To Work or Not to Work… in a Multicultural Team?

Abstract The main goal of the article is to present research findings regarding student’s attitude to working in a multicultural team (MCT). Research participants of different cultural background completed the research survey. Their willingness to work in MCT was measured together with factors that influence it. These include factors related to both team members and the task structure. Research findings indicate that the respondents preferred to work in MCT if the task required diversity of cognitive perspectives, e.g. in a situation requiring creative or out-of-the-box thinking. In contrast, the strongest preference for working in a single-culture team (SCT) was present in the case of tasks requiring mutual understanding among the team members and like-mindedness. In addition, it was found that the preference to work in SCT or MCT entrusted with a task with specific requirements was also related to the experience in working in such teams declared by the respondents. Conclusions and recommendations may be utilized to design methods for managerial education and training.

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