Advantages and Disadvantages of Multicultural Teams PDF

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Multicultural Teams...

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Management of People and Diversity at Work Advantages and Disadvantages of Multicultural Teams What is a multicultural team? Multicultural teams are “a collection of individuals with different cultural backgrounds who are interdependent on their tasks, who share responsibility for outcomes….”. (Halverson, 2008). Features of a multicultural team • Group members from different countries # • May not have met each other or worked together beforehand # • May be working virtually with team members based in different geographical locations # • Working together towards a shared goal or task Advantages • • • • • •

Different perspectives can generate better group discussion# Different knowledge and expertise # Different experiences# Improved creativity # Team members can improve communication and interpersonal skills # Team members can learn about other cultures #

Disadvantages • • • • •

Differences in communication style which may lead to poor communication. # Language barriers# Risk of stereotyping # Different work cultures # If working virtually, different timezones may cause difficulties in communication. Need to find a mutually convenient time to meet #

How to successfully manage a multicultural team • Appoint a group leader to coordinate things # • Assign tasks based on individual expertise, knowledge and preference # • If working remotely ensure meetings are held at mutually convenient times. Take into account different time zones and schedules. # • Respect cultural differences #...