New publication unveils the impact of positive attitudes towards international diversity on team outcomes

This groundbreaking study has revealed how different types of positive attitudes toward international diversity among team members can significantly influence team performance.

A recently published paper by MMTC member Timur Uman and his coauthors, conducted with 1,085 team leaders of highly globalized academic research teams in the Nordic region, provides new insights into the dynamics of diversity in a globalized work environment.

The study focuses on the interplay between openness to language diversity and openness to value diversity. The findings show that an openness to different cultural values has a strong and positive effect on team outcomes. Furthermore, in teams that are more receptive to language diversity, the positive impact of value diversity on team performance is notably enhanced.

This research, published in the European Journal of International Management (ABS2), addresses a critical gap in the existing literature. While the effects of various diversity attitudes have been explored individually, this study is the first to examine how these attitudes interact. The authors argue that one type of diversity attitude could serve as a boundary condition for the effectiveness of another, making this an important consideration for leaders of diverse teams.

The study’s findings could have significant implications for organizations seeking to optimize team performance in an increasingly globalized world.