Multicultural Teams & Groups
Class Discussion Discuss experiences in lego block exercise in terms of Cultural Intelligence concepts –Meta cognitive –Cognitive –Motivational –Behavioral
Working in Multi cultural Teams Meta cognitive CQ –Develop learning strategies to learn what the cultural differences in team members’ mental models of a group, a leader, etc. Cognitive CQ –Learn the content of these differences
Working in multicultural teams Motivational CQ –Persist in trying to determine what these are differences based on observation and experience with team members Behavioral CQ –Behave in ways appropriate to culture of group members
Content of differences in multi cultural teams
Points of differences in Multicultural Teams Mental model of a team Rules of interaction Rules of allocation Thomas, Earley
Mental models of a team Specific objectives vs. broad scope Voluntary membership vs involuntary role Emphasis on Group goals vs. individual goals –Social loafing
Rules of interaction Confrontational vs. face saving Hierarchical vs. egalitarian –Information sharing (Janssen & Brett) –Access to resources Relationship vs. task oriented Decision making –Collaboratively vs. individually Interacts with task?
Allocation rules Based on seniority vs. experience Rules for allocating resources or responsibilities –Need, equity, equality –Rewards depend on organizational norms
Group Composition Group Level outcomes –Advantages and disadvantages of increased cultural diversity in the group –Sub-group formation in moderately diverse groups Individual Judgments –Mental model of cultural diversity
Mental Model of Cultural Diversity Perception of self as a member of a culturally homogeneous vs. heterogeneous team Appropriateness of behavior Perceived status Perceived Cohesiveness and satisfaction Identification of self with task vs. cultural group willingness to participate Perceived level of conflict, idea sharing Cost of effort to interact (e.g., benefits of learning language etc)
Culture & Group Task Production vs. decision making groups –Tool use –Emergency Temporary, project-focused task forces need good inter-member relations because of intensity and duration of member interactions
Interaction medium for Multicultural groups AdvantagesDisadvantages Fewer language difficultiesF-t-F is preferred for complex, subtle, ambiguous messages Social information difficulties are less Work Group identity is less Group formation is slow due to asynchronous communication Cohesion is less due to lack of physical contact Technology imposes structure Quality?Time to complete task is more
Structuring Multi cultural Groups
Objectives while working in multicultural teams Need to develop a shared/hybrid multi cultural team identity based on commonalities beyond common rules of interaction and allocation Formal coordination mechanisms Participation norms Earley, Thomas
Management Support Resource Support –Member resources in terms of cultural skills Design of work –Around groups vs. around individuals Norms of culture for diversity
Management Support Norms for rewards –Equity, equality, need –Group vs. individual rewards Evaluation criteria –Encourage exploring vs. exploiting
Status of multi cultural group Cultural differences in the Degree to which membership in high status group is important for members Work Group status affects individual and group performance
Status differences within group members information access Resource access Janssen & Brett
Training Support For being effective group members Using electronic tools for interaction Cross cultural training
Empowerment vs. self management Degree to which authority is delegated to the group can have positive and negative effects –Setting direction for group to empower vs dictating work processes and procedures Feeling of empowerment > degree of self management –Empowerment = team beliefs in efficacy, task importance, task significance, autonomy –Self management=autonomy