managing international teams - prof. dr. smaranda boros

Five myths of cultural diversity…and what you can do about them

Prof. dr. Smaranda Boroș

© Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School

Group processes in culturally diverse teams

Identity processes

Cognitive processes

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Myth 1

Culturally diverse teams that work together for a longer time communicate better

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Myth 2

Highly diverse teams experience more conflict than moderately diverse teams

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Myth 3

Culturally diverse teams are more creative than homogenous teams

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Myth 4

Higher levels of constructive conflicts in culturallydiverse teams communicating via ICT improveoutcome of decision making and performance,compared with collocated homogeneous teams, butreduce satisfaction in the team

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Myth 5

The lack of nonverbal and social cues in email communications increases miscommunication due to cultural diversity

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Cross‐cultural teams as open systems

looking inside Team sizeDispersionTenureTask complexity

looking aroundMulti‐team systems

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A new look at the time‐space curvature(aka The law of relativity for cross‐cultural teams)

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For future virtual encounters:

[email protected]

Performance of international teams:

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Rik VandammeDirector Strategy

Global Technical ServicesJanssen Supply Chain

Vlerick HR day June 13th, 2012

Engagement is key but there is more!

Introducing Johnson & Johnson

• Health Care Multinational

• Headquarters in New Brunswick, New Jersey – USA

• More than 200 subsidiaries and 100 000 employees worldwide

• Areas of activity with 2011 sales (Billion US $) Medical Devices & Diagnostics 25,8 Pharmaceuticals 24,4 Consumer (incl Pharma OTC) 14,9

Total 65,1

• J&J Pharmaceuticals (Janssen Companies) has a globally organized Supply Chain (Janssen SC)

Both Drug Substance (Chemical & Bio) and Drug Product are manufactured at 21 internal sites and a number of ext. contractors

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RaritanHorsham MalvernWilmington

GuraboManati

PR

ItalySpain

Ireland Netherlands

Vacaville

Switzerland Beijing, China

Bangalore, India

Xi’an, China

120 scientist & engineers spread over 17 Locations

Belgium

SpainCincinnati

Global Technical Services supports Janssen SCGTS Footprint

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GTS is a project organization: portfolio of +/_ 250 projects with a substantial part global/cross site and in following areas

Product centered technical support

Site centered technical support

Technology Strategy (per mfg platform)

Technical support to business development

Technical support to other J&J sectors

Standardization of Technology Technological Innovation

New product introduction Product Life Cycle Mgt Site to site transfer of product mfg Engineering & asset mgt CAPEX projects Operational Intelligence Licensing & Acquisition Portfolio Expansion Growing Mkts

J&J Med. Devices & Diagnostics J&J Consumer

Global Technical Services supports Janssen SCGTS Operating Mode

Performance of international GTS project teams

Effectiveness = Outcome Quality * Stakeholder Acceptance

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For any type of project

So, key focus points for us at GTS are

Train project leads in project mgt methodology incl stakeholder mgt Develop the appropriate Subject Matter Experts (Scientists/ Engineers) Develop influencing skills for the whole GTS community At the level of the project teams

Appointment of project sponsor accessible for the project lead Elaboration of clear project charter by project lead before kick off Have the right Subject Matter Experts on board

“The greatest project outcome hasn’t the slightest value if there is no buy in by the involved stakeholders"


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Some of the specifics for projects with international teams

At the level of the project team Cultural diversity Native english speakers vs non native Different level of experience with the project context Geographical distance between team member locations Often time zone differences between those locations

At the level of the stakeholders Multiple stakeholders Cultural diversity Sometimes different levels of interest in the project


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Use of open project teams: one core team + satellite teams managed by individual core team members

- each team can be limited to ideal interaction size (max 6 to 8 people) - strong engagement of core team members - satellite teams facilitate management of multiple and culturally diverse

stakeholders for acceptance - in many cases geographical distance and time zone differences can be

limited to core team

How do we manage those specifics for effectiveness

. ...

. .

. ...

. ....Core Team

Satellite teams

Project Leader


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However open project teams need strong project managementmethodology to be effective

- Formal project charter with clear description of Final Project Outcomes for Core Team

- Final Project Outcomes for Core team broken down into Final Project Outcomes for each of the satellite teams under leadership of core team members

- Close follow up of adherence to plan at execution by project leader


. ...

. .

. ...

. ....Final Project Outcomes

CT

Final Project OutcomesST 1



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Cultural awareness initiation for project managers leading international project teams



Usual culturally based strengths & opportunities and behavior and how to build on this for strong team performance

Support team meetings with state of the art information technology (Global Connect, Live Meeting, ....)

For important international projects: face to face kick off

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o US employees in general have good communication and presentation skills prefer to work towards collective decision taking and accountability are keen to catch opportunities for personal visibility

o Employees from Northern & Central Europe in general are keen on facts & figures in project work (e g scenario thinking – business

analysis - ...) have no issue with majority based decision taking and individual accountability are structured in execution are less effective in communication & presentations (detail oriented)

o Employees from Latin America and Southern Europe in general bring creativity to the team are strong in managing stakeholders are less structured in execution

o Asian employees in general are keen to make progress/ improve hard workers less fluent in English if not native – may need specific attention by project lead

These are some cultural specificities we usually notice in international GTS project teams (for sure individual cases might deviate from this)

Thank You!

managing international teams - prof. dr. smaranda boros

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