An interpretive comparison of Chinese and Western conceptions of relationships in construction project management work

摘要

Recent moves to introduce Western project management processes into China recall the need for caution in transferring management theories and practices across cultures. Not only are there a number of well-known contrasts between Chinese and Western cultural values that shape management beliefs in important ways, but also evidence shows that the cross-cultural transfer of management processes in general is not always successful. In this paper we report an empirical comparison of matched samples of Chinese and Western construction project managers' conceptions of their work. We adopt the interpretive research approach known as phenomenography, developed for the purpose of understanding the different ways in which people conceive given aspects of their reality. Many of the study's findings in both cultures relate to the primary importance of relationships in construction project management work. At the same time the study highlights fundamental differences in conception of the meaning and significance of different forms of relationship in construction project management work that have implications for practice.