How to Communicate

The “How” category identified above implies that, in order to have effective communication and thereby facilitate the activities to fill the gap between Norwegian operator and South Korean contractor, operators need to adapt themselves to the different environments.

6.2.1. General communication in person

6.2.1.1. Understanding of different communication pattern

The Confucian influence on communication patterns, personal relationships, and organizations helps enhance understanding of how South Korean shipyards personnel communicate. On the other hand, Norwegian operators may also inform the shipyard of Norwegian culture and how it affects the way Norwegians communicate. Doing this helps each party better understand its counterpart. Still, it may be difficult for Norwegians to follow South Korean communication rules. In fact, Norwegians do not have to do so because they are in a cultural gray zone (discussed further below). As long as Norwegians can show South Koreans that they are aware of the big difference between them and vice versa, the two can establish a common understanding that there is always a high risk of misunderstanding and being misunderstood. Building this understanding creates a relaxed atmosphere where people can open their minds so as to help reduce risk of miscommunication. This is a good starting point for effective communication.

6.2.1.2. Know your position

The cultural “gray zone”

In the Confucian framework, the operator is positioned at the top of the hierarchy where contractors pay respect to the operator and the operator is given authority over the contractors to certain extent. This helps the operator have influence over the shipyard’s activities as actions to fulfill EPC contractor’s responsibilities.

Flexibility

Notwithstanding such influence, the operator is still regarded as not in the same in-group but as a foreigner. Employees of the operator are not required to follow Confucian rules and are free from local customs. This provides the operator with more flexibility regarding how to deliver its message to the shipyard. In general, following Confucian rules makes the communication easier, but it is worth noting

73 that the operator can exercise such flexibility to go beyond the cultural boundary and take different communication approach where appropriate.

Being humble and respectful makes difference

Situated at the top of the hierarchy, the operator may try to take full advantage of its position and not show as much respect to the shipyard as the shipyard would show it. Because Confucian shipyards may assume a lower position, they greatly appreciate it when the operator shows a humble attitude toward them. The operator’s personnel could make comments to shipyard without giving them an impression of being demanding. This can help operator make differences in many different respects in much easier way in the course of the project. It is also advisable for the operator’s personnel to be polite to managers of shipyard.

In doing so, the operator can demonstrate its respect not only to its counterpart and his or her manager but also to the shipyard as a whole.

6.2.1.3. Build trust

Build personal relationship through business transaction

As discussed in 5.1.1.3, the overlap of personal and official business relationships results in strong desire to build personal relationship through business transactions. This is one of tips utilized by foreigner to build trust in particular when the relationship just started. Spending time at social events with shipyard personnel and sharing personal matters help make the relationship more reliable.

Being communicative, predictable, and reliable

As the project progresses, more general rules to develop trust apply: be communicative, predictable, and reliable. When implementing certain requirements in the form of procedure or regulations in a daily work, it is important to help the shipyard personnel understand why the requirement should be followed. This is important to make a solid foundation of trust. Once the rule or plan is set out, efforts should be made to adhere to it, thereby enhancing predictability. Making good on promises is also essential. Most importantly, each of operator personnel should be competent and reliable in handling tasks within their specialty. High complexity of offshore projects brings up many challenging situations where the operator’s experience and knowledge can count. Having professionals with the right competences to provide proper guidance and effective solution is the most important element to build and maintain trust.

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6.2.2. Formal meeting

Formal meetings, regulated by contract between Norwegian operators and South Korean shipyards, are key official communication channels. The effectiveness and efficiency of these meetings is dependent on how the meeting participants prepare for, conduct, and follow-up on them.

6.2.3.1. Preparation for meeting

Determine agenda

First thing to prepare a formal meeting is to decide on an agenda that outlines what issues should be discussed, and these issues will depend on the nature of a meeting. It is a good idea to put a limit to the number of issues. Attempting to address all issues in one session is rather ambitious and does not help efficiency of a meeting. Once confirmed and listed up, the issues are prioritized based on its importance and sensitivity.

Identify key persons and ensure their attendance

According to the nature of the issues, the key persons from the shipyard should be identified. The key persons include a manager who has the authority to handle the issues and discipline level employees who actually works on the issues. If there are middle managers in-between, they can also be included. It is crucial to ensure that the key personnel attend a meeting. This is the most important condition to be met for the effectiveness of the meeting.

Same set-up with shipyard

Once meeting participants from the shipyard are confirmed, the hierarchy among the participants should be determined. Based on the hierarchical relationships identified, the operator can construct the same hierarchical set-up among its own personnel.

Know who is your peer at the meeting

While making hierarchical arrangement, each of operator personnel is assigned to a certain level which corresponds with that of a shipyard person. The focus of communication during the meeting should be on how effectively each of operator personnel communicates the agenda to her/his peer from the shipyard.

75 Plan how to deliver message

Before the meeting, it should be agreed on among operator personnel who will be a main contact point for each issue to be discussed at the meeting. Participants who take the role of main contact point need to be able to demonstrate their authority over the issue and ready to respond query from the shipyard.

6.2.3.2. Conduct meeting

Mind levels among counterparts

Due to the high power distance between levels in the shipyard, managers in the high level among the meeting participants speak up while low levels, by and large, remain to support the comments from their boss. If this is not the case and there are conflicts among shipyard participants, let them settle the issue so that they can come out with one unified voice. Caution should be exercised when making comments on such issues being disputed among the shipyard personnel, in particular when such comments can be construed to be against opinion from high level personnel.

Deliver the same message clearly

The message should be delivered clearly through communication lines between peers of the both parties.

All operator personnel should convey the same message to their counterpart. For each issue to be discussed, the person who is designated as a main contact point can take a leading role in discussion on behalf of the operator. Other colleagues remain supportive of the contact person’s opinion. In doing so, the operator clearly shows the participants from shipyard that they have to contact the contact person in relation to the specific issue. It helps simplify communication channels between the operator and shipyard and avoid confusion arising from different organizational set-up of the two companies.

Minute a meeting outcome

Throughout the meeting, either one of the parties should take notes of the discussions. At the end of the meeting, both parties agree on the outcome of the discussion they had. More specifically the outcomes include what actions are to be taken by which party by when. Based on the agreed outcomes, the meeting minutes are produced shortly after the meeting and shared between the two parties.

6.2.3.3. Follow-up meeting

The outcome of the meeting should be closely followed up by the main contact person in the operator’s organization before the next meeting is held. The primary role of the contact person is to support her/his counterpart in shipyard organization to carry out the actions agreed by the two parties at the meeting. If

76 there are any action items which are not closed, the cases should be included in the agenda of the next meeting.