Nebrija University Ejgil Normann Helligsøe International Management _________________________________________________________________________ Question: “ What are some potential problems that must be overcome when using multicultural, diverse teams in today’s organizations? What are some recognized advantages? Identify and discuss two of each.“ ___________________________________ The first disadvantage A significant obstacle that a multicultural and diverse team could face is communication. Understanding the different communication styles of the employees in a team is crucial - an employee from China will likely be very different communication wise compared to an employee from the UK. The Chinese employee would likely be very formal in communication while the employee from the UK would prefer things on a lighter side and include humor in her/his communication. This could lead to confusion and worst case resentment. To prevent this, a few but vital actions should be taken from the MNC: - Internal team meetings are very important. The MNC would want the team to communicate to each other about something not project related first, to find common ground - perhaps via an activity. This would create a better line of internal communication also due to growing unity within the team. - The MNC would be wise to address potential communication differences that exist within the team. For example, the MNC acknowledging and presenting the fact that the Chinese employee and the UK employee are going to experience differences when working together might prevent a potential future clash. The first advantage A clear advantage of being a multicultural team is creativity. The increase in creativity is due to individuals from different cultures working together and seeing the project or obstacle from various perspectives. The individuals of the team come with different experiences and ways of working, with this, they can feed off each other and use the input combined with their academic skills to secure the common goal. If the multicultural team can work and perform well in harmony, they will boost innovation, which over time will be profitable for the MNC. Nebrija University Ejgil Normann Helligsøe International Management The second disadvantage Another example of a problem that could damage the MNC and the team is the difference in work etiquette. As highlighted above as being a clear advantage, this can just as much be harmful to the team. The coworkers of the multicultural team bring very different values and work styles with them. Some cultures work very effectively in teams, such as Denmark, while other countries like the USA put a high emphasis on individual performance. To avoid confusion and disagreements, the MNC should: - Highlight to the team how effective their cultural differences can be when working together as a team. - Make sure all stereotypes and negative feelings towards the other cultures are completely abandoned. The second advantage Another advantage of a diverse and multicultural team is cross-cultural understanding. Markets in different countries and cultures are incredibly different. For example, marketing campaigns in the UK are very much in contrast to marketing campaigns in France, the former being filled with humor often mocking both the consumer and the product, whereas the latter focuses on the artistic perspective and showing the more beautiful phases of life. A multicultural team has the opportunity - due to their valuable insight of various cultures - to adjust campaigns and even tailor the marketing and communication strategy to a single market or to fit numerous markets. This will be very profitable to MNC and create public acceptance throughout the markets they operate in.
