Cultural Resistance to Implementing Earned Value Management System in Construction Organization

Prof. B. Prakash Rao , Jacob Cherian

Abstract

One of the reasons why employees in a construction organization accept or reject a new system is their cultural profile. Even if the system promises to deliver better results it still may receive resistance from the employees. This is against logic and conventional thinking. One such new system in India is Earned Value Management (EVM). This study tries to identify the cultural dimensions in the Indian construction organizations that inhibit the acceptance of EVM in their organization. After conducting contextual enquiries and questionnaire surveys in a number of Indian construction   organizations, the most important ten cultural dimensions that contribute to the resistance to adopt EVM were identified. Based on the respondents personal feedback these ten cultural dimensions are explained in detail and the motives for resistance is brought to light. It is found that Uncertainty Avoidance, Masculinity and Feminist and Power Distance are the top three ranked Cultural Dimensions.