Challenges in Managing International Projects

This article discusses the challenges faced by project managers in managing international projects and provides insights into project complexity, organizational culture, poor defined goals, unrealistic deadlines, scope creep, insufficient team skills, improper communication, and risk management. It highlights the importance of understanding cultural diversity and offers solutions to address these challenges effectively.

Running head: BUSINESS PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Business Project Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Discussion........................................................................................................................................2
Managing Projects can be challenging and Complex..................................................................2
Complex and Project Complexity............................................................................................2
Project complexity factors and characteristics........................................................................3
Organizational Cultural...........................................................................................................5
Poor Defined goals..................................................................................................................6
Unrealistic Deadline................................................................................................................6
Scope Creep.............................................................................................................................7
Insufficient Team Skills...........................................................................................................7
Improper Communication........................................................................................................8
Risk Management....................................................................................................................8
Issues within the team..............................................................................................................9
Not making use of project management software...................................................................9
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
Various project around the globe comes up with unique challenges. It can be easily
amplified or changed for managing various complex project which has killed the overall
recovery process. The overall process of environmental awareness is required by project
managers in managing various difficult situation (Rezvani et al. 2016). There is large number of
external drivers for various business outcomes which can affect the internal culture. It helps in
analyzing the fact that the organization can easily respond to changes. Having a proper
understanding of complex project can be seen as result of decision making and attaining goal for
complex project. Various projects around the globe tend to become very complex as a result of
growth factors (Kerzner and Kerzner 2017). Project manager does not follow any kind of general
framework or roadmap for any given international project. Project manager encounters huge
number of challenges like absence from home and family. There are four kind of issues that is
associated with management of international projects. The first factor is the environmental factor
which can impact the overall selection of project. The second factor is all about making decision
with respect to global expansion. The third step is all about addressing huge number of
challenges in working foreign culture. The last one is all about selection and proper training to
professional for managing the international projects.
In the coming pages of the report, an idea has been provided regarding the complexity of
managing international projects. After that, a critical review has been provided on this particular
topic. An analysis has been done with respect to managing international projects from the
perspective and how these issues can be addressed easily.

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Discussion
Managing Projects can be challenging and Complex
Complex and Project Complexity
In various region of the world, complexity is growing at a rapid rate. The overall idea of
complexity of project has been conducted for several years. There are some issues with respect to
complexity for managing various projects (Kassem et al. 2015). A project manager mainly tends
to deal with overall complexity which can be dealt with in the whole industry and issues within
the project. The article mainly tends to establish a link between the traditional vision of the
project. The following research helps in bridging a proper gap between complexity by defining
and describing the model for better complexity of project. Complexity can be stated as a model
which makes it difficult in understanding the overall behavior of project (Remington and Pollack
2016). Even in this situation complete information can be provided with respect to atomic
components and their relation. Complexity of project can have negative impact on the project
due to inability to be understood or properly controlled. In many cases, complexity of project can
have positive effect on the project which can have positive effect on the present opportunities on
the project.
The biggest challenge encountered by project manager is working in projects that are in
foreign environment. There are similarities between domestics and international projects. If the
project managers come up with proper understanding with respect to difference in the
environment of host country, then huge number of obstacles of global projects can be easily
reduced. There are various project in host country environment which will provide idea with
respect how these project will be implemented.

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Project complexity factors and characteristics
Project Complexity can be easily characterized by analyzing various kind of factors
which can be distinguished into four factors like:
 All are considered to be necessary which is needed for managing the overall complexity
of project (Ansoff et al. 2019). The first parameter which needs to be taken into account
is size of the project.
 The second factor which should be taken into account is variety of project.
 The third factor tends to focus on the relative of interdependencies along with relation
with system of the project.
 The fourth factor is all about dealing with project complexity dependences.
Fig 1: Project Complexity Factors

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(Source: Monzon, 2015)
Culture can be stated as system of shared norms and customs that binds people on the
same platform. It is all about creation of proper meaning and unique kind of identity. Culture is a
group which is needed for descriptive purpose and totally depends on group that require
attention. Professional project managers that are assigned to other countries needs to have an
understanding of some areas like
 Religion
 Dress code
 Protocols of Business.
With every passing year, it is expected that there will be improvement in number of
international project. More number of project managers are required for implementing
international project. But there are some guidelines that need to be followed by international
project manager. Project managers can be prepared for international projects by the help of
proper training.
By the help of cultural diversity in the present workforce, both multicultural, economic,
political and social interaction are growing strong. Culture tends to play a key role in which
people and organization can play a key role (Laudon and Laudon 2016). Different kind of issues
is encountered by organization which can be as a result of different cultures. At present, diversity
is seen among the various employees of an organization which requires much greater attention
from the management. It is mainly seen as a result of relationship for driving skills and
sensitivity. It is mainly done so that leaders can establish relationship with various followers.

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Apart from the skills needed by project manager, it is important to have an understanding of the
present culture which belongs to the team. It can be challenging for team members which are
needed by project manager which is bit challenging (Poff et al. 2016). Project manager needs to
have an idea with respect to some basic idea with respect to cultural diversity so that belonging
of the team can understand. Proper knowledge about the culture for team members which is bit
challenging for various project manager which can deal in proper way.
Fig 2: Environmental Factors affecting the International Projects
(Source : Laudon and Laudon 2016)
There are laws which favor the overall protection of local workers and suppliers. There
are some constrained imposed by both local and national needs that needs to be identified. The
overall political stability is considered to be as an important factor which is needed for
implementation of project that is in a foreign country. National security requires involvement of
overall capacity of the country and police forces. It is mainly done for responding and preventing
any kind of attack. Risk management is considered to be an important part of project

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management. It is known to be an important factor for managing various international projects.
Management of projects is known to be tough work for project managers. Security precaution
results in huge amount of cost in terms of dollars and cents. Effective risk management is known
to be very much critical in nature.
According to (Woods 2017), there is some significant amount of understanding with
respect to the cultural patterns which can affect the overall behavior of the team members. Both
cultural issues and their effect on management tend to have effect on global projects. It tends to
become relevant for both the area of management and its project. As there is, team coordination
about the global projects can create huge number of challenges which tends to begin with
individual from other organization (Cleden 2017). Different countries come up share value of
authority and decision making. Cultural issues in the present scenario tend to highlight how
project managers can deal with impact. There is large number of management teams which tends
to affect the global project. Global projects tend to come up with some specific features which
are difficult to manage like foreign policy and issues related culture. They tend to impact the
overall success of the organization whether it's successful or not (Mijumbi et al.2016). These
particular projects tend to have higher amount of results when it is compared for local projects
and offer which tends to be bit risky and complex.
Organizational Cultural
Organization culture is considered to be one of the growth factors in the present working
condition. With respect to project management, organization culture can easily affect the
influence of department can interact and manually support each other. It is mainly carried for
providing manual support for search of this project goal (Portny 2017). It can also influence

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overall level of involvement of the given employees for achieving their objectives of any project.
It is mainly needed for providing balance with the present goals and competitors. The present
organizational culture can easily influence can easily influence the present planning process of
the project. It helps in analyzing the fact that planning process of any project. It is needed for
analyzing the fact that how resources of the project can be designed (Turner 2016). The overall
cultural effect can help in analyzing the fact how managers can understand the overall
performance of various team projects. It is mainly needed for understanding the overall outcome
of the project.
Poor Defined goals
This is considered to be first biggest challenge which is encountered by project managers
and team members. If the goals of the international project are not defined, then project is
expected to fail (Wickboldt et al.2015). A project without clear objectives is considered to be
similar road trip that has minimum idea.
Solution: For both national and international project there is need for kickoff meeting
which makes use of planning software (Fleming and Koppelman 2016). It is mainly needed for
defining clear goals. An idea should be gathered with respect how the project can be planned in
much better way.
Unrealistic Deadline
The second point which is taken into account in managing international project is the
false expectation between project managers and team members. It is mainly seen as a result of
false expectation between client and stakeholders (Cameron and Green 2015). Most of the
international projects may slip as a result of unrealistic deadlines of the project.

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Solution: Project managers need to keep a track of deadline of the project and another
kind of issue related to it (Epstein 2018). There needs to properly analyze and establish proper
communication for various real-time progress for the given project to participant.
Scope Creep
Project managers of both national and international project tend to fear one thing that is
scope creep. Project tends to start in a way but with soon progression it tends to take up a definite
shape (Fleming and Koppelman 2016). It ultimately results in overall expansion of the project
which is outside the given objectives. Both project managers and team members are required for
having an understanding with respect to new kind of changes that will result in project failure.
Solution: For avoiding this scope creep, it is very important for understanding the project
goals (cost, schedule, and quality) by making use of systematic process. All that is required is
proper planning which is needed for understanding the requirements of the customer (Walker
2015). Project manager should make use of resource in proper way so that the deadline of the
project is achieved. There is nothing like anti scope-creep solution but documentation is
something which makes communication challenges.
Insufficient Team Skills
A good team can be formed by the help of good team members. In most of scenario, team
members are properly assigned on their overall availability but not of their on the project. If the
team members of project are insufficiently skilled or even trained, they cannot meet their
challenges in carrying out the given task (Heagney 2016). There are some projects which are bit
challenging as they can easily certain level of knowledge and expertise. So, it is the duty of
project manager to make decision when the team members need to be trained.

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Solution: Documents are considered to be core set of skills which is needed for
accomplishing the overall workload. It is mainly needed for analyzing strengths and weakness of
the team members of the project (Rezvani et al. 2016). Proper training needs to be provided for
improving their knowledge and skill gaps.
Improper Communication
Poor communication is known to be as one biggest threat in project management issues.
It is considered to be as one of successful way for delivering project is more successful way
(Mijumbi et al.2016). Communication skills are known to be as one of the biggest assets of
project manager. It is duty of project manager to provide open and clear communication. Project
managers need to put emphasizes on effective communication (Kerzner and Kerzner 2017). This
should be done because successful communication can easily change project failure in proper
kind of communication.
Solution: Proper flow of communication among the project members focus on certain
number ways for developing a suitable way for understanding their needs (Kassem et al. 2015).
Apart from this, project managers can also make use of collaborative software like Proofhub for
ensuring that project managers are in continuous loop for current developments in the project.
Risk Management
In most cases, project does not go as per the plan so risk management needs to be done. It
is considered to be major tool which is required for managing issues of the project (Remington
and Pollack 2016). Management experts can help in realizing the fact that project managers can
understand overall risk which can creep up the whole project. There is certain number of risks in

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the present financial market which helps in understanding the issues in project plan (Cleden
2017). There are some unknown factors which can impact the overall success of the project.
Solution: In many cases, it can become difficult for analyzing the risk in the project. By
the help of strategic planning and proper collection of information project managers can easily
understand the various kind of risk involved in a project (Ansoff et al. 2019). By the help of
collected information, project managers can easily develop certain number of control measures
which will help them to deal with risk in more efficient way.
Issues within the team
In general, a team mainly comprises of multiple kinds of members which comes up with
different kind of personality and managing the needs of the project managers. With so many
people working together on the project, then can be situation of disagreement and differences
between the team members (Monzon, 2015). It can bring negative impact on the project and the
current working environment of the project. There is some kind of issues among the team
members of the project which can be bit challenging to deal with. It is the duty of project
managers to look for certain number ways so that the involved team members can look for
achieving better growth of the project.
Solution: The most suitable way to remove these kinds of issues or negativity in the team
is all about creating a positive working environment (Laudon and Laudon 2016). A project
manager can easily focus on team building activities which will help in unison for teamwork
among them.
Not making use of project management software

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Business irrespective of size that is small or large can easily juggle various project, plans,
task and associated people (Poff et al. 2016). If the project manager is not making use of project
management software, then the overall chances of error in the project tend to increases. In most
cases, it is seen that both time and efforts are being wasted on large number of things. By the
help of software all the required problem can be dealt in much better and sophisticated way
(Woods 2017). Various organization around the globe are making use of complex software for
keeping a track of their projects.
Solution: Project manager should make use of project management software as it can
provide huge number of benefits to their business.
Conclusion
From the above pages of the report, it can be easily stated that it is bit complex and
challenging for managing different projects. In the above pages a list of issues in managing
projects has been discussed in details. Project managers need to have idea about cultural
diversity which is not of harmony of it. There is some lack of knowledge which brings issues for
the management which comes up with various type of misunderstanding. Proper awareness about
various culture can help the managers in proper development and managing of teams in more
effectively. It is very important for highlighting the required knowledge which is important for
project teams for encountering issues. It is very important for highlighting the required
knowledge which is important for encountering issues and overall mission for their team
members. There is need to have proper understanding with respect to global projects and
multicultural factor which tends to become a critical factor for various project manager. Different
project manager needs to have proper understanding with respect to cultural diversity which can
be either negative, positive and lastly influence. The fundamental of project manager can have

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idea with respect to advantages and competitive disadvantages which is needed by team
professional.

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