Project Management Globalization - Two Points of View?
For members of the Project Management Institute, the Quarterly Supplement to
the January [2000] issue of the PMI Today broadsheet carries upbeat articles
by several PMI members. These articles describe their planning for 'Globalization'.
Although the lead banner asks "What is globalization?", we did not
find a ready answer. Nevertheless, PMI’s Global Project Management Action Team
(GPAT) contemplates two new "PMI components". The first is a "Globally
Focused Community (GFC) [which] would be a PMI component organized globally around
a specific interest or topic." The second is a "Geo-Political Community
(GPC) [which] would be any PMI component organized on a geographical basis, the
chapter being an example."
The article goes on to explain that "A mature GPC could be characterized
by a specific focus on meeting and addressing the PMI Board's Ends Policies,
… defined interfaces with GFCs to provide localized focus for global interest
groups; working with PMI Headqquarters to develop programs that meet the needs
of members within the GPC and the greater whole; …". The Supplement also
states "That the PMI Board is supportive of the general concepts of a global
organizational model as outlined by the GPAT." And "PMI is leading
the way to ensure that project management methodologies and principles are adopted
at all levels of business and governments around the world."
On the opposite side of the Atlantic, Professor Rodney Turner of Erasmus University
Rotterdam recently provided a Global Project Management Forum (GPMF) insight
into the aims, objectives and activities of the International Project Management
Association. The IPMA was described as a Global Federation of some 30 National
Project Management Associations mainly in Europe but having associated National
project management organizations in the Middle East, India and China. New Regions
are proposed for East Asia and the Pacific. IPMA sponsors Regional Networks with
a new Network proposed for Central Europe which will be similar in collegial
association to that of the current NORDNET of the Scandinavian countries.
Of particular interest to global project management practitioners is the IPMA
four tier Project Management Career Development currently being applied in the
national project management associated organizations. This certification schema
begins with a 'New Start' (i.e. someone new to project management) then moves
through validated certification levels of 'Team Member', 'Leader', 'Junior PM',
'Project Manager', 'Senior PM' to the certification of a 'Project Director' responsible
for the management of a program of projects or projects in several countries.
Dr. Turner went on to say that "... the globalization strategy of the
IPMA is to encourage the development of National PM organizations so that national
associations in different economic areas of the world can
- provide mutual support to each other
- aid in the development of new national associations in that area, and
- help each other in implementing PM certification and standards."
It seems to us that the first vision starts from the premise of being all-encompassing
under the banner of PMI, while the second vision offers an outreach view. The
debate on whether "Do it our way" or "Help them do it their way"
is best and who will win will be a long one. Of one thing we are certain, either
way, only freedom of intellectual thought and expression - the hallmarks of democracy
- will benefit professional advancement and enable technical progress to be made.
It is up to the reader to decide.
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