"WORK CULTURE AND MULTI NATIONAL TEAMING"

DR. S .Ma SALEEM MOINI

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS PROJECTS

ABSTRACT

Work Culture and Multi National Teaming: With the advent of infor- mation technology and shortening of the distances between various desti- nations in the world, the mega pro- jects are generally planned on universal work culture and manned by multinational teaming. This paper throws light on work culture, its ingredients and essentials. The cases from practical life of mega projects like Planning, Design, Construction of King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah; King Khaled International Airport, Riyadh and King Fahd International Airport, Dammam have also been reviewed in this text as they represent the theme of this paper.

INTRODUCTION

The theme of this August conference is "Managing Projects in a Border- less World" which is challenging as well as timely as it addresses the future trends in managing of pro- jects. The big bang of information has shortened universe and distances have been reduced greatly, the geographical boundaries have become lines of the maps only. From this all encompassing subject I have selected the topic of "Work Culture and Multi National Teaming". All the major projects these days are based on multi national and inter- national participation and cooperat- ion. The intricate financing arrangements make it imperative to have a multi discipline, multi

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national teams for managing these mega projects. Some projects go beyond geographical and political frontiers and involve multi national coordination in their implementat- ions.

The elements comprising this work c u 1 tu r e teaming has been discussed in the forth coming par ag rap hs .

and mu 1 t i na t i ona 1

1. WORK CULTURE

The work culture for these projects takes into consideration the diverse elements of the culture of various member countries involved in the implementation of project. This has to study the various ethnics 1 ingu is t ics , and cultural attributes of the partici- pating groups. The human aspects of these problems have to be given proper thoughts before arriving on any solution.

The work culture can be divided into following sub titles:

soc io-pol i t ical

i)

i i)

iii)

iv)

V)

vi)

Technical knowledge and know how

Culture background of the partners

Geographical and climatolo- gical influences

Environmental considerations

Financial capabilities

Laws traditions and legal precedents

vii) Habits and behavior

viii) Pr-evious experience and interface

ix) Political systems

x) Development stage and status

i) Technical Knowledge and Know How:

In multi nakional projects it is necessary to take the technic91 knowledge and know how of all the parties in- volved in the work and after studying carefully the capabi- lities in the field of each party a balance is struck when positive flow of the knowledge can be maintained. If ultra modern and sophisticated methods are introduced on the projects when local know is very basic, it is bound to result in confusion and chaos. The technical back ground of the host country should form the basis of the system.

ii) Cultural Background of the Partners:

It is very essential to look in depth in the cultural background of the partners and find a harmonized cultural work climate where the values of each partner are given due consideration and integrated in the common cultural policy for the project. Due respect should be given to moral, ethnical and cultural values of the host country. Human, pky&ology plays an important part in this respect, care and diligence should be exercised while preparing the basic policy on this issue.

iii) Geographical and Climatologic- al Influences:

These play an important role in the forming up of a joint team for the project. These

conditions reflect on the work habit and productivity of the team and has special influence in the formation of the team. Some time work shifts have to be formed keeping in mind these factors which has a critical effect in the imple- mentation of project. As an example concreting in the hot areas and zones have to be carrid out in nights and cooler parts of the day when the temperature is not souring high, this practice results in improved productivity and better quality of the end product.

iv) Environmental Considerations:

In to-days environmental conscious circumstances it is important to give due consi- derations to the environmental aspects of the projects and its surroundings. Necessary precautions should be taken to preserve the environments and make efforts to improve them. Any negligence in this respect may bring un-surmountable problems during the implemen- tation phase and with the financing authorities.

v) Financial Capabilities:

Financial capabilities play an important, crucial and critic- al role in forming the project team. The financial capabili- ties of the host country and its contribution in the pro- ject is the base for success- ful implementation as most of the local expenses which go upto 60% (Sixty percent) of the total cost have to be met from this source. The Eoreign currency element of the cost shared by foreign partners have to be carefully and precisely worked out. The fluctuation in foreign ex- change rates some times adversely effects the imple- mentation of the project. Experience shows that some

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times t h e e f f e c t of f l u c t d d t l o n i n f o r e i g n exchange rea( h e s u p t o 10% (Ten P e r c e n t ; of t h e c o n t r a c t v a l u e , t h e r e b y , d i s t u r b i n g t h e b a l a n c e of f i n a n c i n g and bu rden ing t h e p r o j e c t w i t h e x t r a unproduct- i v e c o s t .

v i ) L a w s , T r a d i t i o n s and 1,eqaI P r e c e d e n t s :

When m u l t i n a t i o n a l team is c r e a t e d for a p r o j e c t , t h i s becomes a c r i t i c a l f a c t o r . The law qove rn ing t h e work s k 7ld he c l e a r l y s p e l l e d o u t c - ) li t o a v o i d c o n f l i c t of lad.- i n t h e r e s o l a t i o n of l l i - rui tes and d i f f e r e n c e s . The ’ l a w nf t h e h o s t c o i n t r y and r t c , t r i d i t i o n s s h o u l d be q i v e n d u e i r p o r t a n c e so a s t o a r r i v e a n smooth p rocedur - s for t h e implement3t ion of t h e pro- j p - t . T,ocal t r a d i t i o n s and ~ 1 1 1 t u c a L norms have t o be r e.spPc t ed t o a t t a i n i nd u s t r i a1 peace a t t h e s i t e . The human inl-or€acP is a n impor t an t +iIc3mn? as t h e t r a d i t - i o n s of n r 1 )us q r o u p s working on t h e p r o j e c t ;>lav a n i m p o r t a n t r o l e i n t h i s r p s p e p t .

? i i ) H a h i t s =ind Rehsv io r :

T h i s i.: in q,xt:n:;i.?n of t r a d i - tions I n ? (. :It I r 2 l norms and h 1m3n psyc!10l07~ h a s a b i g i ‘ i C ’ L i r n c P i n t h i ; r e s p e c t . T’,‘ i w h s v i o r of t h e € o r e i q n cllemr.?t. sat?n! 1 he o f an equal p i c t n e r r.-it-her t h a n of a ina;t-r as e v e r y n a t i o n h a s i t . n a t i o n a l p r i d e . Which . ; h - ~ ~ i . i I )t I ) - * I ikc? l i g h t l y by ,)t;:ec ?%rty’. c a r t i e % p r ~ i d - i 11 1 t w h ~ i i *- 31 t;upp> r t or [ i n 5 n c i a l 3 i d .;houlcf n o t 1‘: . I Y :he pqsi t i o n of t h e : >vje; 2 f t h e p r o j e c t and t h e n t i - { t > impose t h e i r norm5 and pLxedJrO23, Each p r , > j o c t h a s i Li; spec ia l c i r c u m s t a n c e s and th? prowdurec. f o r i t s imple- nont.ation s h o u l d be worked keei>icy t i h e m i n view and t h e Lo,:al r i y u i - m e l t s i n t h i s rc.:pes t .

- r i i i ) P r e v i o u s Exper i ence a-id I n t e r - f a c e :

P r e v i o u s e x p e r i e n c e be tween t h e p a r t i e s s e r v e s as a v a l u a b l e asset as i t assists i n e v o l v i n g b e t t e r working r e l a t i o n s and t a k i n g l e s s o n s from t h e p r e v i o u s mistakes. With p r e v i o u s e x p e r i e n c e i n mind t h e i n t e r f a c e becomes smooth and o b j e c t i v e . It r e d u c e s t h e t r o u b l e of i n i t i a - t i n g t h e p r o j e c t and working o u t t h e p r o c e d u r e s f o r imple- men ta t ion :

i x ) P o l i t i c a l Systems:

While p a r t n e r i n g fo r proj?c:: p o l i t i c a l sys t ems p r e v a i l i n q w i t h v a r i o u s p a r t n e r s have a d e E i n i t e impact on t h e p r o - -ject. The best p r o j e c t s a r e t-ose which have no p o l l t i . . s ’ r i n g s a t t a c h e d t o it. ‘it 1 5

- . a f a c t of l i f e t ,.

;L& le, p r o g r e s s i v e p o l i t - i system and sound t c o n m ’ - 1 base .

-17estiwj p a r t n e r s Look fol-

P o l i t i c a l i n s t a b i l i t . 1 i n t h e c o u n t r y and poor law and O C J . A - s i t u a t i o n is n o t conducive i o t h e inves tmen t c l i m a t e .

x) Development S t a g e and Stat .us :

T h e p a s t track r e c o r d i n f i e l d of development is a 3 0 0 l barometer f o r f u t u r e p l a n s i n t h i s respect. The mark9t economy and t h e p e r c a p i t a b e n e f i t s t o t h e p o p u l a t i o n a r e good i n d i c a t o r f o r development and inves tmen t . P a s t s t a t is- t i c always s e r v e s as a good s t a r t i n g p o i n t i n t h i s r e s p e c t .

2 . MULTI NATIONAL TEAMING

Based on t h e work c u l t u r e d i s c u s s e d in t h e p r e c e d i n g p a r a g r a p h s t h e m u l t i n a t i o n a l

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teaming takes it faimstix. It Thould be kept in mil,? t r a t hanqs on element shoui? bl . taken from the host c o u - r t - , . The middle manaqement s':~) 1 ,c! also be from this cou f i t r i . Only hightech and s:nLor management staff s h o u l d -C

E r w t h e foreign groups. ', : P

principle of counter oTrts from tne country of the pro- ject 3 b o u l d be adopted so tLst rhen &he pro2rct is corn; the indiserlous element t < c

over the project and runs in an efficient r a n r n - . rrsnseer of technoloqy .;b- f , r m the corner stone f n r <:I- 7

project. The top manaqpme"- J r x I s of the team shoald ha\ 'qua: representation from r i Foreign and local plemeqtc. T h e oast experience should L'C

a bc5con of light for + h ~ onl~ctive impleaent3tion ? f

the project.

As a practica! 3xample of the wlti- naticnal tearing let ils consider some actual cases from real Life, the author was involved in the Planninl, Desiqn and Construction or the Follawinc three Internatioqal Airqnrts in the Kinqdom of S3udi Arabia.

In June 196'; the contract €OK the r,laininq ani1 design fo r J new Jedaah Int>-q?tional Airport (later nzmed as din3 Ahdulaziz International Airport IKAIA]) was siqned with U . S . companv Airways Engineering Corpo- ration of washington DC (AEC). The architect !or the project was MK. Edward D'Stonc. In 1970 tender were invited for the Construction of KAIA and improvement of Riyadh International Airport (named as King Khaled International Airport [KKIAI) but non of the hids were accept- able. Keepinq in view the develop- ments in Aviation Industry and growth in technoloqy and economic progress in the Kinqdom the design was updated and retendered in 1973. This time tenders were called for KAIA only. The tender was on the basis of single prime contractor as using traditional method of super-

vision. Hochtief AG of Germany quaLiFied for the work and AEC was as-iiuned with construction super- vi.;i )n. In 1976 the joint venture of U.S. firms of Parsons and Da iAi'lS# PD) was engaged as Cons- :r it-tion Managers. Hochtief employ- nd subcontractors from UK, Italy, Gct';iany, France and USA and under t h * a i r Jmbrella completed the work in 1°8C. The workers from Europe, I n i i a , Pakistan, Arab countries and Us\ were twmed to construct this

moth project.

'"h site for New Riyadh Inter- >-*ionaL Airport (KKIA) was selected irl :974 and a planning and design contract was signed with Saudi Arahian Bechtel Company (SAl3CO) in July 1974 along with parent company Eechtel of USA. The architect for the terminal complex of this airport were KOK. The design was completed in 1980. This project was planned on the state of art Construction Management principles where as the work was divided into thirty (34) Permanent Facility Contracts, Twenty One (21) Constructions SupPOKt Cnntracts and Sixteen (16) Purchase Jrclers. While selecting the pack- aqes I the geographical neighborhood, the mode of use and operation and siqilar factors were kept in mind. The Manager SABCO have subcontracted some support work like, Survey, Quality Control to Local companies under their direct supervision. Bulk materials was supplied by the Government through Construction Manager such materials included s t r uc tu r a1 re info rcement bars, cement, concrete, asphalt, aggregate, electrical and mechanical equipment, thus maintaining the quality of standard. A special feature of the project was that a Central Logistics Systems was estab- lished under the manager, for the supply of all materials and its transport from the manufacturer to the site was monitored by the System and thus a positiye method of sched- ule was used for the prolect. Housing, Catering, Health Care and Recreation Facilities was provided by the Government for project and contractors staff thus reducing the

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mobilization period and economizing the cost. It also provided positive effect on the morale.as all workers were getting similar facilities. This proj’ect was opened by King Fahd on 16 November 1983. The Construct- ion Management of KKIA was unique in its size, diversity, complexity and international teaming.

The third mega projects in the field of transportation is King Fahd International Airport (KFIA) at Dammam which is 95% complete. The lessons learnt at KKIA were applied here. Keeping in view the stage of the development in the Kingdom and the availability of infrastructure, the management style at this airport project was different from KAIA and KKIA. Here the contractor was made responsible for housing and catering of his people; only the temporary facilities transferred from Riyadh (KKIA) were used for housing and catering. A small dispensary was provided to cater for emergency situation. The logistics was the contractors responsibility. Thirty (39) packages for Permanent Facili- ties were contracted and Seven ( 7 ) for support works. The experiment of teaming at these mega projects was successful from all standards.

CONCLUSION

TO conclude the discussion it is again emphasized that work culture and multinatienal teaming play a critical and important role in the successful and smooth completion of the projects and contributes towards the development and progress of developing countries.

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