Talk:Managing a Virtual Cross-Cultural Team in Global Project Management

Anna: As a feedback to your topic idea, I would suggest that you focus on a specific tool to deal with the issues related to cross cultural teamwork. This will help you narrow the scope and create a more tool oriented and specific article. Remember that your article has fall into one of the two categories: method or case study.

Reviewer 1 (s150793)

I really like the topic that you have chosen because I find it very interesting. Here are my suggestions:

• Structure: For me, the structure of the article doesn’t really follow the “methods” structure. I would suggest to start with an Introduction (1) of the theme, as you have done, but in my point of view it should also include points 4 and 5, as they develop “Cross cultural teamwork” background. The next part could be the Application (2) of techniques to reduce “Cross cultural teamwork” problems. This could be analysed from the three perspectives that you have selected: Project Human Resource Management (2.1), Project Communication Management (2.2) and Project Stakeholder Management (2.3). The last part of the article (3) before the References (4), could talk about the limitations and drawbacks that “Cross cultural teamwork” have in Global Project Management.
• Response: I have tried to understand this section of the review, and have tried to make my introduction more clear, describing the structure of the article.

• Length: The introduction that you have made is interesting but I would maybe reduce a bit the first points of your article and pay more attention in the application part. You already have around 2800 words and as you have indicated, you want to develop some points more. I would try to focus on the main ideas so that the article doesn’t end very long.
• Response: I have erased some parts and focused more on how the ten principles can be applied in a GPM process as different activities.

• Images and tables: I think that the use of other images and some tables will help the readers to understand the main points. For example, your 4th point (Challenges faced in cross-cultural teamwork) could be more visual if you use a table.
• Response: At the point of the review I had no tables or figures, I have added some illustrations and tables to give the reader overview and insight.

• Writing style: The text is easy to understand but maybe some sentences are a bit long.
• Response: I have read the entire text through and corrected mistakes.

• References: If you try to use more high quality references such as books and articles, your article will be more accurate. You should also reference all the passages of the text to reflect the sources where the information comes from. Remember also to reference all the figures. You should also write a brief summary of each source.
• Response: At the point of the article review this part was not fully developed. I have added references and made brief summaries.

Reviewer 2 (Konspits)

General overview: Very good choice of topic! Communication is a real problem in terms of global project management and there is a lot to talk about. If you look in global multi–projects then it is also relevant from a portfolio point of view. As you state, it’s not yet complete but there are a few comments to be made.

• Response: Figures and illustrations are added.

1. For me the topic is clear and interesting. Your structure looks good and you have a good starting point. The first impression is overall good when I read your abstract and introduction.

What is missing? I’d like to see some figures, illustrations, tables – these small things can really transform your article and make it cool! If you include in your article some real case examples, it could give to the reader a closer view in what you are researching and why cross cultural teamwork is relevant and important.

2. The table of contents makes sense; the chosen structure can be modified a little bit with regards to section 5. The flow is not so smooth at this part – Try to make it one section – “how culture affects an individual” can be integrated into the part “how it affects teamwork” as this is the core aspect of your article. “Cultural differences need to be explained – nice that you give example but maybe elaborate a bit more. Section 4: I would suggest writing a few introductory sentences. Then refer to your bullet points. Section 6: Well-written. If the rest of your article is like that in the end, you are on the right track! Section 7: Is the most important part as it will give the essence of your subject with regards to project management. Pay attention when writing it.

• Response: I have developed part 7 the application to a GPM process. As well I have deleted some sections and added brief introductions to each section.

3. Virtual “coffee break” is a nice suggestion. Humor could also be an interesting factor to explore with regards to the virtual team meetings. A section about applicability of your topic. Who is more likely to use the global cross-cultural team, for what reasons? What kind of projects that used cross cultural team work came to your attention while researching the topic?

• Response: I decided due to lack of space not to include real case examples.

4. I spotted a few typing “mistakes”, you should proofread before handing – in. #diverse dashboard”: sounds like a tool (incorporate Ana's suggestion) that these team can use in order to improve their communication and coordination processes. Why don’t you give an example of that, an illustration for example? Can be a small sub-section as well. References: Don’t forget about them, it’s important!

• Response: References has been added. It should have said deliverables dashboard.

5. I would suggest “A state-of the art report for efficient cross cultural teamwork and collaboration”. I like the existing as well for its simplicity.

• Response: I chose to change the title.

Looking forward to reading the last part of your article! Good luck!

• Response: Thank you, I hope you like it.

Reviewer 3 (s141943)

• Regarding to your questions:

1.: It is! Great topic, nice choice. However, it is a wide topic and I would suggest to specify more.

• Response: some sections have been erased and the focus is now mostly on team members within a virtual cross-cultural team and not on all types of stakeholders.

2.: It makes sense, but it is too long I guess, also some parts are well structured, but on a level of a book, or longer study.

• Response: the structure has been changed a bit, some parts are shortened and some have been elaborated on.

3.: I will write about this at the table of contents.

4.: To narrow it more and find a specific focus regarding the cross-cultural challenges. The topic is exciting, but it is to wide. The reader can easily loose the point. In the meantime, be aware to repeat cross-cultural issues and solutions for them to many time at different part of the article. Of course problems and solutions, which are relating to communication appear everywhere, but try to keep the whole text simple.

• Response: stakeholders have been narrowed down to only within a cross-cultural virtual team.

5.: I would use Cross-cultural business management, or if you narrow it, Cross-cultural human resources management, etc.

• In general:

Really good and extremely relevant (in practice and in academic level as well) topic. The language and the grammar is good, however as you mentioned a read through will be good. Take references and use some tables or maybe figures where they can save some space or explanations. Also because this topic is huge, the references can help for those who would like to go further after your article. I guess it will be a really good article and I am curious about it.

• Response: text has been read through and edited.

• Contents:

It is really structured I see and the points make sense definitely. However, I would suggest a more compact structure.

For example you have a nice abstract. And after the introduction as the first. Within the introduction the 5th and after as a subsection the 4th. 3+5 as intro: in here I would not use subsections that much, just explain roughly, why this problem come up as you did (GPM, outsourcing, etc) and which kind of issues come with it (section 5 here is integrated) and the 4th one can be a subsection.

Section 6 is a bit alone.. and it seems to me like general suggestions. So I would integrate this one under the following sections.

Section 7. It seems as a huge section. And so far your article is quite large. I would rather make it simple and mention the 7 areas and after narrow it to 2 or 1. For me the human resources management and the communication is the most exciting. Especially the HR. But this is the matter of taste.

Conclusion

References.

• Response: structure has been changed a bit and conclusion has been added

• Abstract

Really good and nice appetiser for the article. If you make the article more compact and you narrow the topic, rewrite a bit.

• Response: The abstract has been fitted to the new structure of the article

• Introduction:

As I mentioned above, I would suggest to change the structure and make this part rough, without that much details, maybe more tables and references to avoid to write down everything. Also the very beginning of this part is realy good, but with more references it will be more professional.

• Response: at the point of the review I had not included the references in the article. I have tried to divide the introduction into some parts.

As I said I would integrate section 5 into this introduction part. And here I would try to focus on how the various cultures meet with the organisational culture. Here there is a good point to mention some examples from 5.2. Later with one of the “solution”, which are try to get rid of these issues (sec. 7.1, 7.2 or 7.3) can refer back.

• Sec. 6.: I would make a table from the point or make it a bit rough, because it is more like a general guidance. Also it could be great to mention why GPM uses these virtual teams, and what they are. Just with some words.
• Response: I have made two tables one describing pros and cons and one describing the activities within a PM process.

• From section 7, If I were you I would rather chose the first, or the second, or this two together to detail.

• I would suggest a conclusion at the end, to highlight the main points.
• Response: I have added a conclusion, which sums up the articles viewpoints.