Engineering Inc. - July/August 2008 - (Page 16)

T talent, they tend to rely on American engineers to provide the leadership. “The ideal candidates for international work should be senior engineers who have project management experience, are able to get along with people of all cultures and religions, and are respectful of the local norms and customs,” says Thomopulos. “They should also have the highest ethics and integrity because international work offers a lot of opportunities for unethical behavior.” In the end, success is more than the sum of engineering degrees and technical prowess. “People have to be adept at dealing with other people and sensitive to other cultures. They have to be less dogmatic and more conciliatory,” Berger explains. “Preconceived notions and a singleminded approach won’t get the job done. Oftentimes, there isn’t a single right technology or approach. It’s necessary to adapt things to the environment and have a feel for the agency or staff that operates and maintain the system after the expatriate team leaves.” As a result, Louis Berger Group seeks out individuals with previous international exposure; workers must be comfortable dealing with uncertainty and change. Ideal candidates often display open-mindedness and a passion for travel. Many have previous international university experience, grew up as children of military officers or expats who served or worked overseas, or decided to join the Peace Corps or another international aid organization. “This demonstrates that they have already mastered a bicultural, bilingual environment,” says Berger. “They are already one step ahead of the game.” Engineering the Future here’s a huge and growing demand for services around the world. JoNAthAN GolDStiCK If the human component is the heart and soul of a global business success, IT and project management is its central nervous system. “You have to be really good at project management. Things that you could do previously in an ad hoc way are no longer possible in an international environment,” explains Oltmann, the international consultant. “Many companies, the first time they embark on any kind of international project, significantly underestimate the amount of coordination that is required. Consequently, things can become extremely chaotic.” It’s essential to deploy enterprisewide IT systems, including software, that can support the business processes organizations have in place. These systems not only enable the technical and practical aspects of design, engineering and project management, but also facilitate collaboration and advanced workflows. Technology, taken together with knowledge of underlying business processes, requires vision and leadership. “Someone has to be in a position to pull everything together—including all the input from the various offices or sites—and make it work,” says Oltmann. PB’s Hawksworth is familiar with the need for top-flight technology. He has witnessed firsthand the industry’s evolution from paper to pixel. “You can now stand in the middle of the Arabian Desert, switch on your BlackBerry and receive e-mail messages,” he says. “Technology has not only made global business 16 ENGINEERING INC. JULY / AUGUST 2008 possible, it has changed the hAlCrow fundamental nature of business.” Today, PB relies on sophisticated enterprise software to track and manage project status and costs, currency fluctuations, designs and more. “Every project throughout the company is on one system, so it’s possible to know what’s going on with projects individually and have a composite view,” says Hawksworth. The firm conducts ongoing cost analyses to determine which projects are most profitable— and least risky. Number crunching, for example, has enabled PB to shift from highway design in favor of airports, subways and other specialized infrastructure projects. It also has helped PB better understand labor conditions, including talent shortages, wage inflation and specific circumstances surrounding fixed-rate or lumpsum reimbursements. The firm’s recent accomplishments only reinforce its position as a global engineering giant. The company served as the project management consultant for the Taiwan High Speed Rail project— a $15 billion privately funded venture that commenced operation in January 2007. It managed the construction of the initial phase of the Delhi Mass Transit System, a 38.5-mile project that includes 53 stations and 7.5 miles of tunneling. And it was recently awarded a contract to provide architectural and engineering services for the $1.8 billion, 3.1-mile Marina Coastal Expressway in Singapore, scheduled for completion in 2013. It’s imperative to stay abreast of the nuances of international business, regardless of a company’s success. Obtaining business licenses, navigating government bureaucracies and coping with ever-shifting rules and regulations are all part of the global business environment. “There are countries where, strategically, it doesn’t make sense to work on government contracts or certain types of specialized projects,” says Hawksworth. One thing is certain: The market for global engineering services is thriving. At present, parts of Asia, the Middle East and South America are hot spots for new design and engineering projects. It’s a new world order, and one that should appear on the radar of every engineering firm. “It’s unwise to move into the international arena simply for the money or to take advantage of a particular opportunity,” says Oltmann. “A company must develop a long-term strategy and understand how each and every project fits into an overall plan. That’s the basis for long-term success in the international marketplace.” n Samuel Greengard is a business writer living in West Linn, Ore.

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Engineering Inc. - July/August 2008

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