Does (mis)communication mitigate the upshot of diversity?
Keith Hankins1, Ryan Muldoon2, Alexander Schaefer3
1Smith Institute for Political Economy and Philosophy, Chapman University, Orange, California, United States of America.
Plos One
|March 24, 2023
Summary
Diversity in teams can enhance problem-solving, but effective communication is key. Team performance depends on problem complexity, approach variety, conceptualization, and institutional dynamics, which can amplify or reduce miscommunication.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Organizational Behavior
- Team Dynamics
Background:
- Diversity is theorized to improve team performance.
- The "Diversity Trumps Ability Theorem" suggests diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones.
- Communication is a critical, yet often overlooked, factor in team success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model how communication mediates the performance of diverse teams.
- To extend the "Diversity Trumps Ability Theorem" by incorporating communication channels.
- To identify factors moderating the benefits of functional diversity in teams.
Main Methods:
- Developed a representative model of problem-solving for diverse teams.
- Incorporated a communication channel with potential for correlated errors.
- Analyzed the interaction of problem complexity, approach variety, conceptualization, and institutional characteristics.
Main Results:
- The "Diversity Trumps Ability Theorem" holds even with communication errors.
- Functional diversity benefits are moderated by four key factors: problem complexity, number of approaches, problem conceptualization, and institutional characteristics.
- Institutional dynamics significantly influence interpersonal frictions like miscommunication.
Conclusions:
- Effective communication is crucial for diverse teams to realize performance benefits.
- The interplay of problem features and institutional dynamics determines the extent to which diversity enhances team outcomes.
- Institutions that foster effective communication and manage interpersonal frictions are vital for maximizing diversity's advantages.
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