The influence of culture on the management of project business: A case study

This study examines the influence of national culture on the management style in project business. Management styles are evaluated against the nine dimensions of project management that were identified by PMBOK (2000). Culture is evaluated against the five dimensions of national culture that were identified by Hofstede (1980; 1991). Using these dimensions, a framework for the assessment of the influence of national culture on the project management style is presented. This framework is then used in a case study of a project conducted in Pakistan with input from Japanese, Finnish and Pakistani personnel. The research suggests that project management is perceived differently in different countries and that these differences should be taken into account in the planning and executing of projects across national boundaries.