The influence of trust and culture upon Western consultants executing GCC megaprojects

Western consultants must build trust filled relationships if they wish to successfully engage with the local project sponsor to manage GCC megaprojects. Initial research indicates a high staff turnover for senior western consultants in GCC megaprojects. This paper reviews trust issues contributing to these high levels of turnover and the influence of national culture in this process. Softer skills such as cultural awareness and trust are often ignored until the issues become out of control and too late to address. European megaproject research confirms that culture has a powerful influence on the construction of megaprojects, and cultural clashes negatively impact their execution. The concepts of culture and national culture are reviewed, together with cultural guidelines established by Hofstede and others. Established research has explored typical characteristics exhibited by national culture, offering guidance for differing attitudes with respect to trust between different nationalities. This research analyses the experiences of the western consultant’s actively involved in live GCC megaprojects, using Qatar as a pilot study. Initial findings are provided, which acknowledges trust as a crucial element to both the megaprojects success and the consultants continued project engagement. It also considers the cultural expertise available to help unite parties within these temporary megaproject coalitions and assist with the successful delivery of future megaprojects. Prominent trust issues in the GCC, such as the concept of face, are reviewed. The practical and social implications for western consultants’ cultural integration to the GCC are examined.