Cross-Cultural Challenges of Managing ‘One Belt One Road’ Projects The Experience of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship program of China’s ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative, created to boost economic cooperation between China and Pakistan with significant political and economic implications in the region. This book looks at critical issues when developing capabilities of cross-cultural management, adaptation and adjustment through cross-cultural understanding and network building from the CPEC case study. The book highlights the importance of acculturation experience, cross-cultural networking, networking behaviour (guanxi vs. hawala), and factors influencing cross-cultural adjustment, which would enhance the overall performance of ‘One Belt One Road’ projects in general. It looks at how the Chinese and Pakistani employees' national cultures affect their behaviour while working on the CPEC projects. The book offers insights into what cross-cultural adjustments are effective in creating improved individual and organizational performance. In an increasingly globalized world in which the practice of working with people from multiple cultural background is more of a norm, this book will be a useful reference for those who are interested to achieve success in multi-cultural settings.

1. Introduction 2. Regional Political Economy and the CPEC 3. Interview Findings 4. Survey Results 5. Conclusion Appendices 1. Interview Guide 2. Survey Questionnaires

Arshia Mukhtar is a cross-cultural trainer for global projects and lecturer at International Islamic University (IIUI), Pakistan. Ying Zhu is Professor and Director of the Australian Centre for Asian Business at the University of South Australia. He has been working as a business leader as well as an academic leader in China and Australia for more than 30 years. You-il Lee is Professor of International Business at the University of South Australia (UniSA) and currently serves as Dean of Programs at UniSA Business School. Mary Bambacas is an adjunct research associate at the University of South Australia. She has held senior management positions in the public sector and the non-profit sector, as well as owning and managing a small business. S. Tamer Cavusgil currently serves as Fuller E. Callaway Professorial Chair and Executive Director at the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA.