Multicultural Teams and Managing Diversity - Literature review Example

Multicultural Teams Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Contents Contents 2 Introduction 3 Multicultural teams and Managing Diversity 4 Group Dynamics and Challenges of Multicultural Teams 6 Productivity and Performance 8 Conclusion 10 References 12 Introduction Centuries ago, the workplace used to consist of people who share similar cultural identity because they probably came from the same region. However, in the last century things have dramatically changed due to the changing cultural identity of the society. Immigrants, and children of mixed races are just a few examples of the reasons behind the increasing the new cultural identities in the society. The ripple effect of this change has spilled over to the workplace. Today, organizations consist of the employees of different cultural backgrounds making multicultural teams inevitable. To work effectively, diversity management has become critical and yet it has not received the attention it deserves (Seymen, 2010). Secondly, the emergence of multicultural teams has reignited the need to understand group dynamics and the challenges that they encounter. Another issue that has emerged over time is the productivity of multicultural groups. A review of the past research on the matter will assist in comprehending the how cultural diversity has influenced organizational performance and productivity. These topical issues are just a few aspects that are deliberated because they have generated mcuh research interest as witnessed in the numerous articles and books on the matter. Multicultural teams and Managing Diversity Presently, organizations are likely to encounter homogenous, bicultural, or multicultural groups. Schellweiss (2012) defines a homogenous team as one that comprises of members who share similar cultural beliefs. A bicultural team has two distinct cultural identities. A multicultural team is one where there are more than three cultural identities present. This definition acknowledges the fact that most organizations employ people from different cultural backgrounds and that a team can have a minimum of two cultural backgrounds represented. Inevitably, diversity and diversity management has become the core of the multicultural groups. One of the aspects that come out clearly in multicultural teams is ethnicity. Many local and international companies can boast of having an ethnically diverse workforce, and they appreciate what it offers to the organization especially concerning boosting its public image. However, most of the available research on ethnicity have not paid too much attention on the positive aspects of ethnicity in the workplace. Enchautegui de Jesús, Hughes, Johnston, and Oh (2010) affirm this position by pointing out that most that most of the research on ethnicity in the workplace has been limited to its psychological aspects. Additionally, a good number of the literal works available have focused their attention on ethnicity as a form social identity and self-categorization as well as its negative implications on performance. Nonetheless, there is evidence that proper management of diverse teams could result in better cooperation among employees and less conflict. The general advice seems to be fostering a national identity to manage multicultural teams effectively. This position is reiterated by Mavin and Girling (2010) who point out that one of the ways of fostering national identity is developing a multi-racism policy. Such a system works to ensure that there are no racial discrimination or favoritism practices in an organization and that all employees have access to equal opportunities at a company. These statements boost the morale of the employees and encourage cohesion in multicultural teams. However, despite the need to establish equality, diversity management especially among cross- cultural teams calls for the protection of the interests of minority groups. In a world where the majority rule is widely accepted, it is critical to protect the interests of the minorities too. Thus, in structuring high-level task forces or teams it is essential to put in place measures or policies that promote ethnic balances within such teams. The role of multicultural teams is as much an interest in organization behavior studies has it is in human resources studies because researchers in both fields have conducted complementary studies on the issue. The information has provided useful insights on practical strategies that could be used to promote multicultural teams within an organization. One of the approaches that have been noted to work is the setting up of proper communication channels. According to Klarsfeld (2010) poor communication hinders diversity within the workplace and affects the performance of multicultural teams. Therefore, it is advisable that team leaders not only create good communication channels but also understand how different people communicate. This knowledge is one of the essential cultural intelligence skills that team leaders and members ought to possess. Secondly, policy statements are important in regulating behavior of the members of a multicultural group. Having clear policy statement increases staff morale and encourages cooperation among members of a team because they are aware of the position of the team, and by extension the organization, about certain matters. Lastly, there have been calls for increase in diversity training not only as a moral imperative but also as a way of increasing cooperation among members. Bezrukuva, Jehn and Spell (2012) note that there are a variety of diversity training programs available and that each training program has managed to achieve different outcomes based on its design and structure. Moreover, according to Hogan (2012) diversity-training programs equip the trainees with the skills and knowledge that increases their competence in handling issues arising from cultural diversity. Group Dynamics and Challenges of Multicultural Teams Multicultural teams face the same challenges as ordinary teams albeit there are unique challenges that they encounter because of their diversity. To begin with, Antoniadis (2012) acknowledges that managing teams is not easy and its effective management depends on putting together the right people. Therefore, just like any other teams, the choice of members ought to be informed by their technical skills, area of expertise, and personal attributes. Despite the need to ensure diversity in the teams, managers are advised to ensure that the selection is based on merits rather than subjective cultural considerations. One of the common challenges that multicultural teams faces is ineffective conflict resolution. Owing to the divergent cultural backgrounds of the members, lack of strong leadership skills often results in conflicts as each of the members applies different approaches during task implementation. Secondly differences in value systems do contribute to increased conflicts in these types of teams. Moreover, the various theories on cultural dimensions provide an excellent platform for deciphering the possible causes of the conflict within a multicultural group. For instance, on matters regarding resource allocation Hofstede theory on cultural dimensions acknowledges the individualistic nature or tendencies of persons compared to Trompenaars who focuses on communitarianism. Thus, depending on which cultural dimension an individual leans towards, it is expected that a conflict there might arise due the competition for the limited available resources. Another example of possible areas of conflict lies in instances where members of the team have strong Universalist and particularistic values. In such cases, a conflict is likely to arise over the manner in which members are expected to follow rules or procedures when performing duties. Overall, conflict resolution in a multicultural team could be resolved through of the following approaches: either collaboration, compromise, competition, avoidance, or accommodation (Thanh, 2013). Each of these approaches has its own merits and demerits as evaluated on the time basis and ability to reinforce positive working relationships. For instance, compromises are good because each party gets at least one need fulfilled but the approach does not guarantee complete resolution of the problem. On the other hand, collaboration appears as the best since everybody’s needs is met; however, the approach is time and effort intensive and might compromise activity timelines. Productivity and Performance Massa and Zang (2010) point out that the right structure is one of the factors that promote productivity and performance within teams. Although it is not easy to come up with the right structure, having one helps members to stay connected, exercise some level of independence while at the same time being accountable. Besides, the having the right structure ensures timely resolution of conflicts. One of the indicators of performance in an organization is the rate of employee turnover. According to Firth, Mellor, Moore and Loquet (2011), businesses that adopt active ethnic workplace policies promote the existence of multicultural teams. Also, they tend to create an inclusive and varied working environment for their employees leading to low employee turnover rates. A critical evaluation of this statement shows the co-relationship between diversity and retention and how smart companies have managed to overcome the shortcomings of multicultural teams to enjoy its benefits. Thus, sound policies that encourage multicultural groups to exist lead to lower human resources costs. Another indicator of performance is the brand visibility and sales. Multicultural teams promote increased brand visibility and sales when the company portrays the right public image to its clients. Thus, many organizations have realized that an ethnically diverse workforce teams could be lead to better market performance. By taking advantage of their diversity, companies can now expand their customer base thus resulting in improved sales and overall market performance. The above benefits were found to be true a study that was conducted by Liaqat, Khan and Khan (2010). They discovered that 60% of the respondents cited that multiculturalism fostered better organizational performance especially in terms of overall growth of the business. Some of the respondents went as far as citing multiculturalism as a competitive advantage. The researchers also noted that instances of conflicts were reasonable as most of the conflicts led to positive outcomes, hence, the term productive conflicts. The findings of this study could be considered highly factual as the researchers interviewed managers, supervisors, and employees of the subject company. The results were then compared to available secondary data to establish to what extent their findings were congruent with existing literature. Therefore, the assertions drawn by this study confirm not only hypothesis about the performance benefits of multicultural teams but also provide evidence of their advantages. Multicultural teams are more productive. When Dylkiewicz (2010) conducted a study on the productivity of multicultural groups he found out that these teams are more creative, possess more skills and experience less group think. These aspects are useful indicators of productivity as they highlight the particular areas of value that these teams have an impact on. For instance, variety of skill set and productivity are correlated because the more skills the more likely that different types of work can be done. This point is demonstrated in the research findings whereby the results support Lazear theory that there is greater correlation of skills between persons of same cultures than those of a different culture. Brandes, Franck and Theiler (2009) point out that the Lazear theory believes that persons of various cultures possess different skills and knowledge. If two people are drawn from similar cultural backgrounds they are likely to correlate better than persons from varied cultural backgrounds are. However, in terms of pooling skills together, individuals from different cultural backgrounds offer a variety of skills compared to those from the same background. Besides Dylkiewicz, Crotty and Brett (2012) also assert that multicultural teams are more likely to be creative compared to mono-cultured teams. The hypothesis by the later was confirmed when they statically analyzed the responses of the interviews and found out that multi-cultured teams are positively influence creative and found out it as true. Multicultural teams demonstrate better cultural intelligence compared to mono-cultured teams (Moon, 2013). Consequently, they tend to perform better. Increased cultural intelligence is associated with better performance because a culturally intelligent person has the knowledge and skills to manage different aspects of an individual's behavior hence fostering healthy work relationships. Thus, a study by Moon reveals that teams with higher cultural intelligence tend to perform better, thereby highlighting the relationship between diversity and performance. Okoro and Washington (2013) also investigate the production benefits of workforce diversity. They note that multicultural teams promote improved performance because the practice allows companies to attract and retain the best human resource talents who in turn bring strategic benefits to the organizations. Thus, multicultural teams are associated competitive advantages owing to the strategic value that they bestow on organizations Conclusion Multicultural teams refers to a group of individuals drawn from different cultural backgrounds who have come together to fulfill a particular goal. Currently, these types of teams are common owing to the heightening globalization trends and human movements. Overall, these kinds of groups has proven to be beneficial especially in terms of boosting an organization's public image, market performance, creativity, and ability to utilize different skill sets. Thus, they have contributed towards better performance and productivity as witnessed by various positive research findings on the subject. However, their success has encountered innumerable challenges. It takes time for multicultural teams to be effective teams, thereby, their group dynamics and challenges are slightly different from that of mono-cultured teams. Thus, it calls for greater cultural intelligence among members for them to be beneficial to the organization. Nonetheless, these types of teams demonstrate the power of effective diversity management. It is critical that managers adopt strategies that foster greater unity in multicultural teams. Some of these strategies include having a multi-racism policy, protecting the interests of the minority and overall promoting a national identity. These measures allow multicultural teams to extend their benefits to the overall organizations. References Antoniadis, D. (2012). Complexity and the process of selecting project team members. Journal for the Advancement of Performance Information & Value, 4(1). Bezrukova, K., Jehn, K., & Spell, C. (2012). Reviewing Diversity Training: Where We Have Been and Where We Should Go. Academy Of Management Learning & Education, 11(2), 207-227. http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amle.2008.0090 Brandes, L., Franck, E. P., & Theiler, P. (2009). The effect from national diversity on team production-Empirical evidence from the sports industry. Schmalenbach Business Review, 61, 225-246. Crotty, S., & Brett, J. (2012). Fusing Creativity: Cultural Metacognition and Teamwork in Multicultural Teams. Negotiation And Conflict Management Research, 5(2), 210-234. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-4716.2012.00097.x Dylkiewicz, P. K. (2010). The Productivity of Multicultural Teams What is the influence of national cultural diversity? (Master's thesis, Aarhus University). Enchautegui‐de‐Jesús, N., Hughes, D., Johnston, K. E., & Oh, H. J. (2010). Well‐being in the context of workplace ethnic diversity. Journal of Community Psychology, 34(2), 211-223. Firth, L., Mellor, D. J., Moore, K. A., & Loquet, C. (2011). How can managers reduce employee intention to quit? Journal of Managerial Psychology, 19(2), 170-187. Hogan-Garcia, M. (2012). The four skills of cultural diversity competence. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole--Thomson Learning. Klarsfeld, A. (2010). International handbook on diversity management at work: Country perspectives on diversity and equal treatment. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Pub. Liaqat, A. M. (2010). Emerging Role of Teams in Multicultural Organizations (Doctoral dissertation, Blekinge Institute of Technology School of Management). Massa, M., & Zhang, L. (2010). The role of organizational structure: Between hierarchy and specialization. Submitted to the Asia-Pacific Journal of Financial Studies. Mavin, S., & Girling, G. (2010). What is managing diversity and why does it matter? Human Resource Development International, 3(4), 419-433. Moon, T. (2013). The effects of cultural intelligence on performance in multicultural teams. J Appl Soc Psychol, 43(12), 2414-2425. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12189 Okoro, E. A., & Washington, M. C. (2012). Workforce diversity and organizational communication: Analysis of human capital performance and productivity. Journal of Diversity Management (JDM), 7(1), 57-62. Thanh, N. T. (2013). Conflicts and multicultural team: Developing competencies for managers (Doctoral dissertation, LAHTI UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES). Read More