authority’ in society
In some societies, the individual expects direction from a figure of authority; there is great respect for status
In other societies, the individual can challenge a figure of authority; expects to be consulted
Culture Component: “Power Distance” (PDI) Score
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20. Cultural Components The role of ‘the group’ in society
In some societies, the individual is defined by the group he/she belongs to
In some societies, person is expected not to depend on the group. Rather, individual needs take precedence over needs of the group.
Culture Component: “Individualist” (IDV) Score
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21. Power Distance (Acceptance) vs. Individualism
ECUA
GUA
PAN
COL
Small PD/
Collectiv
PAK
VEN
Large PD/
Collectiv
Collectivism
TAIW
KOR
SING
THAI
WAFR
HOK
MAL
MEX
PHI
GRE
TUR
BRA
ARA
IRA
JPN
IND
SPA
AUT
ISR
High Power Acceptance
FIN
SAF
GER
FRA
Small PD/
Individ
Large PD/
Individ
NOR
SWI
IRE
SWE
DEN
NZL
NET CAN
(Adapted from “Cultures and Organizations” © 1994, Dr. Geert Hofstede, Fig. 3.1, p.54)
Individualism
GBR
AUL
USA
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22. The Value of Hofstede’s Research
Revealed numerical, objective values Instead of “Those Dutch guys – so direct; always speaking their mind”, we realize that “The Dutch have a high Individualist score” (IDV Score = 80)

23. Cultural Components China Korea Japan Arabic Spanish
Mary Munter, Professor, Dartmouth College
China
Korea
Japan
Arabic
Spanish
High Context Cultures
Must first establish trust
Personal relation, goodwill important
Agreement by general consensus
Slow, considered negotiations
Reliance on the situational, nonverbal
Stand close
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24. Cultural Components Germany Switzerland Scandinavian British
Mary Munter, Professor, Dartmouth College
Low Context Cultures
Get down to business
Expertise and performance important
Agreement by specific, legal document
Efficient negotiations
Reliance on the verbal and written
Personal space required
Germany
Switzerland
Scandinavian
British
North American
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25. Recommendations

26. Multicultural Project Approach
Adapted from the PMBOK® Guide
Closing Processes
Initiating Processes
Monitoring & Controlling Processes
Planning Processes
Executing Processes
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27. Multicultural Project Approach
High Context / Power Acceptance
Manager shouldn’t be questioned
Employee loyal to employer
Group harmony is foremost, even if different behind the scenes
Power based on social class, contacts
Change achieved by those at the top
Low Context / Power Acceptance
Manager should be democratic
Employee has contract with employer
Speaking honestly is foremost
Power based more on expertise and merit
Change achieved by changing the rules
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28. Multicultural Project Approach (cont.)
High Context / Power Acceptance
Managers should have all the answers
One-on-one decisions successful
More conservative outlook
Vague, ambiguous is stressful
Security is strong motivator
Low Context / Power Acceptance
Managers preside over discussions / OK not to know
Group decisions successful
More risky outlook
Vague, ambiguous is fine
Achievement is strong motivator
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29. References
Hofstede, G., Hofstede G.J. & Minkov M. (2010), Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Munter, M., “Cross-Cultural Communications for Managers”, Business Horizons, May-June 1993.
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30. Passionate About Bridging Organizations’ Cultural Differences
A R B E I L L E
C r o s s
C u l t u r a l
C o n s u l t i n g
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