Construction professionals' perspectives on cross-cultural training for international construction projects

Abstract

Cross-cultural training has long been recognized as an effective method to facilitate cross-cultural interaction. Many global organizations provide cross-cultural training to their expatriates to increase productivity in international business. Cross-cultural training can significantly contribute to the success of international construction projects. It is critical in construction due to the increase in strategic alliances in this industry. Cultural training may also reduce the culture shock that people experience when entering a new culture. The research reported in this paper is a part of a wider study aimed at investigating the effects of cultural differences on construction projects. One of the specific objectives of this study was to examine construction professionals' perspectives on cross-cultural training for international construction projects. Within this context, semi-structured interviews were carried out with 53 construction professionals working in the New Doha International Airport Project. The researcher stayed in this project for 1 month for the purpose of data collection. The interviews took place over a 1-month period between April and May 2009. Based on the findings, all participants had never received formal cross-cultural training. The majority of the interviewees had gained cross-cultural skills through informal learning. Moreover, several recommendations are offered by the interviewees for cross-cultural training.