Potential and Risk of the Multicultural team and How to manage it
Content
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………1
1.1 Definition of team and multicultural team…………………………………….1
1.2 Influence of multicultural teamwork in business activity…………………….1
2. Benefits of multicultural team………………………………………………2
2.1 More familiar with the global market…………………………………………...2
2.2 More creative in developing ideas and solutions………………………………3
3. Potential conflicts in multicultural team………………………………...3
3.1 Theory of Tuckman’s group development model…………………….…4
3.2 Cultural dimensions related to conflicts…………………………………..5
3.1 Direct versus Indirect communication……………………………………….6
3.2 Trouble with accents and fluency…………………………………………….6
3.3 Differing attitudes toward hierarchy and authority…………………………7
3.4 Conflicting norms for decision making………………………………………8
4. How to manage a multicultural team…………………………………….8
5. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………10
6. Reference………………………………………………………………………..11
1. Introduction
1.1 Definition of team and multicultural team
In 1994, Stephen Robbins who is the authority in organisation behavior and work at San Diego State University business school, presented the definition of team as a formal cluster which includes the individuals who work cooperatively in order to achieve a same goal and target. And in the following decade, the idea of “team” took the world by storm. Teamwork is the sprite of voluntary co-operation and concerted efforts to be shown in order to meet the setting target. It can mobilise all source and intelligence of all members in the team, and delete the disharmony and injustice, and meanwhile to provide the appropriate feedback to the single-hearted and selfless members. When the teamwork is formed with self willing, it will generate a strong and sustainable power.
In terms of multicultural team, it is defined as three of more cultural background is represented on the ethnic
References: and Planning Guide, Irwing/Peffer and Company, pp. 107-33. Cited by Elbaz D (1998). “The management of multicultural group conflict”. Team Performance Management, Vol. 4 No. 5, 1998, pp. 230-232. Available from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1352-7592&volume=4&issue=5&articleid=882796&show=pdf [Accessed 8th May, 2011] Guilherme M, Glaser E (2010). The Intercultural Dynamics of Multicultural Working. 1st Edition. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. Available from http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=zh-TW&lr=&id=ICD-Fo4i9ukC&oi=fnd&pg=PA186&dq=why+multicultural+teamwork+exists&ots=z8BEKV-xhP&sig=Q9DFM1mxo9EzSQzI5tVmbh_7pHI#v=onepage&q=why%20multicultural%20teamwork%20exists&f=false [Accessed 5th May, 2011] Tuckman, B. W. (1965), “Developmental sequence in small groups”, Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 63 No. 6, May, pp. 384-99. Cited in Elbaz D. (1998). The management of multicultural group conflict. Team Performance Management, Vol. 4 No. 5, 1998, pp. 216-217. Available from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1352-7592&volume=4&issue=5&articleid=882796&show=pdf [Accessed 8th May, 2011] Wright and Noe, 1996 in the article of Seymen, Oya Aytemiz 2006, ‘The cultural diversity phenomenon in organisations and different approaches for effective cultural diversity management: a literary review’, Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, vol. 13, no.4, pp. 296-315.