Leadership is one of the oldest classic themes in the social sciences and management. Even though it has an old history, as a research area still it has lots of virgin fields. One of these fields is the field of leadership styles of artists on dealing with behavioural complexity. With this research it is aimed to bring a better understanding to the field of complex project management by focusing on behavioural complexity in dance projects and how leadership is used as a tool to cope with complexity. For that aim the leadership styles of choreographers and dancers will be observed on behavioural (especially non-verbal behavioural) basis.

How do intercultural groups deal with inherent complexities? Which group interactions and group practices help to positively deal with complexities?

Individuals in intercultural groups face a number of complexities. A sense of uncertainty arises out of diverse perspectives, perceptions, working styles and daily routines. Individuals and the group as a system’s whole cope or need to cope with these complexities. This research intends to find out more about the functionalities and adaptation processes triggered through the inherent complexity in intercultural groups. The intercultural group is both source of the complexity and the context in which creative interaction takes place. Adapting and positively dealing with these complexity takes place through social interaction.

In a grounded theory approach an intercultural learning programme (SEED Programme – Social Enterprise for Economic Development, Asia Research Center, St. Gallen in cooperation with universities in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam etc. ) analysed with regard to the emerging processes and interactions. First, significant situations which challenge the group and the individuals are identified throughout the programme. Second, the interactions are followed by the researcher in order to find out more about the elements of a “coping process”. Data sources are individual learning reports, interviews and participatory observation. First results show that “comparing perception” and “taking perspectives” are crucial elements of coping with complexities in intercultural groups.

In a globalizing world intercultural groups and their functionality in complex contexts is of great importance for business. Today’s and future leaders need to be both able to cope with these complexities themselves and to set the frame for intercultural groups in a promising way accounting for the complex contexts. This research intends to shed light in the functionalities of intercultural groups and strives to give hints for the framing of intercultural groups. It builds on prior literature in the field of cross-cultural management, group and leadership research and complements this with a contextual and process perspective.

 

Unspoken & unseen facets in the theory and practice of project management

Individuals, as well as groups, as well as ideologies, hold a Shadow (see Jung and Wilber). Even our more down-to-earth and pragmatic daily decisions are informed by a level of pre/subconscious contents. Everybody owns a Shadow, and the more one identifies with the Light/Conscious aspects of experience, the stronger the Shadow/Subconscious gets. How does that apply to a whole discipline? How does that apply to projects? What lays behind the belief that project's can or should be orderly managed and always run as smooth as possible? Could some of PM's operational paradigms be built upon underlying premises that place chaos, unmanageability, instability, conflict, strong emotions, desires, sexual and immoral human drives - ideally out of the scope of projects?

We are growing aware of the chief role that intuition, flexibility, imagery, metaphors, dreams, and unspoken values and scripts play on the success and vitality of our projects. As said, rational and objective decisions are constantly formed by irrational drives, and yet that fact is often not considered in the managerial discourse. How do we bring unspoken & unseen aspects of experience back into discourse, into awareness and part of our practices?

 

Development projects, in countries like Nepal, are known to be complex and high handed - donor driven. Planned efforts of government, international aid agencies, and NGOs have so far produced dismal results. Much of the literature has acknowledged the way projects have been designed so far and hence the need to involve the local people in the process to have a lasting impact. The study explores what cross-cultural aspects facilitate or impede the process?

The objective is to explore the project management practices of a selected international non profit organization (Save the Children) working with a partner organization (Underprivileged Children's Educational Programs) in Nepal to achieve project success. Project Excellence model will be used to assess a soon to be completed 5-year project, 'Education for Youth - Youth for Peace and Development'.

Development theories, project management maturity models, project excellence model, project-oriented society, evaluation policies and practices will be considered for scientific foundation. Qualitative methods using focus groups, case study, interviews and literature review will be considered to analyze the practices of civil society actors and key stakeholders. Quantitative methods will explore different features of the context, environment, project management and results criteria.

The findings can encourage and promote development actors to achieve project excellence and benchmark one development project against another to ensure delivery of appropriate benefits for intended receivers.

 

Managing communities with the use of social networking tools

This PhD project explores the status quo and perspectives of building and managing communities of practice in the context of the digital age. Advances of the digital age and Web 2.0, in particular social networking tools, open up new possibilities for community development. Social networking platforms facilitate knowledge sharing, stimulate information exchange and foster cross-cultural connections. However, managing communities and community projects in digital environments becomes challenging due to the inherent complexity of the digital realm and its social and cultural manifestations. This PhD project seeks to find out how to use one of the cornerstones of the digital age - social networking - for managing communities of practice.

Basing on the existing research on communities of practice (E. Wenger, C. Kimble, P. Duguid et al.) and bringing in the ideas of network society scholars (M. Castells, Y. Benkler), this PhD undertakes qualitative field research of a real Facebook-based community of practice. The expected scientific value of this PhD project will result in deriving “lessons learnt” from this exploration alongside with presenting “next practice” ideas and recommendations for managing communities of practice in the digital age.

 

A cross-cultural analysis of discourses about complexity and project management

Much emphasis is being put on individual approaches and existing standard methods, such as the PMI Body of Knowledge, when it comes to managing complex projects. Yet, especially complex project management is a global enterprise, shaped by diverse cultural paradigms. It follows that individual successes or standards do not encourage a unanimous approach to this issue. Only few endeavours, such as the white paper process of the International Centre for Complex Project Management are an attempt towards comprehensiveness.

However, it is exactly in these undertakings that paradigmatic complexity is disregarded as a major factor itself. Varying paradigms already shape how project management is approached – resulting from different organisational backgrounds, industries and other cultural differences. Complexity is obviously already at work in understanding it. To generate valid results which do not fall for the same complexity that is trying to be understood, it is thus essential to reflect how complexity and project management are perceived, talked about and brought together.

This study investigates the diverse paradigms guiding an understanding of project management through an analysis of texts and discussions on both complexity and project management. That is to ask which factors drive different interpretations and which narratives or cultural patterns govern their understanding. With this review of current discourses on complex project management, key patterns in the interpretation of complexity on the one hand and project management on the other shall be identified. On the basis of understanding these discourses, the process towards a common agenda, as it is currently undertaken by the ICCPM, can be supported.

The overall question: Can a workable understanding of complexity in project management be agreed on in light of already complex approaches?

Site-Specific Projects

This research analyzes what are per se site-specific art spaces in Berlin and what are their possible / observable impacts. Case studies are analyzed with an emphasis on identity and performance. Criteria of selection of these spaces are both the loss of an initial function and the redesign / revitalization through arts and culture. Berlin offers an urban context which fosters the creation of multi layered art spaces and which functions as a magnet for artists from all over the world; however, a thorough and unitary research of these spaces is missing. More specifically, one can find a plethora of so called site-specific cross-cultural complex art
spaces in Berlin, spaces that were redesigned and reanimated through culture after they had lost their original function. Many of such spaces follow policies of increased access and are characterized by a high level of cultural diversity. A thorough analysis of their function and potential is missing. This proposal seeks to analyze their innovative sustainable structures, with a focus on the project management they practice, and develop innovative models in terms of the concerned research question.

 

 

Multi-disciplinary approaches in art based projects towards social change

How can multidisciplinary and cross-cultural project management in art projects contribute to social change for the better in a community? This research intends on understanding and describing how integrating and managing existing cultural references with multi-disciplinary approaches in art projects can increase economical sustainability and social change in a community’s development in opposition to single-disciplinary and cultural approaches. The research will look into obstacles and achievements using Project Morrinho as case study. Morrinho challenges boundaries that often exist between different disciplines and responds to issues of community within “local narratives” (Lyotard 1984). To answer the main question, it is necessary to answer: What is the role of arts in social change? What is the role of multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural project management in social change? What is the contribution of social sciences in art based projects for social change? This endeavour is being approached via three methodological phases: exploration; evaluation; validation.