Developing management systems with cross‐cultural fit: assessing international differences in operational systems
Author(s) -
Edwards Nancy,
Roelofs Susan
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the international journal of health planning and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1099-1751
pISSN - 0749-6753
DOI - 10.1002/hpm.825
Subject(s) - corporate governance , business , accountability , bridge (graph theory) , function (biology) , china , identification (biology) , population , resource allocation , process management , environmental resource management , political science , finance , economics , management , medicine , botany , environmental health , evolutionary biology , law , biology
Abstract Experiences in the Yunnan Maternal and Child Health Project, a 6‐year CAN $6 million bilateral initiative implemented in 10 counties (population 2.4 million) in Yunnan, China, are used to illustrate management approaches that successfully bridge cross‐cultural differences in operational systems between donor and recipient countries. Donor institutions, local implementing agencies, and partner executing organizations each operate within specific assumptions about how governance structures, financial and administrative systems, human resource infrastructure, communications systems, and monitoring and reporting mechanisms function. These 'system domains' vary across cultures and countries, and become more evident as projects deal with capacity constraints, concerns about accountability, and rapid socio‐economic and political change during implementation. Management teams must be able to identify areas of poor fit among operational systems and respond appropriately. An assessment tool is offered, which management partners can use, as a basis for joint reflections on potential risks, identification of mitigation strategies, and establishing operational systems that are a fit for the funder as well as for partner agencies responsible for executing the project. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.