Adapting Managerial Practices to Different Cultures: A Qualitative Research on the Overseas Activities of Turkish Contracting Firms

Abstract

Turkish contracting companies have started to operate abroad since 1970s and have been implementing many successful projects since then. Among the leading companies in the world especially in recent years, these companies were ranked 2nd in the world after China, based on the overseas operations in 2022. The overseas success of Turkish contracting companies has been the subject of many studies. The researchers have focused mostly on the engineering side of this success and the management part has not been touched upon as much as it deserved. This study deals with managerial sources of success. To this end, interviews were held with three senior executives of these companies to uncover the management styles and practices that lead to successful overseas businesses operations, and a content analysis was implemented to the data obtained. As a result, the prominent elements in the success of Turkish contracting companies in their overseas activities were determined as leadership, cultural adaptation in business practices and human resources practices, strong close circle relations, risk-taking ability, knowledge and experience, quick decision-making and ability to act quickly. The issues that need to be improved are the need for more state support (guarantorship, ease of financing, etc.) and improvements especially in design and architectural areas.