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1. INTRODUCTION

Multicultural teams have become very common in recent years. With cross border mobility

becoming much easier the number of people moving from one country to another has grown

significantly. This has also led to more people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds

intermarrying. Their children could be born and grow up in different countries and have

hybrid cultural identities. Globalization and the advances in communication and

transportation technology have reduced trade barriers and increased interaction among

people.

Multicultural teams have become more common in our organizations, and contemporary

international management literature has identified that the management of multicultural teams

is an important aspect of human resource management. Recent studies have focussed on the

positive effects of using multicultural teams, for example, Earleyand Mosakowski (2000)

stated that multicultural teams are used because they are perceived to out-perform

monoculture teams, especially when performance requires multiple skills and judgement.

However, there has been little research into construction-specific multicultural teams, and

many construction organisations, although expanding into global operations do not fully

appreciate the implications and are often unable to respond to cultural factors affecting their

project teams.

1.1 Objective of the diploma paper

To explain challenges faced by Multicultural team and how to manage them

To give recommendations on effective management of multicultural team.

1.2 Significant of the study

To explain to which extent the multicultural team can be managed

To explain to which extent the multicultural team diversity can be used for the

benefit of the organization.

2. Background of the Problem

The nature of our workplaces has changed. We have moved away from the

monochromic make-up of our offices to one that is now coloured by team members from all

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over the world. With this new multicultural make-up come differences in cultures which in

turn bring differences in areas such as communication styles, approach to time, managerial

styles and a plethora of other cross cultural differences. In Tanzania there is more than 122

ethnic groups and each group has its own culture and in one office is obvious to find more

than five ethnic group work together. In such kind of an office it needs a leader who is

competent enough in management of multicultural team/workers.

Cultural differences manifest in many ways. Within a multicultural team, a person's

cultural background will impact how they act and behave. There will be differences in areas

such as communication, attitude to towards conflict, approaches to task completion and

decision making styles. Unless people come to realise these differences between them

through cultural awareness, problems can continue and even intensify. Most of leaders in

Tanzania are not competent enough to lead such group of people hence it leads to most of

staffs to drop out their job.

After working with different team members with different culture I realized that

Cultural awareness is now crucial if multicultural teams within working place are going to

maximise their potential. Although cross cultural differences do not always cause obvious

problems, it is their more subtle manifestations that can and do lead to a lack of clear

communication and poor performance. Also culture doesn’t always have to be about race

ethnicity or religion, culture also encompasses how a group may identify themselves.

3. MANAGEMENT OF MULTICULTURAL TEAM

3.1 What is Multicultural Team?

Multicultural team is a team with members coming from more than one culture.. And this is

what is happening now in different working places. On other hand there is increasing

attention being paid to the importance of multi-cultural teams, i.e. working teams within

international business that can benefit from as wide a knowledge and understanding as

possible of the different cultures that have a bearing on the world of commerce. As

recruitment of managers becomes more global, the prevalence of multi-cultural teams

becomes greater; there is a consequent need to analyze how these teams work and understand

their strengths and weaknesses.

3.2 Types of Multicultural diversity in teams

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Multicultural teams can be divided into three types, Token teams having a single member

from another culture, bicultural teams having members from two cultures and Multicultural

teams having members from three or more cultures.

TokenTeams

In token teams all but one member comes from the same background. In the last

decades, predominantly male management teams began to pay considerable attention

to the few, often token, female members. Today many corporations focus significantly

more attention on leveraging the potential contribution of their token ethnic members.

Bicultural Teams

In bicultural teams, two or more members represent each of two distinct cultures.

Bicultural teams must continually recognize and integrate the perspectives of both

representative cultures. If the team has an equal number of members from each

culture, the culture of the group with the most representatives is likely to dominate.

Multicultural Team

In multicultural teams, members represent three or more ethnic background. Today,

an increasing number of corporate task forces are globally distanced teams, that is,

teams composed of members from around the world who meet electronically. The

economic and political power structure of the representative members moderates the

team’s dynamics and therefore, its effectiveness. To perform most effectively

Multicultural teams need to recognize and integrate all represented cultures

Cultural Diversity’s Impact on teams

Cultural diversity can have positive and negative impact on teams’ productivity.

Diversity augments potential productivity while greatly increasing the complexity of

processes members must manage for the team to realize its full potential.

Multicultural teams have the potential to achieve higher productivity than

homogeneous teams, but they also risk experiencing greater losses due to faulty

process. As shown in the following model, actual productivity of multicultural teams

can therefore be higher, lower or the same as that of single culture teams.

(↓or↑) Actual = (↑) Potential - (↑) Losses due to

Productivity Productivity faulty process

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Multicultural teams, for example, can have multiple perspectives on any given situation, thus

potentially increasing their insight and, consequently experience greater difficult than their

homogenous counterparts in integrating and evaluating these perspectives, thus causing

losses in productivity due to fault process.

3.3 CONDITION FOR HIGH- PERFORMING MULTICULTURAL TEAMS

Multicultural teams can potentially become the most effective and productive teams in an

organization. Unfortunately, they frequently become the least productive.

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The diagram above shows the relative productivity of a series of four – to six-member

problem –solving teams. Culturally diverse teams often perform either more or less

effectively than their single culture counterparts. What differentiates the most effective from

the least effective teams? Why are culturally diverse teams usually either more or less

effective than single culture teams but rarely equally effective?

Highly productive and less- productive teams differ in how they manage their diversity, not

as is commonly believed, in the presence or absence of diversity in the team. When well

managed, diversity becomes an asset and a productive resource for the team. When ignored,

diversity causes process problems that diminish the team’s productivity. Because diversity is

more frequently ignored than well managed, culturally diverse teams often perform below

expectations and below organizational norms.

3.4 Management of multicultural team

Task –Related selection

While acknowledging the team’s diverse cultural background, leader should not select

member solely based on their ethnicity but rather primary for their task related

abilities. To maximize team effectiveness, members should be selected to be

homogeneous in ability levels (thus facilitating accurate communication) and

heterogeneous in attitudes (thus ensuring a wide range of solutions to problem)

Recognizing Differences

Teams should not ignore or minimize cultural differences; many barriers to

intercultural communication are due to ignorance of cultural differences rather than a

rejection of those differences. Teams therefore cannot begin to enhance

communication without first recognizing and then understanding and respect cross-

cultural differences. Research indicates that “culturally trained leaders, regardless of

leadership style achieve higher level of performance and rapport than do non-trained

leaders”. To enhance the recognition of differences, team members should first

describe each culture present without either interpreting or evaluating it. Before

beginning to increase understanding and respect, team members must become aware

of their own stereotypes and the ways in which they might inadvertently limit the

expectation of fellow team members from other cultures. Once members begin to

recognize actual differences that is, once they can differentiate their stereotypes from

the actual personalities and behaviour of team members (cultural description) they

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can begin to understand why members from other cultures think, feel and act the way

they do (cultural interpretation). Subsequently, they can ask what members from each

culture can contribute and how their contributions complement those of other

members (cultural creativity). In this way, creating effective multicultural teams

follows the same process as creating cultural synergy.

Establishing a Vision or Super ordinate Goal

Members of diverse teams generally have more difficulty agreeing on their purpose

and task than do members of homogenous teams. Global alliances often become

trouble because partners from different countries do not clearly understand each

other’s intent, their purpose, gaols and strategy because they are initially unable to

communicate with each other. This misunderstanding happens in part because teams

set their overall purpose during the initial stage of team development, the stage during

which individual differences tend to dominate and often interfere with team cohesion.

To maximize effectiveness, leaders need to help teams agree on their vision or super

ordinate goal, goal that transcends individual differences. Super ordinate goals are

often defined broadly, thus giving general direction and focus to the team’s

subsequent activities. Super ordinate goals that require collaboration and cooperation

usually decrease prejudice and increase mutual respect. This is particularly true when

team members require the continued support of their colleagues to achieve results

important to all cultures, as well as to the overall organization.

Equalizing Power

Teams generally produce more and better ideas if all members participate. Cultural

dominance (Disproportionate power vested in members of one culture over those

from other cultures) is therefore counterproductive because is stifles no dominant

team members’ contribution. In multinational teams, leaders must guard against

vesting disproportionate power in host-country members, members of the same

nationality as the employing organization, members from the most technologically

advanced or economically developed countries, or members wit ideologies most

consonant with their own. Team leaders should manage the distribution of power

according to each member’s ability to contribute to the task, not according to some

preconceived gradient of relative cultural superiority.

Creating Mutual Respect

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Ethnocentrism reflects a “view of things in which in which ones own group is the

centre of everything and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it”. Prejudice

refers to judging other groups as inferior to one’s own. Equal status, close contact,

and cooperative efforts toward a common goal decrease prejudice. The greater the

opportunity for interethnic contacts, the less prejudiced and more frequent the

development of cross-ethnic acceptance and friendship. For most teams to work

effectively, members must respect each other. Team leaders can enhance mutual

respect by selecting members of equal ability. Making prior accomplishments and

task-related.

Giving Feedback

Give the different perspectives present, culturally diverse teams have more trouble

than do single – culture teams in agreeing collectively on what constitutes a good or

bad idea or decision .Where as single culture teams rapidly develop judgment criteria

based on members’ similar values, multicultural teams usually experience difficulty

and delay before eventually reaching agreement. To encourage effective functioning,

managers should give team members positive feedback on their process and output

both as individuals and as a team early in the team’s life. Positive external feedback

(give by the team leader or a senior manager who is not on the team) generally aids

the team in viewing itself as a team, while additionally serving to teach team

members to value its diversity, recognize contributions made by each member, and

trust the team’s collective judgment.

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Management of multicultural team is not a simple task that everyone can do it, one need

to be intercultural competent in knowledge, skills and sensitivity of cultures .

4. THE USE OF ( DMIS) DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL OF

INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY IN MANAGEMENT OF

MULTICUTURAL TEAM

The Developmental of Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) was created as a frame

work to explain the observed and report experiences of people in intercultural situations.

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From The above diagram, each stage is indicative of a particular worldview configuration,

and certain kinds of attitudes and behaviour are typically associated with each such

configuration. The DMIS is not a model of changes in attitudes and behaviour; rather it is a

model of the development of cognitive structure.

The first three DMIS stages are ethnocentric, meaning that one’s own culture is experienced

as central to reality in some way. In the denial stage, one’s own culture is experienced as the

DMIS

ETHENOCENTRIC STAGE

DENIAL

MINIMIZATION

DEFENCE

ETHENORELATIVE STAGE

ACCEPTANCE

ADAPTATION

INTERGRATION

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only real one, and consideration of other cultures is avoided by maintaining psychological or

physical isolation from differences. In the defence stage, one’s own culture (or an adopted

culture) is experienced as the only good one, and cultural difference is denigrated. In

minimization, elements of one’s own culture worldview are experienced a s universal, so that

despite acceptable surface differences with other cultures, essentially those cultures are

similar to one’s own

The second three DMIS stages are ethnorelative meaning that one’s own culture is

experienced in the context of other cultures. In acceptance other cultures are included in

experience as equally complex but different constructions of reality. In adaptation, one

attains the ability to shift perspective in and out of another cultural worldview; thus one’s

experience of someone in another culture. In integration, one’s experience of self is

expanded to include movement in and out of different cultural worldviews.

Organizational Implications of Denial

When a significant number of people in an organization have worldviews at one of the DMIS

stages, the organization can be said to be characterized by that stage. What constitutes a

significant number may depend on a number of factors, such as the formal and informal

power of those particular people and the extent to which they constitute a critical mass in the

organization. An organization characterized by denial is basically ignorant about cultural

issues even though it may be quite sophisticated in its technical business. If any preparation

for international cross-cultural contact is offered at all, it is basic language training. Since

domestic diversity is usually not defined in cultural terms, no diversity work beyond basic

training in the legal aspects of diversity is likely to be offered. Such organizations are

susceptible to being blindsided by political or legal action around race, gender and

immigration issues. There probably is no systematic recruitment of a diverse workforce, and

any cultural diversity that does exist is defined as a problem. Needless to say, this kind of

organization does not have access to cultural diversity as a resource, either internationally or

domestically.

Organizational Implications of Minimization

Organizations characterized by minimization may overstate their sensitivity to diversity

issues, claiming to be tolerant and colour-blind. This leads to poor retention of workforce

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diversity, since people from no dominant cultural groups often interpret these claims as

hypocritical, an extreme emphasis on corporate culture creates strong pressure for culture

conformity, which generates an atmosphere of assimilation domestically and creates

international antagonisms where the corporate culture clashes with local cultures.

Organizational Implications of acceptance

Organizations characterized by acceptance recognize the value of diversity and make active

efforts to recruit and retain a diverse workforce. There is likely to be lively discussion about

what changes should be made in policy and procedures to accommodate the more

multicultural workforce. International marketing and training efforts acknowledge the local

cultural context, but appropriate action may be unclear. Managers are encouraged to

recognize cultural skills. In other words, the organization in acceptance knows how to talk the

talk and they do so with sincerity, if not with much sophistication.

Organizational Implication of adaptation

Organizations characterized by adaptation encourage educational training for executives and

managers in both the mindset and skill set of intercultural competence. Typically, upper level

executives take a leading role in supporting intercultural development in the organization. A

strong climate of respect for diversity leads to high retention of diversity in the workforce.

Both domestic and international cultural differences are routinely used as resources in

multicultural teams.

Organizational Implication of Integration

Organizations characterized by integration are truly multicultural and global. Every policy,

issues, and action is examined in its cultural context and assessed for its strengths and limits.

Policies and procedures, including performance appraisal, include accommodations and

rewards for using diversity effectively. There is little emphasis on the ethnicity or national

identity of the organization; although it’s cultural roots and influences are recognized.

5. CHALLENGES IN MANAGING MULTICUTURAL TEAM

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From collected data through interviews, questionnaire and observation I found out there are a

lot of challenges in multicultural teams once come into management. Most of the

management team does not know how to manage such kind of groups. The following are

some of the challenges;-

1. Losses Due to fault process in culturally diverse team

Diversity makes team functioning more challenging because team members find it more

difficult to see, understand and act on situations in similar ways. Diversity makes reaching

agreement more difficult. Team members from similar cultures find it easier to communicate

clearly with one another and trust one another more readily. In culturally diverse teams,

misperception, miscommunication, misinterpretation and misevaluation abound. Because

members of multicultural teams more frequently disagree on expectations, the

appropriateness of relevant information, and the need for particular decisions, they generally

experience higher level of stress than do homogeneous teams. Diversity increases the

ambiguity, complexity, and inherent confusion in team processes. Process losses diminish

productivity.

2. Attitudinal problems: Dislike and Mistrust

Members of culturally diverse teams express higher level of mistrust than do their more

homogenous counterparts. Team members often find themselves more attracted to people

from their own culture than to people from other culture. Mistrust, another problem in

multicultural teams, results primary from inadvertent cross-cultural misinterpretation rather

than actual dislike.

3. Perceptual Problems: Stereotyping

Team members often inappropriately stereotype colleagues from other cultures rather than

accurately seeing and assessing their skills and potential contributions from accomplishing a

particular task for instance, team members generally talk more to colleagues from higher

status cultures than those from lower status cultures. They assume, usually subconsciously,

that national stereotypes apply to individual team members.

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4. Communication Problems: Inaccuracy, Misunderstanding, and Inefficiency

Diversity causes problems by disrupting communication. When all members do not fluently

speak the team’s language, communication is slowed down. In linguistically diverse group,

some members must speak a foreign language or use an interpreter. Both diminish

communication speed and increase the chances for errors.

Team members from diverse cultures often disagree over the meaning of important issues,

such as the cause of particular events, how to determine admissible evidence, how to assess

the relevance of specific information, and the possible conclusions that can be drawn. On

many teams, disagreement remains implicit and, therefore, hidden, members assume they

interpret things similarly when in fact the opposite is true.

5.RECOMMENDATION

1. Flexibility is the key to working in a multicultural environment; the work

environment always demands flexibility on your part, but in a multicultural

environment the adaptation becomes all the more important. The flexibility that is so

important in dealing with anything that does not confirm to our own beliefs ensures

your co-workers feel you are not judging them by religion or race, in a work

environment, and as humans, their personal qualities and the value of their work

matters, never the colour of their skin.

2. Develop understanding for different cultures and values and respect those

differences. There are religious practices, some people do not eat a certain type of

meat based on religious beliefs, some do not eat meat at all and some try everything.

As a team member you have to learn to not look down on anyone who does not

confirm to your beliefs and it never hurts to go out of the way to accommodate others

at times, if its Easter festival for your Hindu colleague, or Eid celebrations for a

Muslim colleague, you can win them over by covering for them while they join their

families for the day and you can convey your sincerity that way too.

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2. Do not overkill with sweeping generalizations . Quite often when you are dealing

with people, you come to know that the stereotypes are very fallible. Look around you

in the same culture as you have and you will not find everyone confirming to your

views so do not expect all Africans or all European co-workers to be similar. Use the

stereotypes but only to get a vague idea of what a person might be like, the rest you

still have to get to know through observation and interaction.

3. Regardless of the religion, ethnic or cultural background of a person, everyone

has to be treated ‘fairly’. People should always be chosen for specific tasks and in

lead roles for their capabilities alone. If, for instance, an Asian, or an African is the

suitable choice for the team lead over a predominantly European workforce, fairness

demands that the person gets the task he deserves. It is the task of the management

and the individuals in the team to make sure they do not treat their new team leader

with less respect than they would give to another European. The easier way in terms

of maintaining the status quo is thought to be giving the lead to the next best person

for the job when a minority representative qualifies for a team lead; this however

means your work environment is already racially charged.

4. Do not impose your own set of values on others; it is the easiest way to lose respect

in a multicultural environment because values usually are what you grow up with and

every individual has the intrinsic need to defend them. Be ready to take constructive

feedback instead.

5. Remember that differences of culture or values should not be reason for

communication gaps. This point relates to the preceding one as well, since it means

you have to make an effort to find ways to set others at ease around you. If you have

someone on the team who has ideas but cannot communicate them it is up to you to

make sure the team do not suffer because of it. Learn to listen well and give others the

confidence to be able to communicate with you by showing respect. Give people the

chance to communicate their views, share your own, and as with any discussion, it is

important to let the other person know you are listening and thinking over their views

too. Be open minded in accepting logic never-ever tell people their views are

‘wrong’. There are many more diplomatic words in use that can save face for the

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other person as well as let logic rule the discussion. If you can be that courteous and

can show respect you are building bridges without losing anything.

6. Win friends. Whatever culture you belong to, the idea is to be sincere towards your

fellow workers. If you win their trust, you usually win friends too who will usually in

turn try to accommodate you as much as possible. Remember, friendship and

respect is common to all cultures.

7. Find out what motivates the individuals in your team and you can solve half the

problems in your workplace through intelligent use of that knowledge while raising

them above the normal day to day though processes. If I am motivated towards a goal,

and if I think it is achievable, I will feel I have stakes in the whole project, its then

those things really start to fall in place.

8. Create a sense of awareness in your workplace about the diversity of your team and

about the workplace problems such as racism, etc. You and your colleagues should

know about the signs of things starting to go wrong. Unless you educate yourself

about a problem, there is a huge chance that you will not have thought on the matter

before you make a mistake, or come into contact with anyone who commits racist

acts, or passes racist comments which go unchecked.

9. Never think ethnic jokes or insults to be trivial; what may look like an insignificant

little comment to you can be detrimental to another person’s peace of mind. A bad

joke can make or break the cohesion of your team so be sure that your work

environment is free or racial or religious or even sexual bias, if someone violates the

policies on those matters, it is a very serious offense and it should be dealt as such so

the message goes out to the offender as well as the person targeted.

10. Some people do need special attention. Treating everyone the same way does not

always constitute a fair behaviour, humans are diverse, and so are our cultures and our

capabilities. If you are talking to a person with minimal English skills, which do not

negatively affect his work, the same way you would talk to someone whose native

language is English, you are being unfair to the non native speaker. Give those who

need space, more room to manoeuvre, give them special attention and use their

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capabilities by making sure they understand the goals completely instead of falling to

prey to a false sense of fairness. And of course, always-always, back your oral

communication about the project with written communication that can be looked

at if someone does not understand perfectly or forgets a point. That holds for all

teams.

11. Mere words are not enough; you may say a lot about how you understand different

cultures or how you respect them, but your deeds and your decision making is your

best spokesperson. What you do and how you behave shows your actual views. If you

say everyone in the team is equal in your eyes and yet you end up ridiculing another’s

culture you are practically showing your words meant nothing. Very few people can

judge the intentions behind your comment so even if you did not mean to insult a

culture the point remains; make it a habit to weigh your words before you speak in

a multicultural environment, very little is needed to spark corrosive hatred amongst

people when it comes to racial comments or disrespectful statements about another’s

religion or values.

12. Periodical work environment reviews can be helpful in finding out what problems,

if any, people are facing in your office regarding how they are treated because of their

race, religion or culture. These candid reviews or questionnaires can help the

management gauge where they stand in forming a positive and diverse work

environment. Based on the views of different people in the office, you can

then implement ways to solve the problems faced. And let’s face it, some people

will be troublemakers all the way but the management will at least have the chance to

find out how they can tackle that person and when held in the balance, if the team

should try to integrate him or should he be sent packing to raise the team again. A real

‘team’ will always be bigger than the individual because there is so much more

potential to excel.

13. Don’t let personality or cultural clashes ruin your work

environment. Multinational NGOs, or those hiring multicultural teams, often have

problems with one cultural group at loggerheads with another cultural group or even

an individual. The idea is to install the spirit in your team to stick together irrespective

and above considerations of cultural differences. Cohesion comes from association,

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mutual respect plus the sharing of good and bad times together, so make sure you are

a part of a cohesive whole . If you are a project manager, your team needs you to lift

it and share time together, if you are just a member of a diverse and multicultural

team, be sure to still try and develop a relationship with your fellow workers.

Remember that not all cultures enjoy the same type of food. There will be members

who are prohibited in their religion to drink alcohol, make sure they have a drink they

would rather have instead when you toast success, just showing your desire to

accommodate the other members in the team does a lot to break the ice. After that, it

is up to you to make sure it never gets that cold in your workplace again.

6. CONCLUSION

Building multicultural teams is about increasing awareness and tolerance, and eliminating, or

at least diminishing, resistance and even conflict. Some of the team-building strategies

familiar to Tanzanian NGOs may work, but multicultural teams have unique characteristics.

Learning to use these productively will benefit team and entire organization. On the other

hand I can say our working environment is like rainbow, every colour is unique, every colour

is pretty when used right but it can appear quite ugly when misused. A diverse, multicultural

work environment is the same; it needs to be handled well to be effective just as the rainbow

looks pretty in the order it is, but if you put colours together without considering their

individuality or their role in the whole, the end product would be signify chaos instead of

perfect beauty.