Impact of national culture on knowledge sharing in international construction projects

KIVRAK S., ARSLAN G., TUNCAN M., BİRGÖNÜL M. T.

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, cilt.41, sa.7, ss.642-649, 2014 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 41 Sayı: 7
  • Basım Tarihi: 2014
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1139/cjce-2013-0408
  • Dergi Adı: CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.642-649
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: case studies, construction companies, culture, international construction projects, knowledge sharing, mixed methods, FIRMS
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

International construction projects generally involve participants from different cultural backgrounds. In this type of projects, national culture can significantly influence knowledge sharing between individuals. This research contributes to the literature by providing a deeper understanding of cultural issues that influence knowledge sharing in international construction projects. The research was carried out in three international construction joint ventures located in Qatar, Libya, and Bulgaria. A mixed method design was used to better understand the research problem and strengthen the findings. The findings are interpreted through the cultural dimensions of Hofstede and Hall. Based on the analysis, language and communication difficulties, trust, motivation, and personal relationships were found as the critical barriers to successful knowledge sharing in multicultural project teams. Findings from this study can help managers to better understand the role of national culture in knowledge sharing in the context of improving project performance.