Dimensions Of Diversity

Abstract

Prior research has led to inconsistent findings concerning the impact diversity has on team learning. Building on the base of the categorization elaboration model (CEM), this thesis will investigate the effects different dimensions of diversity have on the learning process of teams in a multinational context. Therefore, a framework visualizing the effects more comprehensible is developed. Three dimensions of diversity, namely cultural, national, and linguistic diversity are regarded. Interdependence, social identity, team need for cognition, and further moderators are identified and evaluated. This thesis contributes to the literature on management in general and on literature concerning diversity, the composition of working teams,

It contributes to research by introducing a framework, build on the framework of Van Knippenberg and colleagues (2004), showing the source of the inconsistent findings about the impact of diversity examined by so far, and the team learning theory of information use (Gibson, 2001). For the purpose of a clear understanding the key terminology will be defined first. Afterwards, an overview over different dimensions of diversity will be given and important theories of team learning will be elaborated. Explaining the impact of diversity on multinational team learning, three approaches will be defined before this thesis will come up with the framework that gives a conspectus of the moderators and mediators influencing the effects of diversity on the team learning processes. A short discussion will provide the reader with beneficial implications concerning the theories as well as managerial decisions, before a conclusion will be drawn to sum up the

Differences are observed on any attribute and considered to be divergent from the attributes of one self (Williams & O’Reilly, 1998). Several empirical studies did not respond to the crucial awareness of the existence of different levels of diversity. Taking into account that different levels of diversity offer the possibility to explain the contradictory findings resulting from diversity to this date, this thesis builds on a theory explained by Jackson, May and Whitney (1995). The level distinction is made between surface-level diversity and deep-level diversity. Surface-level diversity is not directly task-related like nationality, gender, age, and additional demographic facts which are obvious. In comparison, deep-level diversity is a more directly task-related form of diversity like informational and cognitive diversity. Aiming to analyze the effects of diversity on team learning, this thesis also distinguishes between different dimensions of diversity as presented in the following (Harrison, Price & Bell,