Language diversity impact on the self-efficacy of members in multicultural teams

Teresa Proença (), Helena Martins () and Flávio Ferreira ()
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Teresa Proença: CEF.UP, Faculty of Economics University of Porto
Helena Martins: Faculty of Economics University of Porto
Flávio Ferreira: Faculty of Economics University of Porto

FEP Working Papers from Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de Economia do Porto

Abstract: This study aims to analyze language diversity in teams, especially in what concerns its impact on each member’s self-efficacy. Even though self-efficacy is a traditional concept in organizational behavior literature and there is a growing interest in the impact of language in the organizational context, research about the connections between both sides is lacking. This research deals with this gap, covering as well language fluency, cultural intelligence and extraversion. The answer to the research questions is based on an on-line survey to 240 university students, having participated in multicultural teams. The statistical analysis conclude that language diversity has no clear impact in self-efficacy, however fluency in the vehicular languages of teams has. Fluency has a bolder impact in self-efficacy of team members, when language diversity is higher, and when each member’s cultural intelligence and extraversion levels are higher as well. These conclusions driven by such connections may provide managers with sound enlightenments about the importance of language diversity in their multicultural teams and mainly on fluency in the vehicular languages of these teams.

Keywords: language diversity; language fluency; teams; self-efficacy; cultural competence; extroversion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: M10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 34 pages
Date: 2018-09
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