Mediating Role of Communication Conflict on Team Diversity and Software Project Performance

Waseem Aijaz, Muhammad Waseem, Muhammad Fahad Sattar and Muhammad Atif Sattar

Sustainable Business and Society in Emerging Economies, 2026, vol. 8, issue 1, 113-126

Abstract: Purpose: This study examines the mediating role of communication conflict in the relationship between team diversity and software project performance. In today's globalized software development environment, teams are becoming increasingly diverse in terms of cultural backgrounds, skills, and professional experiences. While such diversity can contribute to enhanced creativity and innovation, it may also lead to misunderstandings and communication conflicts that hinder project success.Design/Methodology/Approach: quantitative method was employed and followed the survey method for data collection. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to software developers in Pakistan. A total of 319 sample data was collected to measure team diversity, conflicts, and project performance. The analysis involved PLS, a type of latent structural equation modeling method that employs a main component-based co-relational approach.Findings: This study found that Communication conflict arises with knowledge diversity, which has a strong, favorable impact on software project performance. It also values diversity but does not support communication conflict, which harms software project performance.Implications/Originality/Value: The importance of conflict management and communication strategies in diverse teams and offers valuable insights for project managers aiming to optimize performance in software development projects.

Keywords: Knowledge Diversity; Value Diversity; Communication Conflict; Software Project Performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:src:sbseec:v:8:y:2026:i:1:p:113-126

DOI: 10.26710/sbsee.v8i1.3731

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