LEADING CROSS-CULTURAL AND REMOTE TEAMS IN HIGH-RISK ENVIRONMENTS: LESSONS FROM SAP PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN UKRAINE
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Date
2026
Authors
Khriapin, Ivan
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Abstract
This Capstone explores leadership in online SAP project teams composed of members from different countries who worked during the war in Ukraine. These teams operated under extremely challenging conditions, including air attacks, blackouts, stress, and remote work. While existing research highlights leadership competencies such as cultural intelligence, emotional intelligence, crisis leadership, and digital leadership, there is limited understanding of how these skills are integrated in real-life situations during a prolonged crisis. This study aims to examine how leaders behave and make decisions in such contexts.
A qualitative research design was employed. Eight SAP project managers and team leaders who collaborated with Ukrainian and international teams during the war were interviewed. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns in leadership behavior. The findings indicate that effective leadership in this context is not defined by a single style or competency. Instead, leaders continuously balanced two dimensions: structure—including clear roles, rules, coordination, and responsibility—and care for people, encompassing empathy, emotional support, calm communication, and sensitivity to stress. These dimensions were applied simultaneously and adapted to situational demands.
Based on these insights, the study introduces the concept of Structured Empathy Leadership, defined as leading with organizational clarity while demonstrating genuine concern for team members. Rather than proposing a new theory, the study offers a practical explanation of how established leadership competencies can be integrated in high-risk environments. The findings provide valuable implications for SAP project managers and organizations working with remote and international teams in crisis or post-conflict settings.
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Keywords
Crisis Leadership, SAP Project Teams, War in Ukraine, Structured Empathy Leadership, Remote and Multicultural Teams
Citation
Khriapin, Ivan. (2026). LEADING CROSS-CULTURAL AND REMOTE TEAMS IN HIGH-RISK ENVIRONMENTS: LESSONS FROM SAP PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN UKRAINE. Kyiv: American University Kyiv. URI: https://er.auk.edu.ua/handle/234907866/180