How to improve the performance of multicultural teams? Diversity as a source of social value
Abstract
Understanding of workplace cultural diversity is still limited (Jang, 2017). This study responds to the need detected (Arslan et al., 2021) to better analyze the relationship between the performance of multicultural teams and the characteristics of their members. We present an analysis of the influence of transformational leadership, previous international experience, cultural sensitivity and adaptation to the team about its performance. The information has been obtained from 415 members of multicultural teams. The statistical tests carried out include a confidence and validity analysis of the EQS, an ANOVA analysis to identify the significant measured differences through the comparison of the means of the samples and a regression analysis to test the hypotheses. The number of nationalities, the stage of the project, gender and organizational support have been variables of control in the empirical model. Regarding the group of members, the results confirm that there is a positive relationship between transformational leadership, previous international experience, cultural sensitivity, adaptation and the general performance of the team. The leaders, by contrast, only consider cultural sensitivity as an important factor affecting performance.
Received: 22 October 2021
Accepted: 14 February 2022
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