Project teams working in developing countries, and especially in remote areas, face several challenges. One of these challenges is understanding the culture of the local communities that become the project’s neighbours. These cultures are often very different from the cultures the expats in the project team have grown up in. What is unknown can be easily misunderstood. And misunderstanding leads to bad decision-making and poor outcomes.
Cultures in human societies have developed and adapted over time to particular circumstances. Notice how in a single culture, for example, different cultural nuances are expressed or emphasized in different villages separated by distance, mountains or other geological features. Cultural adaptation occurs faster than adaptations driven by genetic evolution, which occurs only once in a generation.
This has been highlighted in a recent study by Tim Waring and Zach Wood from the University of Maine. They found that culture helps people adapt to their environment and overcome challenges more quickly than genetic evolution. Cultures also incorporate social identity, shared norms and values.
When embarking on a new project, the local culture may seem strange to you. Still, it has served the community well over hundreds of years or more. It is not outdated. Instead, it’s a dynamic system adapting to the daily needs and challenges of the community. Understand that a large engineering facility will inevitably cause a shock in the socio-economic system. It’s the project team’s responsibility to mitigate that shock, respect the local culture, and become good neighbours. Strong neighbourly relations will lead to better project outcomes over the long term.