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Leader openness, nationality dissimilarity, and voice in multinational management teams

Author

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  • Christian Tröster

    (Kühne Logistics University, Hamburg, Germany)

  • Daan van Knippenberg

    (Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

We argue that leader-directed voice (i.e., communicating critical suggestions for change to the leader) is a relational phenomenon, and that it is affected by an inherent feature of multinational teams: members’ (dis)similarities in nationality. We tested our hypotheses in a sample of middle managers who were working in multinational teams. The results of this study show that leaders of multinational teams are more likely to profit from the local know-how of employees from underrepresented nationalities when they are open to their ideas, and when they have the same nationality. The study also shows that the effects of being open to employees’ ideas and sharing the same nationality are mediated by affective commitment and psychological safety, respectively. We discuss how, even though the current relational demography perspective with its dichotomous understanding of (dis)similarity is not suited to capture the dynamics of cultural differences, it does set the stage for future studies to examine the cultural dynamics behind an individual's experience of being different from other team members in multinational teams. We also discuss the practical implications of these findings for multinational companies.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Tröster & Daan van Knippenberg, 2012. "Leader openness, nationality dissimilarity, and voice in multinational management teams," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(6), pages 591-613, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:43:y:2012:i:6:p:591-613
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Christopher S. Tuggle & David G. Sirmon & Cameron J. Borgholthaus & Leonard Bierman & A. Erin Bass, 2022. "From Seats at the Table to Voices in the Discussion: Antecedents of Underrepresented Director Participation in Board Meetings," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(5), pages 1253-1283, July.
    2. Srivastava, Saurabh & Singh, Shiwangi & Dhir, Sanjay, 2020. "Culture and International business research: A review and research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    3. Ronald Fischer & Maria Cristina Ferreira & Nathalie Meurs & Kubilay Gok & Ding-Yu Jiang & Johnny R J Fontaine & Charles Harb & Jan Cieciuch & Mustapha Achoui & Ma Socorro D Mendoza & Arif Hassan & Don, 2019. "Does organizational formalization facilitate voice and helping organizational citizenship behaviors? It depends on (national) uncertainty norms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(1), pages 125-134, February.
    4. van Knippenberg, Daan & Mell, Julija N., 2016. "Past, present, and potential future of team diversity research: From compositional diversity to emergent diversity," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 135-145.
    5. Ng, Kok-Yee & Van Dyne, Linn & Ang, Soon, 2019. "Speaking out and speaking up in multicultural settings: A two-study examination of cultural intelligence and voice behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 150-159.
    6. Mannucci, Pier Vittorio & Shalley, Christina E., 2022. "Embracing multicultural tensions: How team members’ multicultural paradox mindsets foster team information elaboration and creativity," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    7. Günter K Stahl & Martha L Maznevski, 2021. "Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A retrospective of research on multicultural work groups and an agenda for future research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(1), pages 4-22, February.
    8. Yanbin Liu & Wei Wang & Hongxu Lu & Ping Yuan, 2022. "The divergent effects of employees’ sense of power on constructive and defensive voice behavior: A cross-level moderated mediation model," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 1341-1366, December.
    9. Stefan Schmid & Simon Mitterreiter, 2020. "International Top Managers on Corporate Boards: Dissimilarity and Tenure," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 60(5), pages 787-825, October.
    10. Xue Wan & Stephen X. Zhang & Feng Wei, 2023. "CEO–TMT Congruence in Growth‐Need Strength and Firm Growth," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(3), pages 722-751, May.
    11. Du, Xingqiang & Jian, Wei & Lai, Shaojuan, 2017. "Do Foreign Directors Mitigate Earnings Management? Evidence From China," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 142-177.
    12. Ilya R. P. Cuypers & Gokhan Ertug & John Cantwell & Akbar Zaheer & Martin Kilduff, 2020. "Making connections: Social networks in international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(5), pages 714-736, July.
    13. Ilya R. P. Cuypers & Gokhan Ertug & John Cantwell & Akbar Zaheer & Martin Kilduff, 0. "Making connections: Social networks in international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 0, pages 1-23.

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