ABSTRACT
This chapter presents three well-differentiated case studies to demonstrate different angles on the way project-related barriers may be overcome well beyond the known traditional project management guidelines. First case study discussed is silver mine in remote northwest Argentina. Second case study: a gold mine trapped between politics and environmental hazards in Costa Rica. Third case study: a globalization strategy in the Canadian Arctic. The scenarios where the case studies unfold range from the tip of South America to Central America, as well as the Canadian Arctic. Operations management, procurement and ethics, operations structure and strategy, and cross-cultural management are the main topics discussed in the chapter, always within a stakeholder management perspective. Total Quality Management (TQM) guidelines not only work as an entry barrier to competition in such a harsh environment, but also lead to a clean record and to project sustainability.
