- 06/02/2013
- Posted by: essay
- Category: Free essays
Over the last decades a lot of researches has been made to study the relationship between team diversity and performance. But the question of team diversity and it’s impact on team outcomes is not fully answered, because of different view points and opinions on this topic.
This literature review will examine some theoretical aspects, as well as study findings in literature concerning the outcomes of team diversity. This review will include some of the current literature on this topic, that
It is evident through the number of studies based on this topic that research has been going on for decades to determine the relationship between team diversity and improving performance.
The present article will focus on the development of the major views regarding the developing diversity and team diversity outcomes. First, it will review the main features of the diversity, and look at this in many aspects. Secondly, it will briefly examine the topic of Diversity and Culture, the leadership in the context of difference.
Lastly, it will look at how diversity makes a team click, so to say a conclusion of the importance of diversity.
This literature review will examine the dominant views based on this topic. This includes defining the team diversity, the good and bad sides of team diversity, and it’s main impact on the most important organizational performance. Mainly, it is necessary to study how developing innovative products, making important decisions, and improving efficiency can be influenced by the team diversity. For example, recent trends in such industry as “integrated product development” are based on the premise that organizations will be more efficient if they bring together a diverse set of experts to solve complex problems (Cagan & Vogel, 2002).
Also, it is necessary to find out if all types of diversity have similar effects on team behavior. A large and growing literature on group diversity suggests that different types of diversity have contrasting effects; while positive effects are
driven by diverse teams’ access to more information, negative effects of diversity are mainly driven by social
processes: low cohesion and social categorization, interfering with the teams’ ability to capitalize on increased information.( Kristina B. Dahling)
Diversity is about empowering people, and it makes an organization effective by capitalizing on all of the strengths of each employee (Nadler, Leonard 1984). It is based on certain laws and policies, though just enforcing government regulations will not lead to better results and success. But for achieving better results it is necessary to grow a work-force from individuals into teams, in order to use full potential of every individual. But team is not just a group as a number of individuals, who are working to achieve their own goals. A team is “a collection of individuals working towards a common goal or vision, team members understand each other and support each other, and their main goal is to see the team accomplish its mission”. (Developing diversity)
So the article stresses on the necessity of using the synergy effect of teams, in order to create a competitive advantage over other organizations. It also points that the most important thing to built a good team is to embrace diversity – that is a challenge. Embracing diversity means tolerating differences in people and supporting their working in team by: “developing an atmosphere where all employees can ask for help, actively seeking information from people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, including everyone on the problem solving and decision making process, creating a team spirit where every member feels a part of team”.(Developing diversity).
It is necessary to point the main factors of better performance using the team diversity. Such researches as Nadler, Leonard (1994) point such activities as Human Resources Development (HRD), that includes courses about the organization, safety course, computer networking, and on-the-job (OJT) training. HRD will help to develop necessary skills: diversity, communication, skills that allows people to understand each other and develop good team skills.( Nadler, Leonard 1994)
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