The effect of multi-national team membership on communication and participation effectiveness

Scope and method of study. This research involved employees of seven multi-national work teams from business organizations located in central Oklahoma. Each organization was asked if the researcher could participate in team meetings to observe team leader and team member interpersonal interactions. The methodology of direct observation and documentation of the interpersonal interactions and behaviors on the team was utilized in this study. The purpose of this research study was to answer the following research questions: (1) What types of interpersonal interactions are present in the communication process of multi-national teams? (2) What are approaches are utilized by multi-national teams, team leaders or supervisors to effectively address cross-cultural communication differences? (3) What characteristics identified in the Social Identity Theory are present in communication patterns within multi-national teams?Findings and conclusions. Collectivistic behavior among employees of multi-national teams is not dependent solely on multi-national lead employees or a supportive environment from organizational management.Effective multi-national team communication does not involve the translation of messages and information into the native languages of the employees of the team, but an inclusive behavior displayed by the employee team leader.Only two of the three factors of the Social Identity Theory were clearly identified in multi-national teams by the behavioral characteristics of collectivism, femininity, low power distance and a low level of uncertainty avoidance.