Dissertation D. Eng. Olha Mikhieieva

The dissertation analyzes the relevant factors influencing the management of international project teams in multicultural environments. Working in an intercultural team requires individuals to deal with multiple cultural norms and values (ICB 4, 2015). In multicultural environments, other challenges such as different time zones, technical incompatibilities or communication problems can also arise (Rothlauf, 2015). In addition, international project teams are affected by less tangible elements such as trust and fears, lack of commitment and sense of duty as well as insufficient sharing of information (Lückmann and Färber, 2016).

Therefore, a classification of international communication problems and solutions was developed. In particular, a form of description for the personal and professional development of international project managers in multicultural environments was developed, which includes a lifelong perspective in the sense of a life cycle model. Based on this development model, the development paths were formalized. The core competencies for international project managers in multicultural environments were defined. The harmonization and formalization of the competencies is carried out using approaches from algebra and set theory. This results in a system model for harmonizing competencies, taking into account the development dimensions for international project managers. Aspects of the dynamics of project team development and factors of the multicultural environment were incorporated into the development of the descriptive model for competence harmonization. To this end, the methods of an intercultural competence profile and a Competency Breakdown Structure (CBS) were defined. The concept and field of application of the Mission Breakdown Structure was expanded to include the aspect of stakeholder involvement.

The contributions were developed step by step in the course of the accompanying research in the DAAD EuroPIM project and in the consortium of the EuroPIM strategic partnership. In addition, the methods and models developed were tested in various formats in 2017, e.g. in lectures on intercultural communication, conference contributions, competence-oriented evaluations of the EuroMPM courses and modules as well as in intercultural training courses for international Master's students in multicultural groups.

The research results are intended to contribute to the scientific fields of international project management, human resources management, communication management and stakeholder management.

The results have been implemented in the training programs of the project management departments at the National University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Kiev, and the Fachhochschule Dortmund.