KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE PROCESSES IN MULTICULTURAL TEAMS: LINKING ORGANIZATIONAL DIVERSITY CLIMATES TO TEAMS' EFFECTIVENESS

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Hajro, Aida; Gibson, Cristina B.; Pudelko, Markus
• 署名单位: Brunel University; University of Western Australia; Eberhard Karls University of Tubingen
• 刊物名称: ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0001-4273
• DOI: 10.5465/amj.2014.0442
• 发表日期: 2017
• 页码: 345-372
• 关键词: cultural-diversity; work; management; Heterogeneity; ADVANCEMENTS; performance; DYNAMICS; MODEL; time

摘要

We developed a model illuminating team knowledge exchange processes as a key link between organizational diversity climate and the effectiveness of multicultural teams (MCTs). Our analysis is based on 143 in-depth interviews and extensive observations of team interactions that occurred in 48 teams from 11 companies. Our findings revealed that teams that oscillated between assertive and cooperative knowledge exchange processes were more effective. We also found such dual processes were more prevalent in organizations that had an engagement-focused diversity climate characterized by utilization of diversity to inform and enhance work processes based on the assumption that cultural differences give rise to different knowledge, insights, and alternative views. Based on our findings we developed specific propositions about optimizing MCT knowledge-exchange processes to guide future research and practice.