Literature based case studies of challenges of international project Study

Literature based studies of challenges of international project in China - Case Study Example This remains to be one of the problems that make it very hard for international teams to succeed in China. Usually, project teams in China, which are sponsored by foreign firms always, have team leaders from the foreign nations and the rest of the team made of the local people. In this regard, the leaders are likely to have different expectations from the local people. This is especially so with regard to software development projects where the foreign team leaders may have too many expectations (Xue et al, 2005). The leaders may have too high expectations for the local people, usually requiring them to complete projects in a few weeks, projects that should otherwise be done in a few months. This difference in expectations is fueled by some stereotypes such as the Chinese being regarded as hardworking people who can finish tasks in very short periods. Many software development projects have been outsourced in China and faced this kind of problems especially where the managers have the idea that they can use the Chinese software engineers to complete in a few weeks, what could be done in a few months. A good example of this is the Intentia AB which is a Sweden based ERP vendor. The firm was the leading ERP provider for the CosmetiCO, which is a Beijing based cosmetic manufacturer and distributor. Like many IT and Software Project, this project failed badly, and the customers were left with no useful ERP to be able to manage its operations. The managers of the project were too demanding on the local software expert’s and their expectations were too high. As a result, the local employees, not being able to argue with the project managers were left frustrated and in most cases where project targets were not met, they were too afraid to inform the project managers. Power distance is another issue that is a major factor for success in the Chinese project execution environment (Steers, 2010). Power distance refers to the point of how much people of

Costa Coffee Enters France Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Costa Coffee Enters France - Essay Example Coffee culture in France is rather old; even prominent historical writers have been known to mention a cafe or two in their accurate descriptions of the French revolution. Therefore, coffee businesses are ubiquitous in France; one can find a coffee shop in almost every street corner in the nation’s capital. Most of them are high-end, chic cafes, with lots of decorated interior designs and room for interaction with one’s acquaintances. These types of shops can mostly be found in places like Saint Germaine as well as the Left Bank, which also has a high concentration of elegant coffee shops. Typically, a French cafe will have both an indoor and outdoor setting with plenty of wooden interior designs and an intimate atmosphere all around. Cakes, pastries or sandwiches may be available but most consumers go into these shops for the coffee; espresso in small cups is their preferred choice while others may choose different versions of the espresso and cream. Most French waiters in these cafes seem ambivalent about meeting consumer needs and may even appear arrogant to foreign nations. Smoking used to be a distinct aspect of coffee culture in France but after its ban, most patrons prefer to smoke in the outdoor section of the cafes. Overall, the ambiance of cafes makes coffee cultures predominantly unique in France; people think of coffee drinking as a ritual to be enjoyed. Waiters care little about turnover rates, so patrons have the freedom to sit in as long as they like while catching up with friends. The cafe is a social meeting place and reflects the unhurried nature of French culture in comparison to other western societies.