Evaluating the influence of different levels of multicultural interactions, in a work and social context, on perceptions of outstanding leader attributes

Abstract

This research aims to develop a deeper level of understanding of how different levels of interaction amongst different cultures in a work and social context plays a role in perceiving culturally endorsed leadership attributes (CLTs). With the rapid developments in international trade, internet technology, cross-border travel and communication, business transactions across country borders have rapidly become significant contributors to the world economy. Consequently, managing diverse teams and working with colleagues and/or clients from other countries is a challenge to operating in this global business world. A quantitative analysis was done by considering low, medium and high work and social multi-cultural diversity interactions as the exploratory variables and perceptions of outstanding leader attributes as the dependant variable. This study of 269 leaders in a South African Multinational company found that different levels of multicultural interactions in the social context (described by friendships, relationships, family history and education) yielded significant differences in the perceptions of outstanding leader attributes. No significant differences in these perceptions were found for the different levels of multicultural interactions in the work context (described by international assignments and work diversity initiatives). Based on intergroup theory, this suggests that greater cognitive formations results through cross-cultural engagement in the social context than in the workplace. That is, culturally diverse social group memberships are able to condition member perceptions, transfer ideologies, and have a greater impact than culturally diverse groups in the organisational context. It was also found that the senior employees in this organisation (by age and tenure) showed a negative correlation to social multicultural interactions, but a positive correlation to work multicultural interactions. These relationships with tenure indicate the influence of organisational culture on cross-cultural cognitive formations. A synergistic relationship was evident between the work and social contexts, suggesting that inter-cultural activity in one context influences activity in the other context. Copyright