Top management teams within multinational corporations: Effects of cultural heterogeneity

This research examined the relationship of cultural heterogeneity with team and organizational performance, as mediated by selected aspects of group processes. The study was done with top management teams (TMTs) in international subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs). It was found that cultural heterogeneity within the TMT is positively related to both the level of issue-based conflict the team experiences and to TMT performance. The TMT performance and the subsidiary's performance were positively related. Issue-based conflict affected negatively TMT performance but had a positive effect on subsidiary performance. The hypothesis that cultural heterogeneity would be negatively related to TMT cohesion was not supported. The results provide general support for the importance of cultural heterogeneity for the functioning of TMTs and their international subsidiaries.