Discussion sur les modèles de gestion nationaux (document en anglais)

The debate on national management models identified two approaches: the culturalist approach and the universalist one. The latter favors a standardized project management while recognizing the existence of different cultures. It approaches the manager’s point of view. At the contrary, the culturalist approach highlights the cultural differences that can not be standardized under penalty of upsetting cultures and creates a conflict between them. It favors cultural translation and approaches from the perspective of ethno-sociologist.

The reconciliation problem reveals many differences between intercultural cooperation situation respect to time, to space, people and work. Most of these differences can be adjusted to reduce cultural differences. Usually, English is used as the default language during debates. However, communicating in a different language than the mother tongue is more difficult. As a result, discussions are shallower and misunderstandings are more present. Using a second language could reduce the strength of ideas, rigor and creativity. The language barrier is an obstacle in international projects and inhibits the informal intercultural relations.

A solution to these problems would be the establishment of cultural norms and besides, to ask each one to make compromises. The purpose would be the establishment of a psychological order to gather participants. Each culture has its business identity markers but will represent knowledge through other cultures in order to communicate effectively. Joint projects also facilitate the sharing of professional culture and contributes in developing, promoting cultural integration. Moreover, intercultural communication will need three indicators: a content, a way to say and understand and a great environment for the development of interpersonal relationships. Nevertheless, we can not think that a business has a direct intercultural dimension since each culture draws singular references in each country for the construction of their social identity. Only the technical dimension and the purpose of their work bring them together.

Finally, the solution lies between the universalist approach and the culturalist approach. The intercultural dimension of a project can not be predicted and developped before knowing all the participants. All the elements will depend on the interpersonal relationship between the participants to maintain the intercultural balance based on universal dimensions and respect for cultural singularities. The project manager will take into account all the factors that diverge different cultures by bringing them together through common factors and adaptation of language. It is reassuring or threatening a context that encourages them to be open-minded or on the contrary, to have a cultural rigidity but this is the project manager’s role to build the conditions for the involvement of all participants.

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