TACKLING THE CHALLENGES IN MULTICULTURAL TEAMS: CHALLENGES CONFRONTED BY MANAGERS AND THE SOLUTIONS THEY DELIVER

Purpose- This study aims to explore the challenges confronted by executive managers while managing multicultural teams, and the solutions they deliver to cope with these matters. Comprehending these challenges from the standpoint of managers is what it is aimed to accomplish.Methodology- Criterion sampling method, which is a kind of purposive sampling method, was employed in the study. The data for the study was collected through 14 in-depth interviews directed to executive managers of MNCs operating in Turkey. The questions that generated our data consisted of open-ended questions. The statements of managers were analyzed by content analysis and sorted into conceptually corresponding categories. These categories and solutions based upon manager’s experiences were presented accordingly.Findings- Implications indicate that ineffective communication and misunderstandings, different working styles and expectations of group members, and intolerance and lack of knowledge related to diversity are the most frequent challenges confronted by managers. On the other hand, in order to cope with these challenges, managers offer to embrace diversity while encouraging group members to acknowledge it, become approachable and eager to learn more, and last but not least it was offered to communicate in the simplest form.Conclusion- To sum up briefly, successful managers are expected to possess the competency to adapt different management styles and they are also expected to be flexible enough to switch from one to another.

Keywords:

Multicultural teams, management, cross-cultural management international business, multinational companies,

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