TACKLING THE CHALLENGES IN MULTICULTURAL TEAMS: CHALLENGES CONFRONTED BY MANAGERS AND THE SOLUTIONS THEY DELIVER

Abstract

Purpose- This study aims to explore the challenges confronted by executive managers while managing multicultural teams, and the solutions they deliver to cope with these matters. Comprehending these challenges from the standpoint of managers is what it is aimed to accomplish.

Methodology- Criterion sampling method, which is a kind of purposive sampling method, was employed in the study. The data for the study was collected through 14 in-depth interviews directed to executive managers of MNCs operating in Turkey. The questions that generated our data consisted of open-ended questions. The statements of managers were analyzed by content analysis and sorted into conceptually corresponding categories. These categories and solutions based upon manager’s experiences were presented accordingly.

Findings- Implications indicate that ineffective communication and misunderstandings, different working styles and expectations of group members, and intolerance and lack of knowledge related to diversity are the most frequent challenges confronted by managers. On the other hand, in order to cope with these challenges, managers offer to embrace diversity while encouraging group members to acknowledge it, become approachable and eager to learn more, and last but not least it was offered to communicate in the simplest form.

Conclusion- To sum up briefly, successful managers are expected to possess the competency to adapt different management styles and they are also expected to be flexible enough to switch from one to another.

Keywords

• Multicultural teams,management,cross-cultural management,international business,multinational companies

References

1. Adler, N. J. (2002). International dimensions of organizational behavior, (4th ed.). Cincinnati, OH: Southwestern.
2. Aritz, J., Walker, R. C. (2014). Leadership styles in multicultural groups: Americans and East Asians working together. International Journal of Business Communication, vol. 51, no. 1, p. 72-92.
3. Behfar, K., Kern, M., Brett, J. (2006). Managing challenges in multicultural teams. In National culture and groups. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, p. 233-262.
4. Bettenhausen, K., Murnighan, J. K. (1985). The emergence of norms in competitive decision-making groups. Administrative Science Quarterly, p. 350-372.
5. Brett, J. M. (2007). Negotiating globally: how to negotiate deals, resolve disputes, and make decisions across cultural boundaries. John Wiley & Sons, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
6. De Dreu, C. K. W., Weingart, L. R. (2003). Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: a meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 88, no. 4, p. 741–749.
7. Dunning, J. H. (2002). Global capitalism, FDI and competitiveness (vol. 2). Edward Elgar Publishing.
8. Ely, R. J., Thomas, D. A. (2001). Cultural diversity at work: the effects of diversity perspectives on work group processes and outcomes. Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 2, p. 229-273.

9. Halverson, C. B., Tirmizi, S. A. (Eds.). (2008). Effective multicultural teams: theory and practice (vol. 3). Springer Science & Business Media.
10. Helvacıoğlu, N., Özutku, H. (2010). Kültürel farklılıkların yönetiminde insan kaynakları stratejilerinin rolü: IKEA Örneği. Yönetim Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 8, no. 1.
11. Hofstede, G. (1991). Organizations and cultures: software of the mind. McGrawHill, New York.
12. Jarvenpaa, S. L., Leidner, D. E. (1999). Communication and trust in global virtual teams. Organizational Science, vol. 10, no. 6, p. 791–816.
13. Jehn, K. A., Northcraft, G. B., Neale, M. A. (1999). Why differences make a difference: a field study of diversity, conflict and performance in workgroups. Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. 44, no. 4, p. 741-763.
14. Kirchmeyer, C., Cohen, A. (1992). Multicultural groups: their performance and reactions with constructive conflict. Group & Organization Management, vol. 17, no. 2, p. 153–170.
15. Lisak, A., Erez, M. (2015). Leadership emergence in multicultural teams: the power of global characteristics. Journal of World Business, vol. 50, no. 1, p. 3-14.
16. Mäkilouko, M. (2004). Coping with multicultural projects: the leadership styles of Finnish project managers. International Journal of Project Management, vol. 22, no. 5, p. 387-396.
17. Marquardt, M., Horvath, L. (2001). Global teams: how top multinationals span boundaries and cultures with high-speed teamwork. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publishing.
18. Marshall, M. N. (1996). Sampling for qualitative research. Family Practice, vol. 13, no. 6, p. 522-526.
19. Matveev, A., Milter, R. (2004). The value of intercultural competence for performance of multicultural teams. Team Performance Management, vol. 10 no. 5/6, p. 104–111.
20. Molinsky, A. (2013). Global dexterity: how to adapt your behavior across cultures without losing yourself in the process. Harvard Business Review Press.
21. Palys, T. (2008). Purposive sampling. In L. M. Given (Ed.) The Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. (vol.2). Sage: Los Angeles, p. 697-698.
22. Ramthun, A. J., Matkin, G. S. (2012). Multicultural shared leadership: a conceptual model of shared leadership in culturally diverse teams. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, vol. 19, no. 3, p. 303-314.
23. Sekaran, U., Bougie, R. (2017). Research methods for business: a skill building approach. John Wiley & Sons.
24. Stahl, G. K., Maznevski, M., Voigt, A., Jonsen, K. (2010). Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: a meta-analysis of research on multicultural work groups. Journal of International Business Studies, vol. 41, p. 690-709.
25. Thomas, D. C. (1999). Cultural diversity and work group effectiveness: an experimental study. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, vol. 30 no. 2, p. 242-263.
26. Williams, K. Y., O'Reilly III, C. A. (1998). Demography and diversity in organizations: a review of 40 years of research. Research in Organizational Behavior, vol. 20, p. 77-140.