Effective Intercultural Workgroup Communication Theory (John G. Oetzel)
BLUE
TEAM
Culturally diverse groups
Disadvantage:- More group process difficulty (tension, conflict)
Advantage:+ Infusion of different ideas & approaches to solving problems
If managed properly, diversity is a benefitMcLeod, Lobel & Cox, 1996; Watson, Kumar & Michaelsen, 1993)
With no leader
Members need to monitor the communication process and provide feedback
This is how Blue Team will help
Dimensions of group effectiveness (Hackman 1990)
• Task dimension– Degree to which the group’s productive output meets
the standards of quality or quantity• Relational dimension
– Degree to which the group’s processes enable the group to work together interdependently in the future
• Personal dimension– Degree to which the group experience contributes to
the well-being of team members
Task effectiveness is more associated to independent self-construalRelational effectiveness is more associated to interdependent self-construal.Personal effectiveness is associated with both
Culture and communication are related recursively
Culture emerges in interaction
Communication must be repeated before impacting culture
ModelGROUP
Situations FeaturesHistory of unresolved conflict
Ingroup/OutgroupCooperative/Competitive tasks
Equal/Unequal status
Person # 1Individualism/Collectivism
Self-Construals
Face Concerns
Person # 2Individualism/Collectivism
Self-Construals
Face Concerns
Person # 3Individualism/Collectivism
Self-Construals
Face ConcernsGroup Communication
ProcessesTurn Taking/Participation
Decision MakingCooperative Conflict Behavior
Respectful Communicaiton
OutcomesTask effectiveness
Relational effectiveness
Propositions synthesizedThe more a group utilizes effective communication processes the more likely the group will achieve:1. task effectiveness2. relational effectiveness
Impacts on effective communication experience - Negative contextual factors within the group - Cultural diversity- Individualistic/independent (utilize dominating conflict strategies)
+ Collectivistic/interdependent (utilize collaborating conflict strategies)
+ Collectivistic (utilize equal participation)
+ Individualistic (more likely they will take turns)
+ Other- or mutual- rather than self-face concerns
Skills
• Participation & ability to encourage it in others• Cooperation• Collaboration & consensus decision making
(dialogue)• Respectful communication
DefinitionsIndividualism - Belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal independenceCollectivism - Belief in the primary importance of the group and in the virtures of group member interdependenceSelf-construal - refers to the perceptions that you have about your thoughts, feelings and actions in relation to others; relation of the self to others and the self as distinct from others• With an independent self-construal you perceive a clear boundary that separates
yourself from others and give higher priority to personal goals over group goals.• With an interdependent self-construal you define yourself in terms of
relationships to others and give higher priority to group goals over personal goalsFace - Value or standing or worth in the eyes of others; prestige; dignity
Participation - act of taking part or sharing in something (opposite of non-engagement, non-involvement, nonparticipation)
Collaboration - action of working with someone to produce or create something (opposite of working independently)
Cooperation - process of working together to the same end "their cooperation with us was essential for the success of our mission“ (opposite of rivalry, competition, contention)
