A framework for culturally diverse teams and the importance of agility: findings from a qualitative study

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the conditions for successful collaboration in culturally diverse teams from a Positive Organizational Scholarship perspective. As a result of globalization, organizations increasingly rely on culturally diverse teams. Based on 19 semi-structured interviews with international managers of a large German car manufacturer, we analyzed how these teams work together and which factors promote collaboration. Our findings result in a new framework for understanding culturally diverse teams, which indicates that agile team behavior is an important factor for performance in culturally diverse teams. Agile forms of collaboration enable better adaption to change through iterative learning processes. Agile methods have strong structural elements, but in between, allow the greatest possible scope for continuous adjustment. These structuring and flexible elements seem to meet the requirements of culturally diverse teams in particular. The minimal structure provides the opportunity to bring in all perspectives and views of a culturally diverse team. In addition, we confirm the influence of well-studied factors such as openness, perspective taking and leadership behavior. Our findings help to further sharpen the understanding of culturally diverse teams and point to a fruitful future research direction on agile behavior and cultural diversity in teams.

Keywords:

• Agility
• culturally diverse teams
• qualitative interviews
• team diversity

Disclosure statement

MG declares that she was employed by Car Inc. through an academic research position in an internal consulting unit until July 2020. FA declares that he has no competing interest.

Notes

1 We thank the anonymous reviewer for this recommendation.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marleen Granow

Marleen Granow, M.Sc., is an external PhD student at Chemnitz University of Technology. Her current research interests include cultural team diversity, agility, organizational behavior, and team processes.

Frank Asbrock

Frank Asbrock is full professor for social psychology at Chemnitz University of Technology. His main research foci are intergroup relations, social identity, prejudice reduction and political psychology.