Cultural Issues and Conflict Management Approaches in Project Management

This document discusses the cultural issues and conflict management approaches used by project managers to ensure project success. It explores different types of cultural issues, conflict management approaches, and the importance of focusing on these aspects in project management. The research methodology, limitations, and research schedule are also discussed.

To investigate cultural issues and conflict
management approaches used by project
manager to assure
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Table of Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................................4
Research Question.......................................................................................................................5
Literature review..........................................................................................................................5
Research Methodology................................................................................................................6
Foreseen limitations.....................................................................................................................6
Research schedule/Timeline........................................................................................................7
BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................................9
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Provisional Title of Your Dissertation.
Aim
“To identify cultural issues and conflict management approaches used by project manager
to assure project success: A study on Galliford Try’s Residential building construction
Project.
Outcome: With the help of the present study, scholar determine different ways which assist to
examine the conflict management strategies used by the project manager in order to assure
project success. Further, with the help of conducting secondary and primary data collection
methods, scholar provide range of tactics that assist to minimize the problem of culture issue and
conflict among stakeholders. Such that literature review clearly reflected that while conducting
any project, there are range of issues which are face by project manager and therefore, there is a
need to apply the strategy which in turn solve the cultural issues.
Describe the topic(s) or issue(s) you wish to investigate for your Dissertation.
These must relate to the subjects that comprise your programme of study and must clearly
indicate What your aims /objectives / research questionswill be.
Dissertation will be based on analyzing various cultural issues and conflict management
approaches which can further beused by project manager so as to ensure successful
project.In this scenario, project manager helps in coping up with ongoing cultural issues
at the workplace that is affecting overall outcome of the project. It will also be
responsible of suggesting various conflict management approaches that can be used by
the project manager for its effective implementation.
The aim of present study is, “To identify cultural issues and conflict management
approaches used by project manager to assure project success”
Based on above aim, following dissertation objectives can be prepared:
 To analyze various types of cultural issues that can crop up in the organization.
 To explore various types on conflict management approaches that can be adopted by
project manager.
 To assess the importance of focusing on cultural issues and conflict management
approaches in the organization.
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 To investigate cultural issues and conflict management approaches used by project
manager to assure project success.
Based on research objectives, following research questions can be framed:
Q.1 Do approaches relate to conflict management ensures project’s success?
Q.2 Which cultural issues and conflict management approaches associated with Galliord
Try’s Residential building construction?
What facts or information will you need to gather? How will you access these?
In order to gather information, so as to fulfill the requirements of aim and objectives,
both primary as well as secondary type of data collection method will be used. Primary
data will be collected in the form of questionnaire, where questions will be asked from 20
managers. However, secondary data will be collected in the form of books, journals,
online resources, websites, etc.
To which subject area(s) is this proposal - in your view - most strongly related?
The main aim of dissertation is “To investigate cultural issues and conflict management
approaches used by project manager to assure project success.” Hence, the topic is
directly related to human resource management and project managers, as they are
responsible of making policies that can help in coping up with cultural issues. Also, they
are in authority of implementing conflict management approached in the company as
well.
Introduction
Project management is considered as application of knowledge and tools that supports in
completing project within specified period of time. Project manager is responsible to make plan
and divide task into manageable sub activities. Manager has to make coordination with team
members and have to ensure that they perform their duties well. In a single project many people
involve and all they have to work in coordination. But due to cultural issues they face many
difficulties (Project Managers’ Conflict Management Styles and Its Impact on Project Team
Motivation in Nigeria Construction Industry, 2013). In such condition conflict situation may get
arise. It is responsibility of project manager that to adopt conflict management style so that
overall objective can be accomplished. Manager has to monitor working performance of each
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team members, if person is unproductive then manager has to handle them and prevent
workplace from conflicts.
Research Question
What are the ways to manage cultural issues and best conflict management approaches for
project’s success?
Literature review
Various types of cultural issues
According to Kerzner and Kerzner, (2017) language is considered as one of the most
critical problem that faced by project manager. Project manager has to hire different people in
order to complete this project but they have to look upon skills and ability of these people. When
team members belong from different culture then it become difficult for project manager to make
coordination with them. Language is the major barrier which creates difficulty for the person to
work on international projects. When there are many people involved those who use different
languages then it increases chances of occurring confusions. Though official all team members
use English language but due to cultural differences misinterpretation takes place.
Binder, (2016) argued that socio-economic aspects of each culture are different. If project
manager belongs from different social background then it becomes problematic for manager to
make communication with other team members. Handling multicultural team is complex task,
thus, it is important for project manager that to find suitable solution so that no conflict takes
place due to cultural differences.
Various types on conflict management approaches
As per the view of Heldman, (2018) conflict management style is the situation that allows
project manager to resolve conflict situations effectively. Engagement of team members in
decision making process is considered as most effective conflict resolution method. When person
involves all people and takes their suggestion then it helps in making them positive towards the
brand. By this way team members feel valued and they perform their duties effectively.
Heagney, (2016) argued that negotiation is most powerful and useful method to manage conflict
situation. Project manager has to conduct meeting with both parties those who are involved in
conflict. Individual is required to negotiate with both. In this method both persons come to
common to the decision where it creates win-win situation for both. This motivates people and
makes them loyal towards company. According to Jefferies, John Brewer and Gajendran, (2014)
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active listening and clear communication is the best ways to resolve any conflict situation. If
people from different culture are involved in any project then it increases chances of occurring
confusion. This confusion sometimes turns into conflict situation. By effective communication
project manager can deal with such problems and can minimize misunderstanding at workplace.
Importance of focusing on cultural issues and conflict management approaches
According to Aziz and Abdel-Hakam, (2016) it is very important for project manager that
to pay attention on cultural issues in any project. This can support in minimizing conflict
situations and completing project in effective manner. By focusing on cultural issues manager
can make effective strategy to minimize consequences. Heldman, (2018) argued that rather than
focusing on cultural issues and conflict management aspects project manager needs to
concentrate on making effective plan so that project can get completed within specified period of
time.
Research Methodology
Researcher will take support of interpretivism research philosophy. This will help in
involving theories related to conflict management and cultural issues. These models will help in
developing understand of researcher about topic. Scholar will apply primary data collection
sources and will use likert scale for questionnaire. This will be suitable technique for gathering
in-depth knowledge about cultural issues and conflict management approaches used by project
manager to assure project success (Jefferies, John Brewer and Gajendran, 2014). Investigator
will ask questions from respondents those who can share real facts related to subject matter. In
order to analysis data researcher will apply thematic analysis method. This will be helpful in
presenting data in effective manner and interpreting the results.
Foreseen limitations
Researcher will have to face certain limitation, one of the major issue that can faced by
person is that individual will have limited time to complete this project (Project Managers’
Conflict Management Styles and Its Impact on Project Team Motivation in Nigeria
Construction Industry, 2013). In such short duration it might be difficult for scholar to carry out
research on such wide topic. Limited financial resources are another issue that might create
difficulty for investigator.
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Research schedule/Timeline
Activities 1th
Week
2nd
Week
3rd
Week
4th
Week
5th
Week
6th
Week
7th
Week
8th
Week
9th
Week
10th
Week
Topic
selection and
framing aim
objectives
Review
literatures
Research
method
selection
Completion of
proposal
Collection of
data
Recording of
data
Analysis of
data
Drawing
conclusion and
recommendati
on
Edition and
final
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submission
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aziz, R. F. and Abdel-Hakam, A. A., 2016. Exploring delay causes of road construction projects
in Egypt. Alexandria Engineering Journal. 55(2). pp.1515-1539.
Binder, J., 2016. Global project management: communication, collaboration and management
across borders. Routledge.
Conflict Resolution in Project Management. 2001. Retrieved April 28, 2020, from:
https://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/488_f01_papers/Ohlendorf.htm
Heagney, J., 2016. Fundamentals of project management. Amacom.
Heldman, K., 2018. PMP: project management professional exam study guide. John Wiley &
Sons.
Jefferies, M., John Brewer, G. and Gajendran, T., 2014. Using a case study approach to identify
critical success factors for alliance contracting. Engineering, Construction and
Architectural Management. 21(5). pp.465-480.
Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H. R., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning,
scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Project Managers’ Conflict Management Styles and Its Impact on Project Team Motivation in
Nigeria Construction Industry. 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2020, from
:https://www.ijser.org/researchpaper/Project-Managers-Conflict-Management-Styles-
and-Its-Impact-on-Project-Team-Motivation.pdf
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