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To Disclose or Not to Disclose: The Ironic Effects of the Disclosure of Personal Information About Ethnically Distinct Newcomers to a Team

Author

Listed:
  • Bret Crane

    (Utah State University)

  • Melissa Thomas-Hunt

    (Vanderbilt University)

  • Selin Kesebir

    (London Business School)

Abstract

Recently, scholars have argued that disclosure of personal information is an effective mechanism for building high-quality relationships. However, personal information can focus attention on differences in demographically diverse teams. In an experiment using 37 undergraduate teams, we examine how sharing personal information by ethnically similar and ethnically distinct newcomers to a team affects team perceptions, performance, and behavior. Our findings indicate that the disclosure of personal information by ethnically distinct newcomers improves team performance. However, the positive impact on team performance comes at a cost to the newcomers, who are perceived as less competent by others and experience heightened social discomfort in team interactions. Ironically, what benefits the ethnically diverse team may undermine its ethnically distinct members. This study highlights how the management of diversity may sometimes require making trade-offs between individual interests and those of the team.

Suggested Citation

  • Bret Crane & Melissa Thomas-Hunt & Selin Kesebir, 2019. "To Disclose or Not to Disclose: The Ironic Effects of the Disclosure of Personal Information About Ethnically Distinct Newcomers to a Team," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 909-921, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:158:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-017-3714-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-017-3714-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Carol Azab & Jonas Holmqvist, 2022. "Discrimination in Services: How Service Recovery Efforts Change with Customer Accent," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(1), pages 355-372, September.
    2. Natalie J. Shin & Jonathan C. Ziegert & Miriam Muethel, 2022. "The Detrimental Effects of Ethical Incongruence in Teams: An Interactionist Perspective of Ethical Fit on Relationship Conflict and Information Sharing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(1), pages 259-272, August.

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