[MGT-6372A/ Project Management]

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[Week 6: Culture and Project Management]

Module 005: Culture and Project Management

In this module, we are going to discuss the fundamentals of organizational

culture inside the project and its success.

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

 To identify the importance of Organizational culture
 To illustrate the four types of cultural orientation

Organizational Culture
An organization’s culture can be related to the success rate of projects in a number of
areas, including processes, management style, time management and training.

Organizational culture has been defined as comprising the values and behaviors of
a company’s employees. According to industry sources such as the Project
Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) Guide, these factors can include:
 Overall tone of the shared employee experience
 Shared visions, mission statements and expectations
 Motivation and reward systems
 Views on leadership and authority relationships
 Work ethic
 Environmental factors
 Social norms
 Risk tolerance
 Codes of conduct

Incorporating Project Management in Organizational Culture

 To create a culture of project management, organizations must understand the
benefits it can bring, as well as the role that projects and programs play in
driving change.

 Previous research has examined how culture contributes to effective projects.

For example, a 2008 study focused on the relationship between an
organization’s cultural orientation and project success, focusing on four types
of cultural orientation:

 Clan – premium placed on participation, commitment and shared

values
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  Adhocracy – initiative and innovation seen as supporting creativity and
entrepreneurism
 Hierarchical – formal structure focuses on control and efficiency
 Market – focus on results and production in a consumer-driven
environment

 The study found that the Clan orientation culture, with its focus on
shared values and cohesion, had the strongest association with effective
and efficient projects, as well as with organizational success.
 In order to foster an effective organizational culture, it may be necessary
first to examine and define the current culture. At that point, a strategy can
be developed for closing the gap between the existing and desired cultures,
which can include changes to systems, practices and objectives.
 “Organizational culture sets the tone that ultimately shapes the common
experiences of employees,” the PMI noted in Pulse of the Profession.
Organizational Culture
Project leaders require sensitivity and awareness of multicultural preferences. The
following broad areas should be considered:
• Individual identity and role within the project versus family of origin and
community
• Verbal and emotional expressiveness
• Relationship expectations
• Style of communication
• Language
• Personal priorities, values, and beliefs
• Time orientation

Diverse and globally distributed project teams (i.e., different ethnic cultures, genders,
ages, and functional capabilities), often working on complex projects spanning
multiple time zones, geography, and history, and operating with tight deadlines in
cost-conscious organizations, need to make time and resources available to physically
meet each other, and connect (at the very least) at a formal “kick-off” meeting.
Especially when working with team members from high-context cultures, it is
essential to meet face-to-face, discover member’s individual identities and cultural
preferences, share professional knowledge and personal stories, and observe critical
verbal and non-verbal cues (that may not easily be observed online, or on the
telephone). This is key to establishing a safer climate and building trust for stronger
relationships among both team members and management.

References and Supplementary Materials

Book and Journals
1. Project Management Institute. (2017). A guide to the project management body
of knowledge: (Pmbok® guide). Newtown Square, PA, USA.
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[Week 6: Culture and Project Management]

Online Supplementary Reading Materials

1. The Importance of Organizational Culture to Project management
https://www.floridatechonline.com/blog/business/the-importance-of-
organizational-culture-to-project-management/
Date accessed: October 2019
2. Project Management
http://www.opentextbooks.org.hk/system/files/export/15/15694/pdf/Proje
ct_Management_15694.pdf
Date accessed: October 2019

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