Centre for Intercultural Studies

Intercultural Project Management
5. 9. February 2000

Participants

Seven project managers from different South-Eastern European countries, actively involved in multilingual and multicultural settings. Two Austrian participants working in North-South cooperation.

Trainer staff

• Dr. Brigitta Busch, Centre for Intercultural Studies, Klagenfurt University
• Dr. Willibald Erlacher, Trainer, Adult Education Projects
• Ass.Prof. Dr. Karin Lackner, IFF, Klagenfurt University, Trainer and Oganization Counselor
• Dr. Christian Lackner, Trainer and Organization Counselor

The idea

NGOs very often lack a certain amount of professional skills on specific project-management tools due to a diversity of challenges (structure, finance, policy, leadership, communication...) they have to cope with. The idea was to develop training courses for people working in NGOs in multicultural and multilingual settings. This Klagenfurt workshop was set to be a starting workshop in order to elaborate - according to the needs of participants - a curriculum for further activities. In addition to financial, technical and advising support there might presumably be a need to skill project leaders in regard to management and social issues as well. As no approved management training program exists for special requirements of these NGOs, it had to be researched if such a program would be necessary and if so, how it should be designed.

The goal

Finding answers to the following questions:

• What kind of management problems typically occur in projects?
• How are they usually managed?
• Which problems, question or concerns are specific (e.g. regional specifics) and which ones are common in all of these projects?
• For which of these issues could a training program provide adequate answers?
• How should such a program be designed in order to meet the needs of participants regarding content and personal status quo?

The method

As the nature of the subject requested, the method to be applied in this workshop was an open and process-oriented one. Process-orientation implies working with resources of participants, presuming that people concerned are the "experts" of their problems as well as the "experts" for adequate solutions. The methodological approach in this context was non-directive as far as research, problem-definition and resolution were concerned, it was directive in regard to theoretical and practical inputs, accurately adjusted to identified areas of improvement by participants on themselves. The training style was participatory and people were expected to take responsibility for their own learning. Training competence here was mainly a sort of guiding assistance to develop a clear sight of participants` problems as well as providing professional tools to find and try out appropriate solving strategies.

Conclusions

Mostly impressed on this special method of working (process-oriented, non-directive in combination with theoretical inputs and practical try-out), there was general agreement that further qualification would be highly appreciated. A training program adjusted to identified needs is considered being a necessity in order to continue daily work on a higher professional level. Participants worked out several clear-cut areas of training and qualification issues and it will be the task of the staff to develop a curriculum that meets these needs.