The influence of cross-cultural communication on stakeholder management process in international construction projects: turkish stakeholders’ perpective

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of cross-cultural communication (CCC) on stakeholder management process (SMP) in international construction projects from the Turkish stakeholders’ perspective. The research is based on a survey of Turkish stakeholders (contractors, consulting engineers, insurance brokers, and financial advisors) operating internationally. The useable survey comprised 141 individual responses from 205 distributed, giving a response rate of 68.78 percent. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is proposed as an effective tool to investigate the relations between various factors of cross-cultural communication and stakeholder management process and data regarding the Turkish stakeholders have been used to demonstrate its applicability. The results demonstrate that “Communication behaviours” and “Communication strategies” proved to be strongly significant and positively related to SMP, whereas “Communication barriers” have significantly negative effect on SMP. Research findings may encourage the principles and practices of CCC between the stakeholders to be adequately recognized and understood by the international contracting firms operating abroad. Although findings reflect the Turkish stakeholders’ perspectives, it is believed that the parameters identified in this study can further be used as a benchmark to conduct similar studies in other countries. Managers of international contracting firms can develop a Cross-cultural Communication Statement (OCQS) to assess, report, and develop cross-cultural communication between stakeholders of a multi-cultural project environment.