Title: Key competencies for global project managers: a cross cultural study of the UK and India

Authors: Francis Kofi Andoh-Baidoo, Marco A. Villarreal, Kai S. Koong, Hector Cornejo, Nils Schmidt, Homer Colunga, Ruben Mesa

Addresses: Department of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, College of Business Administration, University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 University Drive, Edinburg, TX 780539, USA. ' Department of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, College of Business Administration, University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 University Drive, Edinburg, TX 780539, USA. ' Department of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, College of Business Administration, University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 University Drive, Edinburg, TX 780539, USA. ' Department of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, College of Business Administration, University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 University Drive, Edinburg, TX 780539, USA. ' Department of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, College of Business Administration, University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 University Drive, Edinburg, TX 780539, USA ' Department of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, College of Business Administration, University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 University Drive, Edinburg, TX 780539, USA ' Department of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, College of Business Administration, University of Texas – Pan American, 1201 University Drive, Edinburg, TX 780539, USA

Abstract: Several studies have identified soft skills as the most important characteristics of successful project managers. Since management practices are known to be influenced by national culture, skills needed for successful project managers may be influenced by national culture. In this paper, we use Hofstede|s national culture dimensions to investigate differences in project management skills across nations. Specifically, we review job postings to identify the key soft skill competencies of project managers from global perspectives using data from UK and India. The results indicate that national culture influences the project managers| soft skills required by organisations when implementing information systems. Further, the results show that there is no difference in terms of requirements for project management certification and personal characteristics across the two nations. However, India requires a more advanced level education than the UK and the UK requires more team skills than India.

Keywords: global project management; cross-cultural issues; soft skills; India; UK; United Kingdom; national cultures; information systems; team skills; key competencies; globalisation; project managers; Geert Hofstede; national culture dimensions; job postings; global perspectives; information systems; certification; personal characteristics; advanced level education; business; systems research.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBSR.2011.039294

International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 2011 Vol.5 No.3, pp.223 - 243

Published online: 17 Apr 2015 *

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