The influence of cultural dimensions on project leadership behavior in global project environments

Abstract

This study examines how cultural dimensions influence project leadership behavior in multicultural project environments. Drawing on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions framework, it investigates how power distance, collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation relate to project leadership behavior among project management professionals. Data from a survey of 94 project professionals were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Power distance has a significant negative relationship with project leadership behavior, whereas uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation have significant positive relationships, and collectivism has no significant relationship. These findings suggest that values related to hierarchy, uncertainty, and time orientation shape leadership behavior in project settings more than group orientation alone. The study contributes to cross-cultural management and project leadership research and offers practical guidance for managers leading global teams, who may need to adapt their behavior to cultural expectations. Because the cultural dimensions were measured at the individual level, the findings reflect project professionals’ personal cultural value orientations rather than national cultural characteristics.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 2026 · DOI ↗