Multicultural Team Analysis

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The concept of a multi-cultural team is one that can seem scary to some managers and employers because it involves a concept of bringing a diverse group together to work on important projects for the company. The diverseness of the group is something that can work well as it brings in a variety of viewpoints, experiences and personalities to round out a group, but that same diverseness can cause some problems for the team and those that manage the team. Understanding the dimensions of the team, laws and programs in place that protect diversity and how best to deal with a diverse team can make the difference between a failing team and one that is a successful endeavor for the company. Each layer of understanding will help better manage a …show more content…

According to Daft (2007), “Affirmative action programs have been successful in gaining employment for women and minorities, but the glass ceiling has kept many for obtaining top management positions” (p. 440). Most affirmative action programs target groups within a company that would be essential parts of a multi-cultural team, such as minority groups.
The fact that companies are considering the benefits of having multi-cultural teams set up within the company can show how far diversity has come in the workplace, but there are still hurtles that need to be over-come as can be seen by the problem with the glass ceiling that occurs in some companies. Successful managers should be aware of how affirmative action had worked previously in the workplace, and ensure that each member of the team is offered the same opportunities based on their performance rather than being a member of the majority or of the male gender to help keep the workplace …show more content…

The first challenge that can occur when dealing with a diverse group of people is that misunderstanding may occur. There are times when employees may give an example that they understand, but no one else in the team may get in the same way because of their cultural differences, especially if they are from different foreign countries. This could certainly be problematic for the team and would be important for managers to be able to step in to help smooth along understanding. They may be able to facilitate a better example to help address the