Bicultural Managers' Competencies and Multicultural Team Effectiveness
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Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2019 Bicultural Managers’ Competencies and Multicultural Team Effectiveness Eric Tetteh Batsa Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Management and Technology This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Eric Tetteh Batsa has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Daphne Halkias, Committee Chairperson, Management Faculty Dr. Kenneth Levitt, Committee Member, Management Faculty Dr. Nikunja Swain, University Reviewer, Management Faculty The Office of the Provost Walden University 2019 Abstract Bicultural Managers’ Competencies and Multicultural Team Effectiveness by Eric Tetteh Batsa EMBA, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2008 BA, University of Ghana, 1998 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Management Walden University November 2019 Abstract Biculturals are increasingly recognized as an important segment of managers, yet U.S.- based global organizations’ limited knowledge and recognition of this group’s distinctive experiences and related implications within their work environment limit the value placed on bicultural managers’ leadership of multicultural teams and the use of their competencies and skills to improve the effectiveness of multicultural teams. Notwithstanding, traditional leadership models are lacking in diversity and unanswered questions remain regarding the role of multiculturalism in global leadership and team effectiveness. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple case study was to gain deeper understanding of the management experiences of biculturals in U.S.-based global organizations and the implications of their bicultural competencies and skills in leading multicultural teams. This study was framed by 3 concepts: bicultural competence, boundary spanning by bicultural managers, and leadership emergence in multicultural teams. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 7 participants, reflective field notes, and archival data. Identifiable themes emerged through thematic analysis of the textual data and cross-case synthesis analysis. Five conceptual categories that enclosed a total of 16 themes were identified. The conceptual categories are (a) bicultural competence, (b) boundary spanning, (c) cultural intelligence, (d) global identity, and (e) leading multicultural teams. Findings may drive social change by challenging the status quo in existing formal work structures and promoting diversity in the workplace creating emerging avenues for business growth and building bridges of communication between the business world and society. Bicultural Managers’ Competencies and Multicultural Team Effectiveness by Eric Tetteh Batsa EMBA, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 2008 BA, University of Ghana, 1998 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Management Walden University November 2019 Table of Contents List of Tables .......................................................................................................................v List of Figures .................................................................................................................... vi Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ....................................................................................1 Background of the Study ...............................................................................................2 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................7 Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................8 Research Question .........................................................................................................9 Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................9 Nature of the Study ......................................................................................................11 Definitions....................................................................................................................13 Assumptions .................................................................................................................17 Scope and Delimitations ..............................................................................................18 Limitations ...................................................................................................................20 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................21 Significance to Practice......................................................................................... 22 Significance to Theory .......................................................................................... 23 Significance to Social Change .............................................................................. 24 Summary and Transition ..............................................................................................25 Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................27 Literature Search Strategy............................................................................................28 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................29 i Literature Review.........................................................................................................34 Biculturalism and the Bicultural Identity: Defining Insights and Concepts ......... 34 Prevalence of Biculturalism .................................................................................. 35 Biculturalism Constructs ....................................................................................... 39 Acculturation: A Second Culture Acquisition View of Biculturalism ................. 40 Bicultural Identity Negotiation: Understanding Biculturals’ Individual Differences ................................................................................................ 43 Benefits and Challenges of Being Bicultural ........................................................ 47 Research on Bicultural Managerial Competencies ............................................... 49 The Bicultural Manager as a Multicultural Team Asset ....................................... 55 Issues Surrounding Bicultural Managers’ Multicultural Team Contributions............................................................................................. 60 The Literature Gap in Studies on Bicultural Managers in U.S.-Based Global Organizations ................................................................................ 62 Summary and Conclusions ..........................................................................................65 Chapter 3: Research Method ..............................................................................................67 Research Design and Rationale ...................................................................................68 Role of the Researcher .................................................................................................71 Methodology ................................................................................................................73 Participant Selection Logic ................................................................................... 75 Instrumentation ..................................................................................................... 80 Procedures for Recruitment, Participation, and Data Collection .......................... 86 ii Data Analysis Plan ................................................................................................ 90 Issues of Trustworthiness .............................................................................................92 Credibility ............................................................................................................. 93 Transferability ....................................................................................................... 94 Dependability ........................................................................................................ 94 Confirmability ....................................................................................................... 95 Ethical Procedures ................................................................................................ 95 Summary ....................................................................................................................100 Chapter 4: Results ............................................................................................................102