Introduction
The development of international projects is a common activity for modern students and business organizations. However, current research shows that many project managers tend to fail their tasks because of poor awareness of cultural factors that play a crucial role in the establishment of appropriate international relationships. New globalization standards and the involvement of the representatives of different countries within the same missions increase the necessity of focusing on cross-cultural issues. In this critique report, the article “Implications of Cultural Differences in International Projects” by Jewels and Albon will be analyzed in terms of its goals, methods, results, and findings. It is not enough for individuals to understand what steps should be taken to manage a business. Culture is not only a combination of behaviors and values but an interpretation of knowledge and beliefs. The authors admit that the analysis of failures has a significant impact on international IT projects in the Middle East region and around the globe (Jewels and Albon, 2013). Therefore, the chosen article and students’ evaluation of a case study as its research method has a contribution to the field of international business management.
Research Problem
The creation of a multicultural environment is one of the main achievements of modern society. At the same time, it is a cause of multiple challenges and problems in human relationships. As a result, a number of managers, researchers, and sociologists are involved in continuous studies to find effective solutions and develop recommendations. In the article, the authors used a failed IT project introduced by managers from Taiwan and Australia and asked students to share their opinions (Jewels and Albon, 2013). There were no clearly identified research questions for the study. Jewels and Albon (2013) used a problem of an outside project as their own research problem that had to be thoroughly investigated. They aimed at identifying the conditions under which international IT projects could have high chances for success under the pressure of cultural differences. It was expected to review the effects of culture on business projects and understand how regional differences were accepted by the representatives of several nations.
Taiwanese and Australian organizations are characterized by diverse approaches to the business establishment. However, despite their controversies, these two countries strive to cooperate, neglecting the most crucial factor of their work – their cultural background. Relationships with people may be interpreted in a variety of ways, and Jewels and Albon (2013) admit that local students but not project team members should be involved in this discussion to understand the implication of cultural differences. This study has a solid background section and several strong statements about the importance of cultural identity through a pedagogical approach. Still, the lack of variables and the inability to testify if the goals are testable are the evident weaknesses of the chosen work. It is clear that an understanding of cultural factors cannot be ignored in any business, but, in this case, the major research goal remains to be generally covered.
Review of the Literature
A literature review is a substantial part of the study developed by Jewels and Albon. Cultural differences and their impact on human relationships have been studied during the last several decades. Geert Hofstede was one of the first social psychologies who made appropriate attempts to understand the culture and its impact on society. The decision of Jewels and Albon (2013) to use Hofstede’s works as a background for their study turned out to be a positive contribution to the outcomes. His articles are comprehensive primary sources about the dimensions that could characterize society from the point of view of its cultural differences (collectivism vs. individualism, masculinity vs. femininity, or universalism vs. particularism).
In the article under analysis, attention was also paid to the distinctive features of the Arab culture. Primary studies by Griefat and Katriel about musayara, Sitaram and Codgel about individuality in Western cultures, and Levine about direct and indirect communication styles served as a framework (as cited in Jewels and Albon, 2013). Arab behaviors differ from many other nations because of the possibility to combine modern achievements and respect for history and traditions. Therefore, the idea to compare monochromic and polychromic time investigated by Hall in the 1980s and the 2000s represented the required rationale for the study about the arrangement of meetings and the role of leaders (as cited in Jewels and Albon, 2013). There were also several primary and secondary sources about the impact of ethnocentrism and understanding cultural diversity as positive and negative elements in project management.
Finally, to prepare the reader for the research process itself, it was necessary to clarify what determined the success of any business project. Using the articles by Schwalbe, Gido, and Clements, Jewels and Albon (2013) specified the importance of communication and sharing knowledge. Some cultures do not support the idea of open and free communication and tie their working relationships with a variety of norms and standards, while other nations prefer detailed and informative discussions. In general, regarding the existing variety of information about the culture and its connection to the business, the review of literature chosen by Jewels and Albon is comprehensive and relevant.
Article’s Contribution
The contribution of any study is the possibility of creating the material that attracts the reader’s attention and shares a new perspective for the field. In this case, Jewels and Albon (2013) were interested in identifying cultural factors that could help manage the business successfully. At first sight, the chosen topic seems to be not new and frequently discussed within other studies and articles, either peer-reviewed or from local magazines. However, its feature is the choice of a failed case study for the analysis. Besides, the authors took the project of such cultural giants as Taiwan and Australia and implemented their problems in the context of the Arab business.
Another important aspect of the study was the choice of participants. Jewels and Albon (2013) explained that they could use a team of managers to analyze a case study and identify its shortages from a professional point of view. However, the involvement of students allowed following a pedagogical approach and applying various theories in an undetached environment, where no prejudice and real-life experiences were observed. Despite the existing segregation of genders in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it was important to divide male and female opinions. The two segregated groups of students were not biased by behavioral patterns and focused on the cultural differences and challenges.
UAE business projects could be under the impact of many factors, and the reader has to recognize the most crucial aspects. To facilitate the analysis of the findings, Jewels and Albon (2013) used a table with a brief summary of factors that were identified in the Arab culture and applied to international business affairs. As a result, it was not difficult for the reader to find a list of cultural issues in international projects and learn the main characteristics. More detailed information about these factors was given in the test of the article.
Theoretical Model
In the current research field, it is normal for authors to omit the section with a theoretical framework of a study. In Jewels and Albon’s article (2013), not much attention was paid to the role of theories in the analysis of cultural differences. The necessity to apply theories was mentioned several times in the introduction and discussion sections. For example, Jewels and Albon (2013) mentioned that extended theories and concepts were frequently used in various projects with the purpose of de-contextualization. However, the expected outcome of their project is to identify cultural issues that may affect the project’s success out of the existing theories. Students could address the theories they knew as a part of the education process. As a result, McGregor’s theories X and Y turned out to be the only appropriate means to analyze the management style and the division into hierarchical levels (as cited in Jewels and Albon, 2013). No other signs of theoretical impact were identified while reading the article.
Data Description
In Jewels and Albon’s article, a case study was used as a research method. The main idea was to present a failed situation at the international level and use it as a teaching resource for students. Relying on their theoretical knowledge and personal critical thinking skills, students participated in the discussion about the offered IT project. Cultural perceptions were obtained from a real-life event and helped students analyze their own cultural preferences throughout the study. In a period of six weeks, students were asked to answer the questions about the case. Their answers served as the data for analysis and were introduced in two data sets of written narrative discussions (Jewels and Albon, 2013). In general, a two-year education period included four courses for 100 university students (two male and two female cohorts, separately). About 60% of responses were considered as usable for the study (Jewels and Albon, 2013). Students were involved on a voluntary basis, and their replies were based on their personal knowledge and interpretations.
The evaluation of data was developed by means of content analysis. All responses of students were transcribed, and this information was automatically searched for the use of specific phrases. Jewels and Albon (2013) identified some of them in their article, including “social community,” “collectivist society,” and “use of informal communication”. On the one hand, the choice of these word-combinations was corrected and appropriate for the study. On the other hand, the lack of explanation and clarification about why those particular phrases had to be used became a weakness of the article. A list of cultural factors that could influence the development of an international project was introduced in the table. However, in the offered list, it was hard to understand if the comments were made directly by the participants or interpreted by a research team.
Results
The results of the study were presented in two sections, focusing on the differences between Taiwan and Australian cultures and the interpretation of the situation within the UAE context. First, the failed case was discussed and compared between the representatives of Taiwan and Australia through the prism of four main issues, the contract, communication, working conditions, and management. The authors successfully admitted that a poor understanding of contract responsibilities was one of the reasons for failure (Jewels and Albon, 2013). The lack of legal examples and explanations created certain limitations in the article. The possibility of dealing with a language barrier was an important aspect of the case study. To use English as the language for communication between the two nations was a successful decision.
People’s abilities to interpret cultural differences play an important role in the development of international relationships. In this case study, Arab students not only compared the results of negotiations between Taiwanese and Australian people but also understood how to avoid similar mistakes in their regional business. The results were descriptive and inferential at the same time because, comparing and describing the activities of other people, students found out how to improve their activities and what theories could be of help. The management of projects was never simple, and Jewels and Albon (2013) discussed how to divide responsibilities and respect cultural differences. Modern society strives to be collaborative but fails to apply the necessary management tools and techniques. As a result, mistakes, shortages, and failures are observed when they are unexpected. Jewels and Albon (2013) explained why the ten concepts of international business could not be ignored, focusing on open communication and misunderstanding avoidance. There are many ways of how to avoid conflicts, and the results obtained in this study, even without specific tests and probability levels, make contributions to qualitative and quantitative comprehension of the material.
Conclusion
To conclude, both benefits and shortages of the study should be mentioned. The work of the authors may serve as a solid background for new research due to the offered cultural factors in international business. The opinions of local students proved that people respect their culture and identify the differences with other nations. At the same time, the lack of analysis (more attention was paid to the description of cultural factors) and the explanation of how the items were chosen weaken the article. The choice of three different nations helped recognize how culture influences the establishment of business relationships and gave more reasons to focus on the connection between the field of project management and cultural identity.
Reference List
Jewels, T. and Albon, R. (2013) ‘Implications of cultural differences in international projects’, International Journal of Information Technology Project Management, 4(1), pp. 58-71.