Intercultural project management : Melting pot dream or Tower of Babel nightmare?

Intercultural project management now forms part and parcel of any major company’s daily routine. An empirical analysis of several internationa project teams suggests that intercultural projects come somewhere between the dream of the cultural melting pot and the nightmare of the Tower of Babel. The melting pot threatens to result in impoverished exchanges, notably due to language problems.As well, cultural diversity always brings some potential of violence. The charisma and skill of project leaders play a key role and could even turn Babel into a blessing.