International development projects: peculiarities and managerial approaches

Every year, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on non-emergency international development (ID) projects. However, a recent global McKinsey/Devex survey of more than one thousand ID professionals revealed that two thirds of them believe that their projects don't fully succeed. In this book, researchers-practitioners from two of Italy's most prestigious universities provide practical insights into this phenomenon...and how the lessons learned in this high stakes international arena can help anyone managing projects that span companies, cultures and continents. Incorporating the wisdom of almost 500 experienced ID project managers, as well as the latest in academic research, this book provides an unprecedented look at the unique characteristics of ID projects, the methods being used to manage them and the specific tools and processes that most often lead to success. The authors also discovered that ID's core challenges are shared by many business-to-business projects, which makes this book highly relevant to any project manager facing growing complexity in terms of stakeholder management, leadership, and working in different cultural contexts. The book explores the full range of ID project management approaches, comparing and contrasting them with each other and with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). The book then shares the insights of almost 500 ID project managers, including the specific practices that lead to long-term success.