Leadership in Multicultural Work Environment
Ahtola, Eero (2017)
Ahtola, Eero
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017121220734
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017121220734
Tiivistelmä
During the last 10 to 20 years, globalization has become a reality for majority of businesses and companies have had to change the ways of doing business. Companies now want to grow globally and expand their businesses to cover different regions. This means the teams we work in, are growing increasingly culturally diverse. This sets new challenges for both managers and employees, yet it also creates new possibilities. Many known researchers of the subject, such as Hofstede, Trompenaars and Lewis, have found culturally diverse workforce can have positive impact in the organisation, depending how it is managed. If diversity is well managed, it can improve factors such as innovation and learning. If diversity is not managed well enough, the result might be a failure. Research help organisations to think and develop management styles in modern multi-cultural and multi-locational global teams.
Purpose of research is to identify and analyse factors that affect team performance in multicultural environment. Taken into closer consideration is leadership and cultural differences. Furthermore research will investigate how cultural differences might impact on team performance factors, such as efficient communication and group dynamics. Goal is to improve competitiveness in areas of productivity, commitment, participation and innovation.
Main findings from this research are the challenges multicultural organizations face due to cultural differences and the leadership skills needed to manage multicultural team effectively. According to interviews and questionnaires, main challenges are in communication, languages and differences in power hierarchy between cultures. The research results show that important multicultural leadership skills are effective communication, experience of different cultures, ability to act as an arbitrator between cultures and ability to motivate and encourage multicultural teams.
The target group selected to participate this research consists of employees and managers of culturally diverse teams from large global companies in technology sector.
Purpose of research is to identify and analyse factors that affect team performance in multicultural environment. Taken into closer consideration is leadership and cultural differences. Furthermore research will investigate how cultural differences might impact on team performance factors, such as efficient communication and group dynamics. Goal is to improve competitiveness in areas of productivity, commitment, participation and innovation.
Main findings from this research are the challenges multicultural organizations face due to cultural differences and the leadership skills needed to manage multicultural team effectively. According to interviews and questionnaires, main challenges are in communication, languages and differences in power hierarchy between cultures. The research results show that important multicultural leadership skills are effective communication, experience of different cultures, ability to act as an arbitrator between cultures and ability to motivate and encourage multicultural teams.
The target group selected to participate this research consists of employees and managers of culturally diverse teams from large global companies in technology sector.