Dragons, Camels & Kangaroos: Cultural Intelligence for Programme and Project Management

Feb. 13, 2013 - PRLog -- Beijing, Dallas, London, Sydney – PM World has announced the launch of a new series of articles under the title of “Dragons, Camels and Kangaroos: Cultural Intelligence for Programme and Project Management” by Bill Young, president of the Asia Pacific Federation of Project Management.  The articles are included in the series section of the monthly PM World Journal – see the latest edition at www.pmworldjournal.net.  

According to Bill in January,  “When you read the title your first question might be: What is the association between these disparate creatures (mythical and real)? The less complex answer is, they are symbolic; Dragons commonly symbolize China; Camels - the Middle East and parts of Africa; Kangaroos - Australia. I simply want to bring into focus here our national cultures and their associated collective styles of ‘thinking and doing’, and how this affects our business approach and outcomes.”

Bill Young is a part time Professor at Beijing’s Jiaotong University. He lectures in international business management including courses he has developed in cultural dimensions. After three decades of delivering projects globally and with strong experience in international joint ventures, he is convinced that there is a much greater need for the development of Cultural Intelligence.

In this series Young discusses aspects of local and national cultures in the context of how they impact international business and project management. The series deals with contemporary culture in the global business environment and explores Cultural Dimensions and how they can be utilised to bring about greater project and business success. The series will include articles focused on different national cultures and how building understanding of the cultures can make a substantial difference to business success.

In his first article in the series, “Cultural Intelligence – a requisite competency for international projects” in the January PMWJ, Bill explained why this topic is important.  Read that article at http://pmworldjournal.net/article/cultural-intelligence-a....  

In his second installment, “Enter the Dragon – Chinese Business Culture and the West”, Bill provides some insights into the history and nature of Chinese culture and why it is fundamentally important for Western business people and Project Managers doing business with, and in, China to gain an understanding of Chinese culture.  Read that article at http://pmworldjournal.net/article/enter-the-dragon-chines....  

According to David Pells, PMWJ managing editor, “We are excited to have Bill Young contribute these articles on such an important topic, as globalization increases and more programs and projects involve participants from around the world.  We can all learn more about other cultures, and Dr Young is uniquely qualified to offer useful experience and knowledge on this topic.  It’s great!”

The PM World Journal (PMWJ) is a global online publication produced by PM World in the United States, but created by a virtual team of contributors and editors around the world.  Each month, the PMWJ features dozens of articles, papers and stories about projects and project management in different countries and industries.  PM World is a virtual organization reflecting the 21st century reality of a connected world where individuals and organizations worldwide can collaborate for the creation, sharing and application of new knowledge.  Visit www.pmworldjournal.net.