The Internationalisation of PTT Telecom: A Cultural Perspective - Free

7PrefaceStudying cultural anthropology is not generally perceived as a very wise step interms of the career development of a telecommunications engineer. Accordingto Bate (1997: 1151) ‘anthropology can seriously damage your career!’.However, studying anthropology has offered me a scientific framework inwhich I can combine both personal interests and professional experience in theinternational arena.I first began this business anthropological research on the cross-culturalcooperation of PTT TELECOM in 1995 and was privileged to spend the fouryears that followed on a subject of such special interest to me. The field work inthe Netherlands, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands Antilles and Indonesiawere indeed most rewarding and the planning and writing of this dissertationhas certainly been a great and welcome challenge.I would like to express my gratitude to PTT TELECOM for its open attitudeand support without which my research would not have been possible, inparticular Hans Lipman, Derk Poot, Doke Pelleboer and Arianne Boon, ErikDuim and the (ex-) TeleSolutions colleagues for their support. I am alsoindebted the PTT TELECOM office Jakarta, and to all of the Dutch andIndonesian PTT TELECOM employees who participated in this research.Thanks are also due to the University of the Netherlands Antilles and all of theCuraçaoans who participated in the research.I would also like to thank Prof. Dr. Willem Koot for his enthusiasm andsupport for more than eight years and to colleagues of the department ofCulture, Organisation and Management of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdamwho have also been of great assistance. I am especially grateful to FransKamsteeg for constructive criticism, Peer Smets for introducing me into theUniversity culture and Paola Edixhoven for logistic support.Finally, I owe my appreciation to a group of friends: Robert for friendshipand advice, Elvira for editing the English, Kitty for sharing the same path oflife, Ad for the weekly logistic support, Niels for criticism and camaraderie andEllen for organising the party. Last but by no means least, my special thanks toKris for coming into my life.Alfons van MarrewijkDelft, May 1999