Part 2

What is the purpose of cultural comparison tools?

To identify broad cultural tendencies that may affect communication, leadership, trust, feedback and teamwork

What are the 6 Hofstede dimensions?

Power distance

Individualism

Motivation toward achievement and success

Uncertainty avoidance

Long-term orientation

Indulgence

What are Erin Meye’s eight cultural scales?

Communicating

Evaluating

Leading

Deciding

Trusting

Disagreeing

Scheduling

Persuading

Difference between low-context and high-context communication

Low context: direct, less need for interpretation

High context: Communication relies more on relationships , feelings, implied meaning etc.

What is the danger of using cultural comparison incorrectly?

Treating national tendencies as fixed rules or stereotypes about every individual

Besides culture, what else can explain a person’s behaviour?

Their personality and the specific situation

What is Cultural Intelligence or CQ?

The ability to work and interact effectively across different cultural settings

What are the four components of CQ?

Drive, Knowledge, Strategy, Action

What is CQ Drive?

The motivation and confidence to learn about and engage with different cultures

What is CQ Knowledge?

Understanding cultural similarities, differences, norms and systems

What is CQ Strategy?

Recognising what is happening culturally, checking assumptions and planning an appropriate response

What is CQ Action?

Adapting verbal and non-verbal behaviour appropriately in different cultural situations.

What is a project charter?

formal document that authorises the project and gives the project manager authority to use organisational resources

At what stage is the charter normally created?

During project initiation

Whaat is the difference between a charter and a detailed project plan?

The charter gives high-level authorisation and direction; the project plan contains detailed instructions for carrying out the work

What should a project charter include?

Project name, objective, success criteria, key deliverables, milestones, requirements, resources or budget, major risks, stakeholders, project manager and approval

What is the difference between an objective and a deliverable?

The objective describes the intended result; a deliverable is a specific output produced by the project

Why is formal approval important?

It confirms that the sponsor supports the project and authorises the project manager to proceed

Why is an international project charter especially useful?

It creates a shared written understanding across countries, organisations, languages and working styles

What is Work Breakdown structure?

A hierarchical breakdown of the total project scope into smaller deliverables and manageable work packages.

What is the main purpose of WBS?

To ensure all required project work is identified, organised and assigned

What is a dependency?

A relationship in which one task relies on another task starting or finishing

What is the critical path?

The longest sequence of dependent activities through the project network which determines the minimum project duration.

What happens when an activity on the critical path is delayed?

The overall project completion date is delayed unless corrective actions is taken.

What is float or slack?

The amount of time a on-critical activity can be delayed without delaying the entire project

Why can international critical paths contain hidden delays?

Because of public holidays, customs, visas, regulatory approvals, time zones and international shipping