The Impact of Cultural Value Diversity on Multicultural Team Performance

Abstract

Although cross-cultural research tends to compare deeply held values across nations, different cultures can exist within nations, as evidenced by clashes of cultures in Israel, Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. We refer to multicultural teams (MCTs) to reflect our interest in team dynamics involving people from varying cultures (which may or may not include people of different nationalities). MCTs are likely to be characterized by “cultural value diversity,” or varying cultural values among members, and we present data in support of the hypothesis that MCT performance is influenced more significantly by cultural value diversity than by the aggregated level of any particular cultural value or demographic diversity within the teams.

Citation

Kirkman, B.L. and Shapiro, D.L. (2005), "The Impact of Cultural Value Diversity on Multicultural Team Performance", Shapiro, D.L., Von Glinow, M.A. and Cheng, J.L.C. (Ed.) Managing Multinational Teams: Global Perspectives (Advances in International Management, Vol. 18), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 33-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0747-7929(05)18002-0