Project Management
Accreditation and Certification
--- Globalization vs. Localization
Barry Hsiung, Ph.D., PMP President, PMI-Taiwan Chapter
Outlines
•
Is PMP a Global Certification?
•
Can PMP Certification be Recognized Useful
Outside North America ?
•
Suggestions to PMI about
PMP Certification
•
Taiwan’s Experience: Localization and
Globalization
Is PMP a Global Certification
PMI has prepared “PMBOK Guide” to be the
global standard of Project Management
US-PM emphasized compare to APM’s Prince 2 and IPMA’s ICB
More than 70,000 PMPs have been certified
based on the PMBOK Guide in global
Large portion from North America
Relatively small population but gradual increasing from rest of the world
Are those PMPs Certified by
the Same Baselines
Yes, in the US, Canada, Australia, Hong
Kong, Taiwan, etc.
English-written test, standardized test centers,
computer-based exam
Other countries may have different
approaches
Bilingual test (English and translation of Local
language), different test rate, paper and pencil
exam
Can this Certification Be Adapted
Yes, in North America
The contents of certification reflect most of
the requirements from the US government/
business/industries
Not exactly in some other countries
Not tailored to different countries’ local needs
Culture and language translation may cause
different perceptions on PM knowledge
Can this Certification Be Adapted
(cont’d)
Scenario 1: A Fortune 500 company
accesses a new market outside North
America and its recruitment of local
employees request certified PMPs. What if
this company finds out the local PMPs
have poor English proficiency, because
they were certified by local language?
Can this Certification Be Adapted
(cont’d)
Scenario 2: A non-American, US-educated
and certified PMP is assigned as a project
manager to be responsible for a local
government procurement contract in
his/her own country. Can he/she
accomplish this project mission based on
what he/she has learned from the PMBOK
Guide without understanding local culture
and government’s regulations?
Can PMP Certification be
Recognized as an Useful Standard
Outside North America
Mostly yes, partly not, because:
Some countries use different regulations,
procedures, guidelines for their procurement,
risk, and scope management
Different culture and society cause different
value and philosophy
Different economic development and
business environment may cause different
ways of thinking
Lessons of the PMP
PMP is a generic global certification:
It is based on the US value system and standard of procedure for Project Management
Lack of the consideration on localizations
Does translation of the PMBOK in 8 different languages stand for globalization?
Different countries’ specific requirements for a
local certified PM need to be considered
tailored to current systems and business
Lessons of the PMP (cont’d)
Performance of a PMP = (Professional
Knowledge + Experience) X Language
Capability
Suggestions to PMI about
PMP Certification
Keep the certification exam with the same
standard all over the world --- Globalization
English only
Computer-based test
Common knowledge and perception
Help or encourage local Chapters in different
nations to develop their own standard of PM
knowledge (base on PMBOK) as well as
establish their professional certification systems
--- Localization
Local language Cultural activities
Taiwan’s Experience: Localization
and Globalization
• CPMP certification developed by NPMA has been
recognized as one of the significant nationwide
professional accreditation in Taiwan
• Qualification for certification
– Education: at least two-year College degree – Minimum 3 years work experiences
• Professional Backgrounds
– Senior Project Managers
– Business Administration Consultants/instructors – Scholars/University Professors
Taiwan’s Experience:
CPMP vs. PMP
• Localization of CPMP’s certification
– CPMP fundamentally follows the global knowledge standard
– Emphasizes the uniqueness of local regulation
– Considers the cultural difference and mapping into local systems
– CPMP exam is taken in NPMA’s own computer-based test center and it is conducted in traditional Chinese language (no language barrier)
• Application/Practices vs. Standard
– CPMP requires the capabilities of developing the project management plan
Taiwan’s Experience:
CPMP vs. PMP (cont’d)
• Globalization of PMP certification
– PMI-Taiwan has been endeavored to promote PMP certification in Taiwan since 2002
– Emphasize this is a US/global standard (Need to
understand US value and perceptions of the western culture)
– Examinees are recommended to have good English capability
– PMP exam is taken in Prometric test center, and it is conducted only in English
• Current number of PMP in Taiwan: 105
• PMI-Taiwan’s Members: 125
• PMI-Taiwan Chapter is recognized as a bridge
toward international PM community, while NPMA
is positioned as a significant regional/local PM
incubator
– Both building professionalism in project management --- for both globalization and localization
consideration
– CPMP and PMP are the equivalent status with different value to the applications
No Conflicts between CPMP
and PMP, but satisfying
Taiwan’s Experience:
CPMP vs. PMP (cont’d)
Conclusion
PMI may play more actively roles in
helping different regions/nations to
develop their own local standards
The establishment of “Greater China’s
Project Management Body of Knowledge”
as well as the consolidated Chinese PM
professional accreditation and certification
systems are absolutely necessary in the
future
