Competency model for international engineering project manager through MADM method: The Chinese context

Due to the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese engineering contracting companies have ushered in excellent opportunities in the international engineering market. However, for the lack of comprehensive talents, Chinese international engineering projects are currently facing various difficulties. How to select, evaluate, and train highly competitive engineering project managers is of great significance to them. In this paper, an improved Multi-Attribute Decision Making Method (MADM) is used to construct the competency model of international engineering project managers, so as to provide a reliable reference and suggestions for the evaluation process and future development. The current study of project managers’ competency is mainly focused on the local level rather than the international level, and discussed about the competency of general project managers instead of a specific industry of engineering. Also, we noticed the lack of a systematic method of competency evaluation for Chinese international engineering project managers. Aiming at the manager competency of international engineering projects, this paper firstly combines Repertory Grid technique (RepGrid) with the help of Chinese experts abroad and factor analysis to construct a competency evaluation index system, and then combines Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Analytic Network Process (ANP) to explore the interaction between various indicators and determine the weight of each indicator. Finally, through improved Vlse kriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method the five candidates from a Chinese company in the case are evaluated. The final parts of this article provide a methodological reference and improvement suggestions for the recruitment, performance evaluation, training and career development of international engineering project managers based on the constructed model.