Key Determinants of Success during Global Project Team Implementation The WritePass Journal

Key Determinants of Success during Global Project Team Implementation Key Determinants of Success during Global Project Team Implementation CHAPTER ONERESEARCH PROPOSAL1.0 BACKGROUND1.1 Problem Statement1.2 Project Definition1.2.1 Aim1.2.2 ObjectivesTo suggest recommendations necessary to the findings of the study.1.2.3 Scope of Study1.2.4 Project/Research Conditions1.3 Justification / Rational1.3.1 Business1.3.2 Academic1.3.3 Personal2.0 METHODOLOGY2.1 Sources and Scope of Data2.2 Data Analysis2.3 Data Presentation3.0 PROJECT OUTLINE3.1 Project Approach3.2  Ã‚  Ã‚   Organization of the study4.0 RESEARCH REQUIREMENT AND RESEARCH SCHEDULE4.1 Resource Requirement4.2 Schedule and Work Plan5.0 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS6.0 OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONCHAPTER TWO   LITERATURE REVIEW2.0 Purpose of the Literature Review2.1 Global Project Teams2.2 Global Projects2.3 Significance of Global Project Team Implementation in the 21st EraREFERENCESBIBILOGRAPHYRelated CHAPTER ONE RESEARCH PROPOSAL 1.0 BACKGROUND The world has evolved into a place where employees of organisations are of different nationalities and work outside their countries of origin. With the increase in globalization and the expansion of matrix-based organisations, managers/project teams need to work in culturally diverse project environments. Every global company’s competitive advantage depends on its ability to coordinate critical resources and information that are spread across different geographical locations. Govindarajan and Gupta (2001) having explored numerous organisational mechanisms concluded that the most effective tool to integrate dispersed cross-border operations is global corporation teams. Global teams are comprised of individuals with different skills, nationalities and cultures. These individuals come together to coordinate and manage aspects of multinational operation on a global basis (Govindarajen and Gupta 2001). 1.1 Problem Statement International projects are mainly driven by global project teams which provide room for a wide pool of talent, potential cost reductions, enforcement of internal competition and possible quality improvements (Eberlein 2008). In line with contemporary globalization being manifested in all spheres of business including international projects, Tomlinson (1999) attests that globalisation is a central theme in every modern business society and consequently poses additional challenge for project managers. To curb this challenge, many critical success factors have been discussed in a broader spectrum covering a range of Project Management knowledge areas. In as much as globalization impacts project management approaches and provokes the need for project teams to cope with the challenges resulting from an ever more dynamic environment of international projects. The problem this project seeks to resolve is to evaluate structures required to facilitate success in global project team implementa tion whilst staying sensitive to the diversity of persons involved in the project. 1.2 Project Definition 1.2.1 Aim The overall aim is to identify key determinants for effective global project team success. 1.2.2 Objectives In order to achieve the above aim, the following objectives are necessary: To examine theories and definition of effective global teams to achieve successful project implementation. To evaluate key determinants of successful global team implementation. To assess the potential challenges that may affect successful global team project implementation. To suggest recommendations necessary to the findings of the study. 1.2.3 Scope of Study 1.2.4 Project/Research Conditions The research conditions in this report refer to the assumptions, constraints and considerations which are aligned to the research objectives outlined in section 1.2.2. Factors considered being true, that may impede project progress and any external validating factors of the project (Hill 2004; Carmichael 2003; Heldman and Mangano 2009) are further discussed in Table 1. Table 1: Assumptions, Constraints, Considerations ASSUMPTIONS CONSTRAINTS CONSIDERATIONS Key determinants of success during global project team implementation has become critical in every international project and when discounted may vehemently   nce thesis.examine data, it is necessary to_________________________________________________________________   affect organizational functioning. Project Scope: the magnitude of the project could also be a constraint due to the vast project deliverables which will require more planning and resources to accomplish. Scope and Requirement Specifications Materials will be available and sufficient to facilitate accuracy in compilation of facts and figures as well as successful completion and handover of research results. Project Time: project has a schedule and this could serve as a constraint as it is expected not to exceed its timeline. Organisation of the Study No one technique or model adequately accounts as the critical success factor to facilitate successful global project team implementation hence the adoption of various models of effective team. Project Budget: approved budget could restrict the project team since they are left with no other option than to work within this budget. The economic, social and environmental trends of the project 1.3 Justification / Rational The proposed research seeks to propound a theory by way of complementing existing studies thereby contributing to substantiate the existing theories. Upon completion, it is expected that the proposed research will address the reasons for certain global or international projects’ liability to failures including inevitable challenges that may be faced during and after the project. The research will also provide standard and acceptable success models worth considering in global projects. It is, however, expected that the proposed research will contribute to the existing body of literature on matters of effective global team work as well as potential challenges that may affect successful global project team implementation. 1.3.1 Business Goldberg (2008) examines that, â€Å"We live in a project world that is characterized by frequent changes, complexity and virtual expertise. In such a world knowledge identification and sharing is a necessity. In effect, projects that cross borders offer unique opportunities as well as embrace significant risks. To ensure successful cross-border collaboration, careful selection and alignment are however, not enough (Freedman and Katz 2007), rather, certain deliverables must be aimed at and achieved to consider the project successful. 1.3.2 Academic The research holds a global view which conceptualises the success factors as a multi-dimensional concept. As a result, this research contributes to the generic success factors literature in project management by discussing five key determinants to be considered in every global project implementation. 1.3.3 Personal As an emerging Project Manager who aspires to be identified within a global project team, this research will equip me to better appreciate certain determinants of success which when considered will have a significant impact on global projects. 2.0 METHODOLOGY A qualitative research approach via content analysis and critical discussions as well as analysis will be employed in order to achieve the set objectives of this proposal. Considering the time frame allocated for this exercise, a secondary research methodology is deemed appropriate and will be adopted to congregate information. Literature to be reviewed as secondary data will be sourced from text books, journals and relevant websites via extensive research. Much of the work will also involve brainstorming exercises in order to develop substantial research analysis. 2.1 Sources and Scope of Data The research will use a structured approach to evalu ­ate existing literature from  secondary data ranging from publications, research reports, and conference papers. Selection of articles in reviewed academic journals such as the Project Management Jour ­nal (PMJ) and the International Journal of Project Management (IJPM) will be mainly employed since these are considered the leading project management specific journals (Henrie and Sousa-Poza, 2005). Text books to be used for analysis will be sourced electronically and from libraries. Online databases such Science Direct, Emerald, and Business Source Premier will be used to source for other data that relates to the subject matter. 2.2 Data Analysis To appropriately address the objectives of this research proposal, literature will be reviewed to draw out the relative ideas and opinions to evaluate critical success factors in global team implementation. Pictorial representation as well as descriptive analysis in the form of theoretical analysis and critical evaluation will be employed to analyse information gathered. 2.3 Data Presentation Tables and Figures will be used in presenting data. If necessary, schematic diagrams will be employed to illustrate certain findings. 3.0 PROJECT OUTLINE 3.1 Project Approach The phases of the research have been aligned with the APM lifecycle model in Figure 1. 3.2  Ã‚  Ã‚   Organization of the study The study will be organized into five chapters. Chapter One will entail the introduction, problem statement, aim, objectives, methodology, justification of the study, organization of the study in addition to operational definitions to facilitate precise implications of certain words and phrases. Chapter Two will review available literature on Global projects, Global teams and their associated significance in the 21st broad-based international projects era among others findings. Chapter Three will be in two parts. The first part will comprise of what project success factors are and the importance attached to their definition at the commencement of a project. Data gathered will be presented and discussed in the second part of this chapter on five key determinants of success with regards to Global team projects. Chapter Four will entail factors that may affect the swift implementation of projects within a Global setting as well as the role of the project manager to ensure proper implementation. Chapter Five will summarise the findings by drawing a coherent conclusion and propose strategic recommendations through lessons learnt. By examining literature from journals, articles and text books, recommendations will be suggested through a broadened horizon of lessons learnt. 4.0 RESEARCH REQUIREMENT AND RESEARCH SCHEDULE 4.1 Resource Requirement The resource requirements for the research are the articles, journals, text books and relevant literature on Global teams within international projects and critical project success factors to be considered in facilitating successful global project team implementation. All these data are assumed to be free and readily available. At this proposal stage, articles as well as journals on Global teams, Global projects as well as key determinants of global project success have been acquired from text books and other website materials. Also journals and articles have been downloaded from electronic search engines. 4.2 Schedule and Work Plan The research is expected to be completed in four months representing the third semester duration. The research is expected to be completed on 29th September 2011. Figure 2 below shows the proposed dissertation duration work plan. Figure 2: Proposed research duration 5.0 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS The data required for the proposed research are publicly available and easily accessible electronically and from libraries. No form of unethical practice is required to gain access to the data required for analysis. Furthermore, all data will be objectively presented and analysed and all literature used will be properly acknowledged. 6.0 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION      Key Determinants of success / Critical success factors: CHAPTER TWO    LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Purpose of the Literature Review Literature review is considered a significant part of the research, given that, the researcher will be given the opportunity to appraise reliable past and current materials put together by authors about key determinants of success in global project team implementation. Literature Review will provide evidence on the eligibility of the topic by way of: Demonstrating opinions and facts discovered through the research. Justifying the inclusion of definite works in the review in an attempt to make the literature useful. 2.1 Global Project Teams In a quest to strategically improve effectively by means of integrating resources to gain competitive advantage, organisations are meticulously embarking on international projects by developing alliances across the globe. Geographically dispersed multinational project activities have become a competitive tool in contemporary business environments of which Cleland and Gareis (2006) assesses features such as differences in skills and culture team members bring on board, timely and cost-effectiveness projects as well as technology transfers across borders. 2.2 Global Projects 2.3 Significance of Global Project Team Implementation in the 21st Era REFERENCES GOVINDARAJAN, G. V. and GUPTA, G.A.K., 2001. Building an Effective Global Business Team. MIT Sloan Management Review, Vol. 42, No. 4 HENRIE, M. and SOUSA-POZA, A. 2005. Project Management: A cultural literary review.   Project  Management Journal 36(2), 5 14. LARSON, W. and GRAY, F., 2011. Project Management: Managerial Process. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. CLELAND, D. I. and GAREIS, R., 2006. Global Project Management Handbook. Planning, Organising and Controlling International Projects. 2nd ed. USA: McGraw-Hill. TOMLINSON, J., 1999. Globalization and Culture. University of Chicago Press. HOLSTEIN, J., GUBRIUM, J.F., 2002. Qualitative Research. Encyclopaedia of Aging. [Online] Available from encyclopedia.com/topic/Qualitative_research.aspx (Accessed May 3 2011) CARMICHAEL, D.G., 2003. Project Management Framework, A.A. Balkema HELDMAN, K. and MANGANO, V., 2009. PMP: Project Management Professional Exam Review Guide. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing Ltd. GOLDBERG, R., 2008. The Growing Importance of Global Collaboration. [Online] Available from theicpm.com/blog/item/676-the-growing-importance-of-global-collaboration   (Accessed May 26 2011) FREEDMAN, S., and KATZ, L. 2007. Critical Success Factors for International Projects. PM World Today. Vol. IX, Issue IX. [Online] Available from pmforum.org/library/papers/2007/PDFs/Freedman_Katz-10-07.pdf (Accessed May 26 2011) BIBILOGRAPHY EBERLEIN, M., 2008. Culture as a critical success factor for successful Global project management in multi-national IT service projects. Journal of Information Technology Management Volume XIX, NO. 3.