Preview

Dealing with Multicultural Teams

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1142 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Dealing with Multicultural Teams
Athens University of Economics and Business

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

‘Dealing with multicultural teams’

By:

Ilona Zimna
Poznań School of Banking
Student no. 470005

XXIst century is an age of globalization and internationalization, so companies who want to develop itselves and improve its performance – have to open for new global markets. This idea is inherently connected with managing multicultural teams. In my work I will try to concentrate on challenges that a multinational team face and which strategies are proper to deal with them. Thereby I will struggle to find out how to successfully manage people who come from different countries and other cultural backgrounds.

In multicultural teams, diversity may create negative dynamics such stereotyping, ethnocentrism or cultural clashes. In traditional, assimilationist-oriented organizations, cultural differences between majority and minority group members create barriers to full participation of minority members. Leaders cannot ignore diversity, because it may detract from performance. Moreover, employee who does not feel enough comfortable because of it in the work place – will not be effective.
Homogeneous groups often outperform culturally diverse groups, especially when there is a serious communication problem. Heterogeneous work teams often under-perform homogeneous teams because they do not allow each member to make a special contribution to the work effort[1]. Cross-cultural training is necessary to enable culturally diverse groups to live up to their potential and overcome communication difficulties[2]. According to research, differing styles of communication is just one of four main categories that can create barriers to a team’s ultimate success.[3] The author of an article ‘Managing Multicultural Teams’ names: problems with proper pronunciation such different accents and hard fluency, conflicting norms for decision making and differing



References: 1) Sheridan, J.H. (1994). ‘Dividends from Diversity’. Industry Week. 243(17), 23-26. 2) Perkins, A.G. (1993). ‘Diversity’. Harvard Business Review. 71(5), 14. 3) Brett, J. (2006). ‘Managing Multicultural Teams’. Harvard Business Review. Online 4) Cox, T.H 5) Jamieson, D. & O’Mara, J. (1991). ‘Managing Workforce 2000: Gaining the Diversity Advantage’ [2] Perkins, A.G. (1993). ‘Diversity’. Harvard Business Review. 71(5), 14. [3] Brett, J. (2006). ‘Managing Multicultural Teams’. Harvard Business Review. online [4] Cox, T.H

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Many of us may ask, "What is Cultural Diversity?" "Cultural Diversity tends to be broadly defined in its current use in organizations to include a variety of races, genders, ages, ethnicities, classes, sexual preferences, physical abilities and religions." (Fine, 1) "A study by Professor Joseph J. DeStefano of the University of Western Ontario and Martha L. Maznerski of the University of Virginia suggests that diversity in and of itself is not responsible for how well a team works together." So then, what makes a team work together? One contribution to a great team is how well they have achieved integration. For example, do they communicate clearly, solve differences in a constructive way and do they generate innovative solutions.…

    • 891 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Cja/444

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages

    * The negative side that comes along in being in a diverse group can lead to a decrease in the group’s productivity, which this can cause a friction between the team members. Within the group, team members are forced to work with others they may not talk to or otherwise come in contact with on a day-to-day base. What this does is creates a negative atmosphere if the teams culture is not acceptable and diverse. If team members do not get along this could result in dislike among those who do not wish to engage in acceptance. It is a work in progress, which is why individuals of different backgrounds prefer to work with members of the same background; eventually this will change with time. When people of different backgrounds are forced to work together this can cause a negative impact within the group. With different elements of culture,…

    • 369 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Cross-cultural literacy and experiences are playing an increasingly important part in developing a global management team particularly in a cultural-diversity team or organization. Building an effective global business team by Govindarajan and Gupta’s told us that multinational corporations looking to exploit global economic of scale, transfer of knowledge etc needs to master managing global business teams. And the Adam’s presents three culturally determined strategies for resolving conflict between organizational members from different cultures.…

    • 303 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Omm 618

    • 777 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Human resources play an active role in the development of an organizational culture. Increased diversity contributes to the challenge of building a cohesive culture. While people from different backgrounds bring fresh ideas and perspectives, differences also contribute to the prevalence of conflict. Cultural variance in values and rituals affects the abilities of employees to find commonality, which is important to communication. Cross-cultural teams and diversity management are tools used by HR to…

    • 777 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    One of the objectives that the team discussed was diversity in the workplace. Major corporations have encountered issues concerning diversity in the work place. Our team can directly relate to this subject in the workplace since all of us are diverse minorities in our individual work place. It was discussed in the group that diversity in the workplace is the manager’s responsibility to insure that the workplace is a diverse environment. Managers in most companies are required to hire a diverse staff. Managers have the ability to use race, religion, and tenure as qualities to inspire success and productivity at work. Our team agreed that in the real world not all individuals will set aside their differences to work effectively together, but the process of how management deals with issues concerning diversity is crucial to building and maintaining an efficient workforce.…

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Workplace diversity is defined as “ways that people differ that may affect their workplace experiences in terms of performance, motivation, and communication” (Harvey, 2011, p. xiv). It is important to have an understanding of cultural, ethnic and gender differences by managers and professionals in order to have an effective working environment. This can be accomplished when managers and professionals are able to understand their own identities, race/ethnicity, and their own biasness. While attempting to overcome our own biasness can be challenging, acknowledging them can prevent us from discriminating actions (Harvey, 2011).…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Group Diversity

    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Academy of Management Journal wrote in June 2013 that “As workforce diversity increases, knowledge of factors influencing whether cultural diversity results in team performance benefits is of growing importance.”…

    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Diversity In The Workplace

    • 1117 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The diversity of workforce results in bringing together employees from different backgrounds with many differences in terms of values, and beliefs. If the management of an organization fails to manage the cultural differences among the employees well can lead to some challenges in the organization (Phillips, Katherine, 44). The cultural differences affect teamwork among the employees of an organization where employees find it difficult to share ideas and information…

    • 1117 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This report presents the results of a comprehensive review of the positive impacts that diversity training can have on an organization as a whole as well as the individual employee. As the United States minority populations percentages increase the number of ethnic minorities will mirror the increase in minorities in the workforce. Due to this ethic shift in the US population, diversity training will remain as a pressing topic. Senior level executives must embrace this change and continue to create a positive environment that is conducive to all employees regardless of their fundamental cultural differences. Moreover, businesses must learn to embrace and manage diversity if they want to continue to be successful. More often now in today’s ever-growing corporations then in the past, employees from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds are forced to work together to achieve their company’s goals. When diversity training is masterfully executed, it will help to create a positive diverse workforce that can open up opportunities for growth in a business and create a more constructive environment. If diversity training is successfully executed it has the potential to enhance employees ' fundamental understanding of cultural sensitivity and other pertinent differences. Diversity training and building relationships are key elements to advancing organization. Managing employees from diverse backgrounds can create a unique challenge if employees lack mutual respect based solely on unfounded generalizations of gender, religion, disabilities and ethnic background. The success or failure of a corporation can rely heavily on the ability to successful blend a diverse organization. Diversity programs address the need for organizations to be more vigilant of their employees needs; however, with change comes resistance. Some…

    • 2380 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The United States are made of a large population of millions of people of every race and gender, which understanding diversity and cultural differences important. Working out abroad, there is a need of understanding culture heritage and shared humanity make a difference in professional success and failure meeting organizational goal (Kaplan, 2010). People work in all types of different cultural background. If you communicate successfully, with the multicultural colleagues, clients and customers will help your business performance, competitive advantage and talent retention (Kaplan, 2010). To have an effective communication skill, there is a need for…

    • 388 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Building a high performance team with diversity can be a challenge. Diversity in teams can bring interpersonal conflict to a team. Cultural diversity can also improve the end result of a team 's mission. I will examine multiple aspects of groups and teams, and the issues and benefits of a heterogeous team.…

    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This paper will discuss the benefits of diversity and multicultural aspects in the workplace. It discusses how diversity challenges and gives opportunities to management and organizations. The paper covers what many of the challenges are and what can be done to overcome some of the challenges. It discusses the different obstacles that come with diversity and how what some of the resolutions are to the obstacles. The paper also addresses gender diversity and physical disabilities.…

    • 2305 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The module’s central premise is that teams whose members adopt a learning orientation in crosscultural interactions can overcome these forces.3 Team members using this strategy resist the impulse 1 For research related to social identity threat as experienced by members of low-status social identity groups, such as women and minorities, see Claude M. Steele, Steven J. Spencer, and Joshua Aronson, "Contending with Group Image: The Psychology of Stereotype and Social Identity Threat," in Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, ed. M. P. Zanna (San Diego, CA: Academic Press, Inc., 2002): 379-440; Kay Deaux & Kathleen A. Ethier. “Negotiating Social Identity,” in Prejudice: The Target’s Perspective,, eds. J. Swim & C Stangor (San Diego: Academic Press, Inc., 1998): 301-323; and Laura Morgan Roberts, “Changing faces: Professional Image Construction in Diverse Organizational Settings,” Academy of Management Review 30 (2005): 685-711. For discussion of how social identity threat is experienced by men, see Robin J. Ely and Debra E. Meyerson., “Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men’s Identity,” Harvard Business School, Working Paper (2006); for how it is experienced by members of other high status social identity groups, see Robin J. Ely, “The Role of Dominant Identity and Experience in Organizational Work on Diversity," in Diversity in Work Teams: Research Paradigms for a Changing Workplace, ed. S. E. Jackson and M. N. Ruderman (Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association, 1995): 161-186. 2 See Ely and Meyerson, “Unmasking Manly Men: The Organizational Reconstruction of Men’s identity” and Roberts, “Changing Faces: Professional Image Construction in Diverse Organizational Settings.”…

    • 11554 Words
    • 331 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Teams/Multi-Cultural

    • 645 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Another problem in a multicultural group is project management. A team's success can be damaged by the lack of project management which comes from the team leader. As work is assigned, it must be delegated between each member. A team leader then…

    • 645 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    We live in a society and a country that is able to incorporate different cultures and be as diverse as possible. The following paper will address the dimensions of cultural diversity, the ethnic and cultural groups in which I identify, the difference between diversity and inclusion, the importance of workplace diversity training, and my experience with workplace culture.…

    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays