global project management-binder, jean
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
1/309
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
2/309
Global Project Management
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
3/309
This book is dedicated to my parents, who taught me the pleasure of reading, and to
Joyce, who showed me the pleasure of living.
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
4/309
Global ProjectManagementCommunication, Collaboration and
Management Across Borders
JEAN BINDER
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
5/309
Jean Binder 2007
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval systemor transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recordingor otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
Published byGower Publishing LimitedGower HouseCroft RoadAldershotHampshireGU11 3HREngland
Gower Publishing CompanySuite 420101 Cherry StreetBurlingtonVT 05401-4405USA
Jean Binder have asserted his moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988,to be identified as the author of this work.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Binder, Jean CarloGlobal project management : communication, collaborationand management across borders1. Project management 2. International business enterprises ManagementI. Title658.4'04ISBN-13: 9780566087066
Library of Congress Control Number: 2007927132
Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall.
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
6/309
Knowledge
sharing
tools
Audio and video
tools
Basic
tools
ColKnowledgeOnline meetingsAudio and videoBasic
techniques
CoConflict
resolutionTrust building
Cross-
cultural
collaboration
Global
team
leadership
Global
communication
techniques
Global
communication
strategy
Stakeholders
and
communication
channels
Rules
and
templates
Organisationa
support
Global
project
structures
Global
program and
project
offices
Selection of
international
human
resources
Text and image
tools
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9
11 12 13 14
16 17 18 19
21 22 23 24
sharing
techniquestechniques
Collaborative tools
Collaborative techniques
Global teams
Global communication
Global organisations
Knowledge
sharing
tools
Audio and video
tools
Basic
tools
ColKnowledgeOnline meetingsAudio and videoBasic
techniques
CoConflict
resolutionTrust building
Cross-
cultural
collaboration
Global
team
leadership
Global
communication
techniques
Global
communication
strategy
Stakeholders
and
communication
channels
Rules
and
templates
Organisationa
support
Global
project
structures
Global
program and
project
offices
Selection of
international
human
resources
Text and image
tools
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9
11 12 13 14
16 17 18 19
21 22 23 24
sharing
techniquestechniques
Collaborative tools
Collaborative techniques
Global teams
Global communication
Global organisations
The Global Project Management Framework
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
7/309
This page intentionally left blank
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
8/309
List of Figures xiii
List of Tables xv
Acknowledgements xvii
Preface xix
Introduction 1
Traditional, distributed, international and virtual projects 1
Global projects 1
Examples of global projects 3
Global programs 5
Global projects and programs requirements 8
To be or not to be global? 10
Organisational change and organisational theory 11
A framework for global programs and projects 12
The framework sources 15What the framework provides to global organisations 16
The next steps 17
Key concepts 18
Further reading 18
Interactive section 20
PART I GLOBAL TEAMS 21
Chapter 1 Cross-Cultural Collaboration 23Defining culture 23
Culture and project management 24
The cultural dimensions defined by Hofstede 25
The cultural dimensions from Trompenaars 28
The impact of the dimensions on global project management 33
A 360 analysis of the cultural dimensions on your project team 34
Avoiding generalisations 39
Building on the richness of a multicultural team: crossvergence and hybridisation 40
4-step framework for effective cross-cultural project management 42
Chapter 2 Global Project Leadership 43
Project management and leadership 43
Global leadership 44
Commitment 45
Motivation 46
Contents
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
9/309
viii G l ob a l P r oj e ct M an a ge m en t
Becoming a good global leader 48
Brainstorming on global leadership 49
Chapter 3 Trust Building 51
Identifying the level of trust required 52Trust and communication channels 52
Establishing trust 54
Maintaining trust 56
Long-term trust 59
Chapter 4 Conflict Resolution 61
Global sources of conflict 62
Conflict levels in global projects 62
Global perspectives on conflict 63Conflict management steps 63
Chapter 5 Coaching over Distance 69
Coaching on global projects 70
Global coaching principles 70
Establishing a global context for coaching 71
Create a global understanding and direction 72
Review achievements and objectives 72
Anatomy of a coaching session 73
Completing the global coaching process 74
Part I: Key concepts 75
Part I: Further reading 76
Part I: Interactive section 77
PART II GLOBAL COMMUNICATION 79
Chapter 6 Stakeholders and Communication Channels 81
Identifying the global key stakeholders 82
Knowing the global stakeholders 83Analysing the global stakeholders 83
The stakeholder commitment framework 84
Defining strategies to change stakeholders commitment levels 85
Completing the global stakeholder register 87
Global communication channels 87
Chapter 7 Meeting Rules and Templates 91
Meeting types and communication media 91
Etiquette for cross-cultural meetings 92Online meeting templates 92
Visual information 98
Chapter 8 Global Communication Strategy 101
Defining the types of project information 101
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
10/309
ixC o n te n t s
Identifying the stakeholders requirements 102
Define a global communication matrix 105
Chapter 9 Global Communication Techniques 109
Collecting information from the global team members 109Distributing information to the global stakeholders 110
Exchanging project information 113
Chapter 10 Global Creativity 117
Project management processes and creativity 117
Online brainstorming sessions 118
Limitations of online brainstorming sessions 124
Asynchronous brainstorming 126
Part II: Key concepts 127Part II: Further reading 127
Part II: Interactive section 128
PART III GLOBAL ORGANISATIONS 129
Chapter 11 Global Project Structure 131
Centralised project management 131
Distributed project management, with local coordinators 132
Distributed project management, with functional coordinators 134
Round-the-clock project management 135
Project management global network 136
Chapter 12 Selection of International Human Resources 139
Global team members skills 140
Global program and project managers skills 142
Recruitment 143
Selection 144
Induction and training 150
Chapter 13 Global Program and Project Offices 153
Defining project offices 153
Program or Project Management Offices (PMO) 154
Program or Project Support Offices (PSO) 156
Features of global project offices 156
Chapter 14 Organisational Support 163
Build emotional intelligence 163
Promote work-life balance 165Value the human resources 166
Promote the use of collaborative tools 167
Develop and promote a global project management methodology 167
Establish 360G performance appraisals 168
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
11/309
x G l oba l Pro j e c t Ma na gem ent
Establish a global rewards policy 171
Implement a corporate training scheme 171
Chapter 15 Global Collaborative Networks 173
Collaborative networks: a project-centred approach 173Understand the challenges 174
Define a collaboration strategy 175
Initiate the collaboration 176
Monitor the interfaces 176
Part III: Key concepts 177
Part III: Further reading 178
Part III: Interactive section 179
PART IV IMPLEMENTATION OF COLLABORATIVE TOOLS 181
Chapter 16 Basic Infrastructure 183
Basic technologies 183
Evaluating the current situation 184
Implementing changes 184
Defining documentation and procedures 185
Evaluating the implementation 186
Chapter 17 Interactive Audio and Video 189
Evaluation of current audio conferencing solutions 189
Evaluation of new audio conferencing solutions 189
Implementing changes 191
Defining procedures for audio conferencing set-up 191
Evaluating the implementation 191
Video conferences 192
Evaluating existing video conferencing solutions 193
Implementation of new video conferencing solutions 193
Defining procedures for video conferencing set-up 194
Evaluating the implementation 195
Chapter 18 Interactive Text and Images 197
Evaluating technologies for instant messaging 197
Evaluation of the existing instant messaging solutions 198
Implementation of a new instant messaging solution 198
Defining procedures for instant messaging set-up 199
Evaluating the implementation 199
Evaluating technologies for web conferencing 200
Evaluation of existing web conferencing solutions 200Implementation of web conferencing 201
Defining procedures for web conferencing set-up 201
Evaluating the implementation 202
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
12/309
xiC o n te n t s
Chapter 19 Knowledge Sharing 205
Evaluating technologies for knowledge sharing 205
Evaluating the existing knowledge-sharing solutions 207
Implementing a new knowledge-sharing solution 207
Defining procedures for knowledge-sharing set-up 208Evaluating the implementation 209
Chapter 20 Collaborative Project Management Software 211
Evaluating collaborative project management software tools 211
Defining procedures for the collaborative project management software 213
Implementing the new collaborative project management software 214
Evaluating the implementation 214
Part IV: Key concepts 215
Part IV: Further reading 216Part IV: Interactive section 216
PART V ADOPTION OF COLLABORATIVE TOOLS 217
Chapter 21 Getting Connected 219
Understanding what can be improved 219
What to avoid in e-mail discussions 221
Using telephones 222
What to avoid in telephone discussions 222
Chapter 22 Effective Audio and Video conferences 225
Understanding what can be improved 225
Using audio conferences 225
Using video conferences 228
Chapter 23 Coordinating and Attending Online Meetings 231
Understanding what can be improved 231
Communication style during online meetings 232
Special considerations for instant messaging discussions 232Special considerations for online meetings via web conferencing 233
Chapter 24 Fostering Knowledge Exchange 237
Understanding what can be improved 237
Defining the rules for knowledge sharing 238
Leading people to share information 239
Chapter 25 Collaborative Project Management 241
Understanding what can be improved 241Updating information on the project management software 242
Information pushed by the project management software 244
Pulling information from the project management software 244
Interfaces between the project management software and other tools 245
Part V: Key concepts 246
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
13/309
xii G lo ba l P ro je ct M an ag em en t
Part V: Further reading 246
Part V: Interactive section 247
PART VI IMPLEMENTING THE GLOBAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT
FRAMEWORK 249
Chapter 26 A Charter for the Framework 251
Stakeholder needs and expectations 251
The benefits of the framework implementation 253
Defining a scope for the implementation 254
Chapter 27 Implementation Strategies 255
The emotional intelligence guidelines 255
The maturity model approach 257The action research cycles 263
Part VI: Key concepts 264
Part VI: Further reading 264
Part VI: Interactive section 264
Coda 267
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations 269
Bibliography 271
Index 275
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
14/309
Figure I.1 Dimensions of global projects 3
Figure I.2 A software development global project 4
Figure I.3 A pharmaceutical global project 4
Figure I.4 An organisational change global project 5
Figure I.5 Global program stakeholders 6
Figure I.6 Categories of global programs 6Figure I.7 Local program of global projects 7
Figure I.8 Global program of local projects 7
Figure I.9 Global program of global projects 8
Figure I.10 Requirements of global project managers global team management 9
Figure I.11 Requirements of global project managers communication across
borders 9
Figure I.12 Requirements of global project managers organisational culture 9
Figure I.13 Requirements of global project managers collaborative tools 10
Figure I.14 Possible advantages of global projects 11Figure I.15 Possible challenges of global projects 12
Figure I.16 The Global Project Management Framework: five categories 13
Figure I.17 The Global Project Management Framework 14
Figure I.18 The Global Project Management Framework: sources of information 15
Figure I.19 The Global Project Management Framework: the deliverables 16
Figure I.20 The evolutionary Global Project Management Framework 17
Figure 3.1 Communication channels in the same location 53
Figure 3.2 Communication channels not crossing country borders 53
Figure 3.3 Communication channels built from previous experiences 54
Figure 3.4 Weak communication channels that require trust building 54
Figure 3.5 Trust in all communication channels 57
Figure 6.1 Levels of stakeholders commitment 85
Figure 6.2 Communication channels in a traditional project 87
Figure 6.3 Communication channels on a global project, two locations 88
Figure 6.4 Communication channels on a global project, multiple locations 88
Figure 6.5 Reducing the number of virtual communication channels 89
Figure 7.1 Example of a project risk register 96
Figure 7.2 Example of drop-down menus 97
Figure 7.3 Example of automatic filtering 97
Figure 7.4 Example of legends to define available entries and their meaning 97
Figure 7.5 Global Project Binder change record 99
Figure 7.6 Global Project Binder meeting minutes record 99
Figure 7.7 Graphic representation of project phases 100
Figure 8.1 Examples of global project knowledge components 103
List of Figures
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
15/309
xiv G lo ba l P ro je ct M a na ge me nt
Figure 8.2 Example of a communication requirements matrix 104
Figure 8.3 Example of a global communication matrix 106
Figure 9.1 Example of a project dashboard main page 112
Figure 9.2 Example of a project dashboard second level pages 112
Figure 9.3 Examples of different patterns of project status meetings 115Figure 10.1 Example of a mindmap produced during a risk identification session 122
Figure 10.2 Example of a mindmap branch detailed during a local session of
risk analysis 123
Figure 10.3 Example of one entry on the risk and opportunities list prepared
after the brainstorming session 125
Figure 11.1 Example of centralised structure 132
Figure 11.2 Example of distributed structure 133
Figure 11.3 Example of distributed-functional structure 135
Figure 11.4 Example of round-the-clock structure 136Figure 11.5 Example of project network structure 137
Figure 12.1 Example of a preparation sheet for a telephone interview 148
Figure 12.2 Example of a preparation sheet for a face-to-face interview 14950
Figure 13.1 Project office and the stakeholders 155
Figure 13.2 Different types of project office examples 155
Figure 13.3 Different types of project office outsourced PMO 156
Figure 13.4 Different types of project office global PSO 157
Figure 14.1 Traditional performance appraisal in functional organisations 168
Figure 14.2 Traditional performance appraisal in matrix organisations 169
Figure 14.3 360-degree performance appraisal 169
Figure 14.4 360G performance appraisal 170
Figure 15.1 Project-centred collaborative network 174
Figure 27.1 The global project management maturity levels 258
Figure 27.2 Evolving to maturity level 2 258
Figure 27.3 Evolving to maturity level 3 259
Figure 27.4 Evolving to maturity level 4 260
Figure 27.5 Evolving to maturity level 5 261
Figure 27.6 Evolution of productive time and ineffective time as the maturity
` level increases 261
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
16/309
Table 1.1 Countries (regions) and their power-distance relative ranks 25
Table 1.2 Countries (regions) and their individualism relative ranks 26
Table 1.3 Countries (regions) and their masculinity relative ranks 27
Table 1.4 Countries (regions) and their uncertainly-avoidance relative ranks 28
Table 1.5 Countries (regions) and their long-term orientation relative ranks 28
Table 1.6 Countries and their relative universalism ranking (according tothe car and the pedestrian dilemma) 29
Table 1.7 Countries and their relative individualism ranking (according
to results of the quality of life question) 30
Table 1.8 Countries and their relative achievement-orientation (according to
results of the acting as suits you even if nothing is achieved question)30
Table 1.9 Relative positions of countries on the extent to which exhibiting
emotion is acceptable 31
Table 1.10 Relative positions of countries on cultural-diffuseness, according to
the paint the house situation 32Table 1.11 Classification of country cultures according to their relationship
to fate 32
Table 1.12 Cultural dimensions exercise (sheet 1) 35
Table 1.13 Cultural dimensions exercise (sheet 2) 36
Table 1.14 Cultural dimensions exercise (evaluation sheet 1) 37
Table 1.15 Cultural dimensions exercise (evaluation sheet 2) 38
Table 2.1 Factors of motivation in different areas of the world 48
Table 4.1 Comparison of conflict resolution approaches 65
Table 5.1 Coaching log (example 1) 73
Table 5.2 Coaching log (example 2) 73
Table 7.1 Examples of meeting types 93
Table 7.2 Communication media recommended for each meeting type 934
Table 10.1 Example of meeting request for an online brainstorming session 119
Table 10.2 Example of a brainstorming spreadsheet for the identification
of risks and opportunities 121
Table 12.1 Example of a job description 145
Table 12.2 Example of an interview control sheet 147
Table 13.1 Example of a career path for program and project management 160
Table 16.1 Survey to identify efficiency of e-mail, telephones and remote access 185
Table 16.2 Checklist: documentation and procedures for basic technologies 187
Table 17.1 Survey to identify efficiency of audio conferencing 190
Table 17.2 Checklist: documentation and procedures for audio conferencing 192
Table 17.3 Survey to identify efficiency of video conferencing 194
Table 17.4 Checklist: documentation and procedures for video conferencing 195
List of Tables
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
17/309
xvi G lo ba l P ro je ct M a na ge me nt
Table 18.1 Survey to identify efficiency of instant messaging 199
Table 18.2 Checklist: documentation and procedures for instant messaging 200
Table 18.3 Survey to identify efficiency of web conferencing 201
Table 18.4 Checklist: documentation and procedures for web conferencing 202
Table 19.1 Survey to identify efficiency of existing knowledge-sharing suites 207Table 19.2 Checklist: documentation and procedures for knowledge sharing 208
Table 20.1 Collaborative project management software comparison matrix 213
Table 20.2 Survey to identify efficiency of the collaborative project
management software 214
Table 20.3 Checklist: documentation and procedures for the collaborative
project management software 215
Table 21.1 Interview to understand the use of e-mails and telephones 220
Table 22.1 Interview to understand the use of audio and video conferences 226
Table 23.1 Interview to understand the use of online meetings 232Table 24.1 Interview to understand the use of knowledge sharing 238
Table 25.1 Interview to understand the use of the collaborative project
management software 242
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
18/309
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following people: Yannick Jolliet, who reviewed many parts of the book
and gave me precious recommendations and testimonials; Marie-Paule Sottiaux, for the support,
testimonials, review and lunch discussions; David Page, Carolyn McKellar, Marion Sachs,
Belinda Freaney-Sadouk, Sophie Domine, Jean-Marc Genier, Jose Gonzalez, Jennifer Hyams,
Mark Russell, Reddy Mandala, Viktor Puetzer, Annie Jordan, Patrick Vitzthum, Frank Bondoux,
Thierry Sales and Paolo Lenti for the feedback during the interviews and initial brainstormingsessions; John Pelham for the insights on stakeholder management, communication strategies
and cross-cultural experiences; Karel de Bakker for the nice suggestions on global risks; Paul
Gardiner and Jim Ritchie for the support during my academic research.
Grateful acknowledgement is made to Geert Hofstede, Fons Trompenaars, Charles
Hampden-Turner and Peter Wooliams who granted permission to reprint the definitions and
classification tables of their cultural dimensions.
Sincere thanks to Jonathan Norman, Fiona Martin and Mike Brooks at Gower for all their
trust and support.
Earnest thanks to my cat for the company, my daughters for the inspiration and my wifefor the help and endless patience.
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
19/309
This page intentionally left blank
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
20/309
Preface
The need for this book
With the increasing trend for outsourcing, off-shoring and globalisation, many organisations
are taking advantage of geographically distributed skills, round-the-clock operations and virtual
teams. Small and medium sized businesses are linking up with major companies, forming
supplier networks to deliver products and services, and customer networks of distributors,
resellers and end-users. Global projects are now the operating units that establish an initial
link among these cross-border networks and rely on information flows across the different
partners and stakeholders.
Most projects in these global environments involve people from different companies,
located in various countries. Currently, many companies struggle to obtain acceptable levels
of efficiency and quality from global projects since the organisation structures and project
management methodologies are not adapted to a multicultural environment, and because
many project managers and team members still feel uncomfortable when they communicate
over a distance. Many project managers still rely exclusively on the so-called hard skills,such as planning, scheduling and controlling, to coordinate the projects. The soft skills
(for example, communication, understanding of cultural differences and team building)
and the informal project management techniques (such as networking, influencing and
improvising) are essential for the success of global projects, and require special attention from
organisations.
The framework described by this book is all about soft skills and informal project
management, suggesting areas of knowledge that require special attention for effective global
program and project management. Rather than providing one-size-fits-all recommendations,
the chapters of this book guide you in a quest to harvest your companys good practices, usingthem to develop and implement a Global Project Management Framework in your company
or project.
Intended audience
This book provides a comprehensive framework of good practices on global project management,
and is primarily directed at project managers, program managers and project office members
involved in the preparation and application of project management methodologies, and
working on programs and projects involving different companies and locations around the
globe. They can start by improving the project management and communication practices
in their current portfolio of programs and projects, and later include these good practices
in the company methodologies. They can also identify what types of tools can improve
understanding over a distance, deploying them in their current work environment.
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
21/309
xx G lo ba l P ro je ct Ma na ge me nt
Senior executives can use the information in this book to understand the main challenges
faced by global project managers and team members, and to identify how the deployment of
tools and practices can improve the productivity of global project teams and the quality of the
deliverables, while reducing travel and relocation costs. The senior board have a role model
during the implementation of the framework, selecting the human resources to work onglobal projects, creating a project management office and providing organisational support.
This book also provides various types of project structure adapted to different needs and
some suggestions to improve the motivation of a project team that spans different locations,
cultures and languages.
Finally, anyone participating in a global project as a team member or stakeholder can
also find useful recommendations for smooth communication with people located in diverse
countries, coming from other cultures, speaking different native languages or working in
various time zones.
Academic researchers can make use of the framework presented in this book, performingnew studies to investigate the impact of each chapter on the efficiency and productivity of
global project teams, and to complete the Global Project Management Framework with new
developments, technologies, practices and theories.
The structure of this book
The introductory chapter presents the characteristics of global projects and programs, discusses
how these peculiarities affect the work and efficiency of global project and program managers
and summarises the main advantages and challenges of deploying a global team for a project
or program. It presents a framework that helps global program and project managers to focus
on the advantages and address the challenges of having project team members dispersed across
the globe: the Global Project Management Framework.
The chapters in Parts I to V explore in detail the five main categories of knowledge in the
Global Project Management Framework:
Chapters 15 (Part I) present the core principles that allow the management of people
across country and cultural boundaries.
Chapters 610 (Part II) complement the learning on people management by presentingthe communicationstrategies that facilitate the management of project team members in
different countries, and make them collaborate more effectively.
Chapters 1115 (Part III) suggest organisational structures and practices that create all
fundamental conditions for a good collaborative environment on global projects, and
expedite the implementation of the people and communication strategies.
Chapters 1625 guide the development of good practices for the implementation (Part
IV) and use (Part V) of the communication media and collaborative tools mentioned
in the previous chapters: the technology that allows the management of people and the
communication between stakeholders across country and cultural boundaries.
Part VI concludes the book, by presenting different strategies to adapt the recommendations
according to the organisational cultures, standards, methodologies and requirements, obtaining
buy-in from senior managers, project managers and project team members.
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
22/309
xxiP r e f a ce
How to read the book
The book structure allows companies to understand the main domains that have an impact
on the performance of global project teams, and then adapt their project management
methodologies to a global environment. The sequence of the chapters aims to provide aprogressive understanding of the needs and good practices. As an alternative route, project
managers and team members may read each chapter independently and address specific issues
to improve their efficiency on global projects. Many cross-references are provided to allow the
chapters to be read in any order.
The main sources of information
There are different layers of information to consider when looking for good practices onglobal project management. The first and most important layer is the experienceof other global
project managers, team members and senior managers from different countries. One way to
learn about this experience is to participate in networking events organised by associations
such as the Project Management Institute and the British Computer Society.
The second layer is the foundation of knowledge onproject managementmethods, tools,
techniques and processes. This book does not redefine this set of principles, preferring to build
on the information already established by existing bodies of knowledge. The main references
for this book were the PMBOK guide from the Project Management Institute, PRINCE2
from the Office of Government Commerce, the IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB) and theGower Handbook of Project Management. However, a certain level of abstraction was adopted
to allow companies using other methods and methodologies to consult this book without
difficulty.
The third layer is the literature on virtual teams and distributed project management, which
establishes the requirements and recommendations for projects involving people in different
locations. The third layer is the literature on virtual teams and distributed project management,
which establishes the requirements and recommendations for projects involving people in
different locations. The main sources are described at the end of each part of the book.
The fourth layer is the knowledge gathered by the intercultural studiesfrom Hofstede and
Trompenaars, present in most chapters of this book.
Web companion
The website www.GlobalProjectManagement.orgprovides tools, templates and an open forum
for the exchange of information related to the practices described in this book, also linking to
different hardware, software and services solutions.
http://www.globalprojectmanagement.org/http://www.globalprojectmanagement.org/ -
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
23/309
This page intentionally left blank
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
24/309
Introduction
This chapter defines the main characteristics of global projects and programs and presents
a framework that will lead international companies to achieve maturity in global project
management by helping global program and project managers to focus on the advantages of
international teams, addressing the challenges of cross-cultural and virtual communication
and presenting innovative solutions for collaboration over a distance.
By the end of this chapter, you will have learned the main dimensions of a global projectand understand what challenges are faced by global program and project teams. You will also
discover the Global Project Management Framework, which will guide you throughout the
book parts and chapters.
Traditional, distributed, international and virtual projects
In the project management literature we can find different types of projects, when comparing
the number of organisations and locations involved in their implementation. In traditionalprojects, a large majority of the team members are working for the same organisation and
in a single location. Distributed projects involve team members working in many locations,
and can also be called international projectswhen they include people located across country
borders. Virtual projectsare composed of team members dispersed geographically and working
in different organisations. Project managers may face specific challenges on virtual projects as
they need to balance different interests, company cultures and working practices, and most
communications occur over a distance. International projects require the collaboration of
people from different country cultures and languages, sometimes with the added complexity
of the locations over various time zones.
Global projects
This book addresses the combined challenges of international, distributed and virtual projects,
being mainly dedicated toglobal projects. This novel category can be defined as a combination of
virtual and international projects, which includes people from different organisations working
in various countries across the globe. You can use the following dimensions to evaluate the
level of complexity of your projects, and identify if you are experiencing the same challenges
as other global project managers:
Number of distant locations The project team can be in a single room (project
war room), in different rooms and in multiple locations. When all stakeholders are in
geographical locations near at hand, face-to-face meetings can be easily organised and
the positive influence of body language and social interaction on the efficiency is clear. In
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
25/309
2 G l oba l P ro j e c t Ma na gem ent
global projects, the team members are located at least in two different countries. When
the distance among the team members is such that travel is required for physical contact,
the use of phone and video conferencing becomes essential, requiring the application of
communication strategies to ensure a high level of effectiveness.
Number of different organisations project team members can work for a singledepartment in one company, for multiple departments or even for multiple companies.
Project managers must adapt their people and leadership skills to the multiple policies,
procedures and organisational cultures. The complexity of commercial and contractual
processes is also increased, although outside the scope of discussions in this book.
Country cultures beyond organisational culture, the customs and traditions
of different nations and regions can bring more diversity to the work environment,
reducing the group thinking and improving the collective creativity. Motivation is often
increased as many people prefer to work in cross-cultural environments because of the
rich information exchange. Nevertheless, this diversity can sometimes be the sourceof conflicts and misunderstandings, and project managers must apply some basic rules
and practices to take advantage of the cross-cultural communication, and to avoid its
pitfalls.
Different languages international companies usually establish a common language
for the exchange of information, although the way people communicate is highly
dependent on their own native language. For example, if the common language is
English, the effectiveness of communication by most non-English speakers will be limited
by their knowledge of English expressions, vocabulary and often by their ability to make
analogies and tell stories or understand jokes. On the other hand, native English speakers
would need to limit their vocabulary to clear sentences and essential words, and carefully
confirm the understanding of their ideas by foreign colleagues. The use of online meetings
and visual communication are examples of practices discussed in this book that can be
adopted by project managers to avoid misunderstandings and obtain a high commitment
level from all stakeholders, independently of their native language.
Time zones the whole project team can be based in the same location or in different
locations in the same time zone. On the other extreme, there are project teams with
members in completely different time zones, ,making it difficult (or impossible) to
organise meetings in common office hours. The effect is twofold. Program and project
managers can use the different working times to their advantage, by creating a follow-the-sun implementation, reducing the duration of sequential tasks by a half or a third of the
time. The procedures and communication rules must be precisely defined among people
in complementary time zones (when there is low overlapping of working hours). On
the other hand, important delays can happen, when the exchange of simple information
takes a week to be completed, instead of a single day. Global organisations can implement
standard communication rules and templates across locations to reduce the possibility of
these problems occuring.
The above dimensions can be represented by a radial chart where the centre represents the
lower complexity levels: single department, location/time zone, language and cultures (Figure
I.1.). The combination of medium and high marks shows the higher complexity of projects
across borders, with team members from different cultures, languages, and organisations
working in different nations around the globe: the global projects.
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
26/309
3In t r o duc t i o n
Organisations can use the scale above to establish comparisons among different projects,
to decide when to apply the good practices and for risk management. More information on
this is given throughout the book.
An alternative approach is to complete the scale with one colour to determine the level
of complexity of the communication between the project manager and the project team
members (where most or all recommendations in this book apply), and use a different colourto categorise the communication with other stakeholders (which requires trust building,
conflict resolution and global communication). This can help the project managers to identify
which sets of good practices are more important in each project. Some real-life examples can
illustrate the usage of this approach.
Examples of global projects
A software development project (Figure I.2) the project team members are working infour companies in different locations (the software company in London, England; one
development team in Curitiba, Brazil; two development teams in Bangalore and Mumbai,
India) with team members speaking four different native languages (English, Brazilian
Portuguese, Kannada and Tamil), all with different levels of fluency in English. There are
three different country cultures, and the total difference in time zones is 8h30 in summer
(GMT-3 for Brazil and GMT+5:30 for India). In addition to the team members, there are
stakeholders from another three locations (three pilot customers in the USA, South Africa
and Australia), elevating the number of country differences to six, and the time zone
difference to 17 hours (GMT-8 for San Francisco, USA to GMT+10 for Sydney, Australia).
A pharmaceutical project (Figure I.3) the project team members come from a partnership
of eight organisations, and are working in six locations (two quality assurance teams in
England, the headquarters in France, two laboratories in Germany and one development
team in South Africa) composed of people speaking three different native languages
(English, French and German). There are four different country cultures, and the total
difference in time zones is 1 hour in summer (GMT+1 for England and GMT+2 for the
Figure I.1 Dimensions of global projects
Jean Binder 2007
Locations
Languages
Time zonesCultures
Organisations
Locations
Languages
Time zonesCultures
Organisations
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
27/309
4 G l oba l P ro j e c t Ma na gem ent
other countries). In addition to the team members, there are stakeholders from another
two organisations in different locations (The European Commission in Belgium and one
environmental agency in Switzerland), elevating the number of country differences to six,
without changes in the number of time zones or languages.
An organisational change project (Figure I.4) the project team members from twoorganisations (the main corporation and one consulting company) work in 14 company
offices in ten countries, speaking eight different native languages. The total difference in
time zones is 14 hours in summer (from New York ,USA, to Melbourne, Australia). In this
case, all the stakeholders are in the same locations as the project team members.
Figure I.2 A software development global project
Locations
Languages
Time zonesCultures
Organisations
Team members
Stakeholders
Locat ions Languages Time zones Cultures Organisat ionsTeam members 4 4 08:30 3 4
Stakeholders 7 4 17 6 7
Locations
Languages
Time zonesCultures
Organisations
Team members
Stakeholders
Locations
Languages
Time zonesCultures
Organisations
Team members
Stakeholders
Locat ions Languages Time zones Cultures Organisat ionsTeam members 4 4 08:30 3 4
Stakeholders 7 4 17 6 7
Locations Languages Time zones Cultures Organisat ionsTeam members 4 4 08:30 3 4
Stakeholders 7 4 17 6 7
Figure I.3 A pharmaceutical global project
Locations
Languages
Time ZonesCultures
Organisations
Team members
Stakeholders
Locations Languages Time Zones Cultures OrganisationsTeam members 6 3 1 4 8
Stakeholders 8 3 1 6 10
Locations
Languages
Time ZonesCultures
Organisations
Team members
Stakeholders
Locations
Languages
Time ZonesCultures
Organisations
Team members
Stakeholders
Locations Languages Time Zones Cultures OrganisationsTeam members 6 3 1 4 8
Stakeholders 8 3 1 6 10
Locations Languages Time Zones Cultures OrganisationsTeam members 6 3 1 4 8
Stakeholders 8 3 1 6 10
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
28/309
5In t r o duc t i o n
Global programs
PMI (2006a) defines a program as a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way
to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually. The programmanager works closely with the program board, which is composed of senior stakeholders
who provide guidance and make decisions affecting the program outcomes, and with other
parties that have an interest in or are affected by the program. The program manager must also
communicate with the Program Management Office (PMO), which oversees the management
of programs. The program manager is responsible for providing direction and guidance to
the project managers, and may receive assistance from a Program Support Office. Figure I.5
provides an overview of the relationship between the program manager and the program
stakeholders.
The four main categories of programs take into consideration two dimensions: the location
of the program stakeholders and the location of the different project teams (summarised
by Figure I.6). One of these categories (traditional programs) includes programs where all
stakeholders and project teams are located in the same country, which is not the focus of this
book. The other three categories (global programs) will now be evaluated in detail.
The first category (local program of global projects) is a group of related globalprojects
managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing
them individually, where the program manager is located in the same country as all the project
managers and members of the program board. While all the practices in this book are relevant
to the project managers, the program manager may only require them to communicate with key
stakeholders located around the globe. One example is a program to develop and implementa new software tool in five countries (Figure I.7), with a program manager located in the UK
(represented by the PgM circle), in the same location as all the project managers (represented
by the PM circles). The program is composed of a global project for the software development
(project manager in the UK and the project team in the UK, Singapore and Mexico), the pilot
implementation project in the UK (the whole project team located together with the project
Figure I.4 An organisational change global project
Locations
Languages
Time zonesCultures
Organisations
Team members
Stakeholders
Locat ions Languages Time zones Cultures Organisat ionsTeam members 14 8 14 10 2
Stakeholders 14 8 14 10 2
Locations
Languages
Time zonesCultures
Organisations
Team members
Stakeholders
Locat ions Languages Time zones Cultures Organisat ionsTeam members 14 8 14 10 2
Stakeholders 14 8 14 10 2
Locations Languages Time zones Cultures Organisat ionsTeam members 14 8 14 10 2
Stakeholders 14 8 14 10 2
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
29/309
6 G l oba l P ro j e c t Ma na gem ent
manager) and the local implementation projects in the United Arab Emirates, Singapore,
Mexico and Canada (all coordinated by project managers primarily based in the UK).
The second category (global program of local projects) is a group of traditional projects
deployed in various countriesand managed in a coordinated way, to obtain benefits and control
not available from managing them individually and in the same country. This is the opposite
of the first category, as the program managers will make use of most practices in this book
when managing the project managers and communicating with the program board and other
key stakeholders. Figure I.8 illustrates one global program that will implement standardised
desktop computers in four countries, with the program manager in Brazil and project managers
coordinating traditional teams (all team members in the same location) in Australia, India,
South Africa and Australia.
The third category (global program of global projects) is a group of global projects, with
project managers located in different countries to the program manager and the program
board. This category represents the true challenge of global programs, requiring excellent
Figure I.5 Global program stakeholders
Program
board
Other program
stakeholders
Program
Manager
PMO
PSO
Project
Manager
Project
Manager
Project
Manager
Program
board
Other program
stakeholders
Program
Manager
PMO
PSO
Project
Manager
Project
Manager
Project
Manager
Figure I.6 Categories of global programs
Different
countries
Same
location
Same
location
Different
countries
Local program
of global projects
Traditional
program
Global program
of local projects
Global program
Location of
project
team members
Location of
program
stakeholders
1
2
3
Different
countries
Same
location
Same
location
Different
countries
Local program
of global projects
Traditional
program
Global program
of local projects
Global program
Location of
project
team members
Location of
program
stakeholders
1
2
3
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
30/309
7In t r o duc t i o n
Figure I.7 Local program of global projects
Global Software Development and Implementation
Program
Singapore
UK
Mexico
Implementation
Project SG
Implementation
Project MX
Time
SoftwareDevelopment
Project
PMPgM Implementation
Pilot Project UKPM
PM
PM
United Arab Emirates
Canada
Implementation
Project AE
Implementation
Project CA
Global Software Development and Implementation
Program
Singapore
UK
Mexico
Implementation
Project SG
Implementation
Project MX
Time
SoftwareDevelopment
Project
PMPgM Implementation
Pilot Project UKPM
PM
PM
United Arab Emirates
Canada
Implementation
Project AE
Implementation
Project CA
Figure I.8 Global program of local projects
Global Desktop
Program
Australia
Implementation
Project AU
South Africa
India
Brazil
Implementation
Project SA
Implementation
Project IN
Time
DesktopDesign
Project
Implementation
Project BR
PM PM
PM
PM
PM
PgM
Global Desktop
Program
Australia
Implementation
Project AU
South Africa
India
Brazil
Implementation
Project SA
Implementation
Project IN
Time
DesktopDesign
Project
Implementation
Project BR
PM PM
PM
PM
PM
PgM
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
31/309
8 G l oba l P ro j e c t Ma na gem ent
interpersonal skills and open-minded behaviour from all stakeholders. The global program
manager and all global project managers can apply the recommendations in this book
to improve understanding and reduce conflicts. This is also true when a mix of the three
categories appears (for example, traditional and global projects will be part of the same
program, or only some of the project managers are in the same location as the programmanager).
International companies often conduct global programs to implement Enterprise
Management suites, with global projects for the different solutions. In the example illustrated
in Figure I.9, the global program manager is located in France and the project managers and
project teams are distributed in different countries.
Global projects and programs requirements
As discussed before, the processes, tools and methods assembled in the existing project
management bodies of knowledge are applicable to most types of projects, whether they are
traditional, virtual or global. However, what are the specific needs of global program and
project managers that lead to the need for specific techniques and methods? A study on the
available literature, complemented by interviews with global project and program managers,
identified their main requirements, represented in Figures I.10I.13.
Figure I.9 Global program of global projects
Global Enterprise Management Program
Chile
France
Israel
Time
PgM
United States
China
Human Resources
Implementation
Project
Global
Blueprint
PM
Corporate
Implementation
ProjectPM
Finance
Implementation
Project
PM
Operations
Implementation
Project
PM
PM
Supply
Chain
Management
(SCM)
ImplementationProject
PM
Supplier
Relationship
Management
(SRM)
Implementation
Project
PM
Global Enterprise Management Program
Chile
France
Israel
Time
PgM
United States
China
Human Resources
Implementation
Project
Global
Blueprint
PM
Corporate
Implementation
ProjectPM
Finance
Implementation
Project
PM
Operations
Implementation
Project
PM
PM
Supply
Chain
Management
(SCM)
ImplementationProject
PM
Supplier
Relationship
Management
(SRM)
Implementation
Project
PM
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
32/309
9In t r o duc t i o n
Figure I.10 Requirements of global project managers global team management
Global Team Management
How can I manage conflicts among team members working in different locations (tome)?
How can I establish trust among virtual team members, particularly when they workfor different organisations?
How can I develop leadership skills that can be effective for team members in otherlocations?
How can I learn to deal with different cultures, allowing other team members to thrivein a multicultural team?
How can I perform team-building activities when the budget does not authorise allteam members to be in the same location during the project initiation phase?
How can I provide coaching to project managers and coordinators located away fromme?
Figure I.11 Requirements of global project managers communication across
borders
Communication Across Borders
How can I have more efficient and shorter meetings over distance?
How can I adapt my company templates for meetings over distance?
How can I track the project tasks and deliverables assigned to people located in othercountries, and avoid misunderstandings created by the different languages?
How can I conduct special meetings, like brainstorming, coaching and knowledgetransfers over distance?
Figure I.12 Requirements of global project managers organisational culture
Global Organisations
How can my organisation adapt its structure and culture to thrive as a globalcompany?
What is the best way to structure the project team?
What types of professionals work well over a distance, and how to select them?
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
33/309
10 G lo ba l P r oj ec t Ma na ge me nt
If you are currently managing or are involved in a global project or program, it is likely
that you have some of these questions in mind. The framework explained in this book aims to
address all the above requirements, complementing the existing project management bodies
of knowledge.
The answers to these questions are not universal as they depend on factors like the country
and organisational cultures involved in the project, the number of locations, the different
languages, the team size and the project duration, size and complexity. Therefore, the approach
of the framework presented in this book is not to provide a one-size-fits-all strategy, theright answers or the best practices in global project management. The framework contains
guidelines and models that will help you to understand the cultural differences and sources of
misunderstanding. You should determine the best alternatives for your own situation, based
on the real-life examples and practices taken from other international companies. You will
then be able to define an implementation model that suits the requirements of your global
projects, adapted to the specific needs of your organisation.
To be or not to be global?In some situations, the location of the project team members from the main customers, suppliers
and partners will define that a project must be global. One example is the development of a
new product by a partnership of three companies, each with a specialised laboratory in a
different country. In other cases, the location of the main project deliverables may determine
the need for a global project team. This can be illustrated by the deployment of a new
warehouse management system that requires the transformation of buildings located around
the globe. Global projects can also allow companies to unite highly specialised team members
in the same project without relocating them to other countries, or to delocalise certain project
work packages or tasks in order to reduce the project costs. However, there is also a cost for
companies to overcome the large distances between team members, lengthy travel times to
meetings and the inconvenience of working across time zones (Wild et al, 2000).
Before deciding to conduct global projects, each organisation must weigh up the higher
level of innovation and the cost savings offered by having human resources distributed around
the globe against the challenges created by the communication across borders, and the cost
Figure I.13 Requirements of global project managers collaborative tools
Collaborative Tools
Which tools can my company deploy to enhance communication in globalenvironments?
Which tools can I employ to control and coordinate virtual teams working on myprojects and programs?
Which tools can I use to improve the quality of communication between programand project managers, enabling me to monitor the milestones without creatingadministrative overheads?
How can my company deploy these tools at all organisational levels?
How to foster the adoption of the tools?
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
34/309
11In t r o duc t i o n
of implementing processes to ensure the deliverables will be produced as expected. Every
situation will bring different results to the above equation and companies can define some
principles of operation to guide project managers when developing human resource planning
and assembling the project team. One example is the creation of centres of excellence, with
a catalogue of the main standard services provided by them, and service level agreementsspecifying lead times to start activities, expected duration for common activities and the
expected levels of quality. The organisation can then declare as mandatory the use of the
services from these competency centres instead of developing local skills, recruiting local
people or hiring third parties for specific project tasks.
When deciding to deploy a global team for important projects, organisations can evaluate
the value of the main positive and negative aspects of having a global project, and then perform
a cost-benefits analysis. Another alternative is to perform an evaluation of the strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis). A brainstorming session can identify
the main factors applicable to each project, and the lists shown in Figures I.14 and I.15 canserve as a checklist to validate and complement the findings.
Organisational change and organisational theory
When organisations decide to start implementing global projects, or when they decide to
increase the success rate of global projects, they must adapt their structures and their project
management methodology. In order to succeed, this change process must focus on the whole
organisation, from different perspectives. Harold Leavitt (1964) suggested that organisations
Figure I.14 Possible advantages of global projects
Advantages
Access to technical experts
Attracting the best workers independent of location
Environmental benefits
Global workdays (24 hours vs. 8 hours)
Improved disaster recovery capabilities
Increased flexibility
Increased innovation (by reducing group thinking)
Increased productivity
Larger pool of potential job candidates
More accurate picture of international customers' needs
No need to relocate existing workers
Proximity to customers
Reduced labour costs
Reduced office space requirements
Reduction in travel time and expense
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
35/309
12 G lo ba l P r oj ec t Ma na ge me nt
consist of four elements task, structure, technology (tools) and people (actors), which
are interdependent and interact with the external environment. A change in one of these
variables will almost certainly have an impact on the others. Based on the model from Leavitt,
Peter Clark (1972) suggested that, approaches to organisational change should take accountof the possibilities presented by the four interacting variables to create multiple points of
intervention.
Laurie Mullins built on the organisational model from Leavitt to suggest five interrelated
sub-systems to be used when analysing work organisations: task, technology (including
physical aspects and methods, systems and procedures), structure, people and management.
This organisational theory highlights the interrelationships between these variables, noting
that, there is no one best, universal structure. There are a large number of variables, or
situational factors, which influence organisational design and performance. (Mullins, 1996).
A framework for global programs and projects
framework
4. A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing
reality.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition1
framework
2. A frame or structure composed of parts fitted and joined together.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary2
1 2000 Houghton Mifflin Company
2 2006 Random House, Inc.
Challenges
Adapt the organisational culture to home working
Adapt the organisational structure to virtual teamsAdapt the working hours to different time zones
Build trust
Cope with language differences
Deploy collaborative software and licence costs
Establish a team identity
Handle divergent cultural values
Manage conflicts over distance
Provide communication and cultural training
Provide communication technology
Figure I.15 Possible challenges of global projects
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
36/309
13In t r o duc t i o n
The framework suggested in this book is based on the models from organisation theory, providing
a flexible set of recommendations that can have a positive influence on the performance of
global projects. Companies can select which areas of improvement are required, depending on
their specific needs. They can also determine the order and priorities to implement the groups
of recommendations, depending on their corporate cultures and the technologies available.Finally, they have the flexibility to select which particular recommendations are applicable
to their global projects, considering their main characteristics (different languages, countries,
cultures and time zones).
The organisational change foundation of the framework allows a holistic approach during
the definition of new processes and practices, and the implementation of the recommendations.
Global teams require a new set of people skills, interpersonal relationships and leadership
styles. Novel communication techniques must allow the management of team members and
other stakeholders over distance. Different forms of project structures and organisational
standards must be in place to cope with project team members distributed around the globe.The organisational culture will serve as a basis for the selection and implementation of the
collaborative tools hardware, software and communications. New techniques, systems and
procedures need to be available to all stakeholders involved in global projects to increase
adoption of the new set of tools. Figure I.16 illustrates the resulting framework for global project
management, and the five categories of information: global teams, global communication,
global organisations, collaborative tools and collaborative techniques.
The practices, processes, measures, theories and case studies in the framework are grouped
into different knowledge areas that allow a modular implementation. Five chapters exist for
each category from the framework (Figure I.17), as follows:
Global team management the chapters in this category represent the main
recommendations found in the literature for effective management of global project teams:
cross-cultural collaboration, global team leadership, trust building, conflict resolution and
coaching over distance.
Global communication the chapters in this category complement the communication
processes as explained in the PMBOK guide: global stakeholders analysis and
Figure I.16 The Global Project Management Framework: five categories
Jean Binder 2007
Collaborative tools
Collaborative techniques
Global teams
Global communication
Global organisationsOrganisational
Change
Organisational
Theory
Collaborative tools
Collaborative techniques
Global teams
Global communication
Global organisationsOrganisational
Change
Organisational
Theory
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
37/309
14 G lo ba l P r oj ec t Ma na ge me nt
communication channels (main activities of the communications requirements analysis),
communication rules and templates (input to the communications planning process),
global communication strategy (part of the communications management plan), global
communication techniques (knowledge gathering, distribution and exchange) and global
creativity using online brainstorming techniques.
Global organisations this category contains the knowledge required by globalorganisations to improve the effectiveness of global projects: global project organisation
structures, global human resources selection, global program and project offices,
organisational support and global collaborative networks.
Collaborative tools this category provides generic strategies for the implementation
of collaborative tools: basic technologies (e-mail and telephones), synchronous audio
and video tools (audio and video conferencing), synchronous text and image tools
(instant messaging and web conferencing), asynchronous knowledge sharing tools and
asynchronous project management information systems. These knowledge areas represent
the main solutions currently available to global projects, and can be expanded to include
the new developments expected in the near future.
Collaborative techniques the chapters in this category provide techniques that
allow the adoption of the collaborative tools by most project stakeholders: use of basic
technologies (e-mail and telephones), effective audio and video conferencing, coordination
of online meetings, knowledge sharing techniques and project management information
systems.
Figure I.17 The Global Project Management Framework
Jean Binder 2007
Project
Management
software
Knowledge
sharing
tools
Audio and video
tools
Basic
tools
Collaborative
PMKnowledgeOnline meetingsAudio and videoBasic
techniques
CoachingConflict
resolution
Trust building
Cross-
cultural
collaboration
Global
team
leadership
Global
creativity
Global
communication
techniques
Global
communication
strategy
Stakeholders
and
communication
channels
Rules
and
templates
Organisational
support
Global
project
structures
Global
program and
project
offices
Selection of
international
human
resources
Text and image
tools
Global
collaborative
networks
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9
10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25
sharing
techniquestechniques
Collaborative tools
Collaborative techniques
Global teams
Global communication
Global organisations
Project
Management
software
Knowledge
sharing
tools
Audio and video
tools
Basic
tools
Collaborative
PMKnowledgeOnline meetingsAudio and videoBasic
techniques
CoachingConflict
resolution
Trust building
Cross-
cultural
collaboration
Global
team
leadership
Global
creativity
Global
communication
techniques
Global
communication
strategy
Stakeholders
and
communication
channels
Rules
and
templates
Organisational
support
Global
project
structures
Global
program and
project
offices
Selection of
international
human
resources
Text and image
tools
Global
collaborative
networks
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9
10
11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25
sharing
techniquestechniques
Collaborative tools
Collaborative techniques
Global teams
Global communication
Global organisations
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
38/309
15In t r o duc t i o n
The framework sources
Figure I.18 illustrates the main sources of information for the framework structure and
contents. Academic papers provided the knowledge for the construction of the framework and
for the structure of the 25 chapters. The main contents come from direct observations, roundtables, interviews, surveys and personal experiences of successful projects. The observation
and analysis of less successful projects also provided an interesting comparison for the
conclusions about the influence of the good practices on the project performance and on the
quality of the deliverables. Other literary sources usually based on different forms of theory,
research, work experiences and case studies provided additional information to validate and
complement the academic findings and the real life experience. The main literary sources
come from the following domains:
Project management bodies of knowledge (for example, PMBOK Guide, PRINCE2,
Gower Handbook of Project Management, International Journal of Project Management,Project Management Journal).
Virtual teams (for example. Edwards and Wilson (2004), Haywood (1998), Fisher and Fisher
(2001), Lipnack and Stamps (1997), Kostner (1996), and Hawaii International Conferences
on System Sciences, see DeLone et al. (2005) and Katzv et al. (2000)).
Virtual project management (for example, McMahon (2001), Mayer (1998), Rad and Levin
(2003), Pauleen (2004), Goncalves (2005).
Management and organisational behaviour (for example,. Buchanan and Huczynski
(1997), Mullins (1996), Hannagan (1995)).
Cross-cultural studies (for example, Hofstede (2001), Trompenaars (2003, 2005), Melkmanand Trotman (2005), Magala (2005)).
International business (for example, Wild et al (2000), Mead (2000, 2004)).
Specialised magazines (for example, PM network, Project Manager Today).
The full references can be obtained from the bibliography section (see page 271).
Figure I.18 The Global Project Management Framework: sources of information
Academic studies and
books on project
management, virtual
teams and virtual projectmanagement
Academic studies and
books on organisational
behaviour, cross-cultural
studies and international
business
Real life experience Global Project Management
Framework
Academic studies and
books on project
management, virtual
teams and virtual projectmanagement
Academic studies and
books on organisational
behaviour, cross-cultural
studies and international
business
Real life experience Global Project Management
Framework
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
39/309
16 G lo ba l P r oj ec t Ma na ge me nt
What the framework provides to global organisations
The framework implementation provides three main benefits to global organisations. Firstly,
companies can deploy collaborative tools using the implementation templates supplied in
this book. They may use the recommendations to increase the adoption rate of technology bythe team members involved in global projects, by providing them with enough knowledge to
master the essential functions of the hardware, software and communication tools. This will
increase the efficiency of meetings, reduce the occurrence of misunderstandings and foster
collaboration among team members in different locations.
The second benefit may be achieved when international companies implement a set of
processes and good practices for global project management, based on the recommendations and
templates provided in the different chapters. The project managers, program managers and PMO
team members can form study groups, evaluating what recommendations are applicable to their
specific situations, and develop new practices from their personal experience. The outcome willbe a framework of good practices adapted to the organisational culture and to the cultures of
the countries where the company operates. The framework can also be included in the project
management methodologies. The organisations that opt for the Global Project Management
Framework as the structure for their good practices will simplify the exchange of information with
other companies, the comparison of their practices and the creation of a set of practices specific
to cross-company projects. These companies will benefit from an increased level of trust between
team members, increased cooperation levels among people from different cultures, effective team
leadership over distance and streamlined communication channels among all stakeholders.
Lastly, organisations can promote internal training on global project management, usingthe framework as a basis for the course structure and the contents, to increase awareness of and
proficiency on the collaborative tools and global project management practices. The global
project managers and team members attending the training can learn and discuss the main
recommendations, practice coaching and brainstorming over distance, use the collaborative
tools, rules and templates during the exercises and try the global communication techniques.
Cross-cultural training can complement these sessions, with practical exercises on team
leadership, conflict and negotiation skills, and cultural differences.
Figure I.19 The Global Project Management Framework: the deliverables
Collaborative tools
Methodology and best
practices on global
project management
Training on global
project management
Global Project Management
Framework
Collaborative tools
Methodology and best
practices on global
project management
Training on global
project management
Global Project Management
Framework
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
40/309
17In t r o duc t i o n
The next steps
The framework explained in this book provides a comprehensive starting point for global
organisations, project offices, global program managers and project managers to achieve
higher levels of efficiency. After the implementation of the framework in their organisations,programs and projects, new practices and recommendations will start to appear, aiming for
constant evolution and improvement.
The modular design allows a constant evolution of the framework through your
feedback. At the end of each chapter, you will find questions about your opinions on the
recommendations, practices, tools and techniques. You can also reflect on the applicability
of each recommendation to your own environment, and voice your thoughts on the global
project management forum (see www.GlobalProjectManagement.org):
Are the recommendations applicable to most projects in your organisation, or only specific
types (for example, large, critical)?
Do you disagree with some recommendations, or have you tried different tools or practices
with better results?
Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the templates?
Are you aware of different management theories that are more applicable to your country
culture?
The goal of this knowledge exchange is to produce an improved framework of
recommendations that can be exchanged among different companies and countries: an
open framework for global project management. You can think about your own practicesas a good way to improve the competitive advantage of your company, and therefore
prefer to keep them confidential. However, the project management bodies of knowledge
are there to prove the benefits of having a common set of good practices and terminology
across organisations and knowledge areas. In this case, sharing is the best way to work
together, in partnerships, in customer-supplier relations or when selling and providing
services.
Figure I.20 The evolutionary Global Project Management Framework
Feedback
Improveme
nts
Global
organisations
Discussion
group
Global Project Management
Framework
Feedback
Improveme
nts
Global
organisations
Discussion
group
Global Project Management
Framework
http://www.globalprojectmanagement.org/http://www.globalprojectmanagement.org/ -
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
41/309
18 G lo ba l P r oj ec t Ma na ge me nt
Key concepts
Existing project management methodologies, bodies of knowledge and maturity models
identify, but do not address, specific requirements from global project and program
management. This book aims to build on their solid formalisation of processes andpractices, adding a layer of knowledge on global projects and programs management.
Distributed Projects projects with team members from the same company, based in
different locations.
International Projects projects with team members from the same company, working
in different countries.
Virtual Projects projects with team members from diverse companies, in different
locations.
Global Projects projects managed across borders, with team members from different
cultures and languages, working in different nations around the globe. Global programs a group of related projects with aligned strategic benefits, normally
associated with tactical organisation change, whose stakeholders are located in
different countries.
Global project management requirements can be classified into tools, meeting
management, people management and the organisational structure and culture.
A cost-benefit analysis is required before deciding to deploy a global team to work on
a project. The remaining chapters in this book will help in overcoming most of the
challenges, but the residual cost and effort associated with training and organisational
changes should not be underestimated.The Global Project Management Framework was built on organisational change and
organisational theories, allowing a consistent implementation of good practices and a good
adoption rate by global project team members. The five categories of information in the
framework are: global teams, global communications, global organisations, collaborative
tools and collaborative techniques.
The framework in Figure I.17 is a good reference tool for the preparation of a framework
of good practices to be implemented in your company and projects.
Global organisations following the recommendations in the framework will deploy
collaborative tools with a good adoption rate, update their project managementmethodologies with good practices on global project management and have a
comprehensive template for internal training.
Further reading
Desouza, K., Jayaraman, A. and Evaristo J. (2002) Knowledge Managementin Non-Collocated Environments: A Look at Centralized vs. Distributed Design
ApproachesThis paper shows how projects changed from traditional (collocated) to virtual, suggests a
typology of projects (from single collocated to multiple virtual) and provides some hints about
centralised and decentralised approaches to development.
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
42/309
19In t r o duc t i o n
Van Fenema, P.C. (2002) Coordination and Control of Globally DistributedSoftware Projects
This thesis presents an academic definition of global projects and their main challenges.
Katzy, B., Evaristo, R., Zigurs, I. (2000) Knowledge Management in Virtual Projects:A Research Agenda
This study provides a research model and presents an interesting categorisation for projects,
with the definition of traditional, distributed and virtual projects.
Zeitoun, A. (1998) Managing Projects Across Multi-National Cultures: A UniqueExperience
This article presents the definition of Global Project Management and a checklist for working
across cultures, discussing the main challenges in managing global projects and suggesting
some strategies to tackle them.
Leavitt, H.J. (1964) Applied Organization Change in Industry: Structural, Technical,and Human Approaches;
Clark, P.A. (1972) Action Research & Organizational Change
These sources contain the early organisation change theory and the variables used as a reference
for the framework of good practices.
Balogun, J. and Hailey, V.H. (2004)Exploring Strategic Change;
Thornhill, A. et al (2000) Managing Change: A Human Resource Strategy ApproachThese books present more recent views on organisation change processes, from strategic
change perspective (the former) and human resource strategy (the latter).
Mullins (1996) Management and Organisational Behaviour
This book provides a solid basis for the analysis of an organisation, for the preparation to
an organisational change project, for the implementation of a new methodology on global
project management and for an evolution of the organisational culture.
Turner, J.R. and Simister, S.J. (2000) The Gower Handbook of Project Management;
PMI Project Management Institute (2004) A Guide to the Project ManagementBody of Knowledge: PMBOK Guide;
IPMA International Project Management Association (2006) IPMA CompetenceBaseline;
OGC Office of Government Commerce (2002) PRINCE2
These sources provide a solid understanding of the main processes, techniques and skills
applicable to project management. This book relied heavily on these sources to build the
additional knowledge required by global project management.
-
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
43/309
20 G lo ba l P r oj ec t Ma na ge me nt
Interactive section
Participate in the online survey (www.GlobalProjectManagement.org) and let us know
which types of projects and programs you are working on, visualising in the end how your
projects fit within the global dimensions.Access the survey results on the same website to understand how the global projects
from different companies are positioned in the dimension matrix, and how your project
compares with them.
Using the discussion groups on the website, let us know your opinion on the framework:
Do you see additional benefits to global projects in your environment, other than those
represented in Figure I.14?
Do you face different challenges in your global projects and programs, other than those
represented in Figure I.15?Are you aware of organisational change theories that are more applicable to your
geographical location and country culture?
Can you identify any category of information missing from the framework?
Do you have in mind a different use of the framework, other than those suggested in
Figure I.19?
http://www.globalprojectmanagement.org/http://www.globalprojectmanagement.org/ -
7/24/2019 Global Project Management-Binder, Jean.
44/309
PART
IGlobal Teams
This part presents strategies to manage global project stakeholders, by understanding the
differences in culture, language and time zones, and identifying how to transform these
differences from