Discussion Post: Advantages, Challenges of International Teams in OB

This discussion post examines the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing global teams in organizational behavior. The author highlights the benefits of diverse perspectives and ideas that international teams bring, especially in complex projects where effective decision-making is crucial. Challenges such as cultural differences, communication barriers, legal formalities, and a lack of trust are also addressed. The author proposes leadership strategies like effective communication and cooperation to mitigate these challenges. The post includes replies from Mariana Garcia Guimaraes and Sandeep Kaur, who share their perspectives on the importance of diversity, innovation, and cultural awareness within global teams. The discussion emphasizes the value of diverse experiences, the role of innovation in enhancing problem-solving, and the need for clear communication and trust to overcome potential conflicts. References to relevant academic sources are also included to support the arguments made in the discussion.

Organizational Behavior
STUDENT’S DETAILS-
RUNNING HEAD: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR 0

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR 1
Discussion Post
There can be several advantages of teams which comprises of members around the globe.
These international teams or groups can bring creativity and can be productive due to the
existence of different perspectives and ideas as these people have different cultural backgrounds.
In complex projects, where effective decision making is required, different ideas and experiences
can useful in the solving of the problems associated with complex projects (Mockaitis, Zander, &
De Cieri, 2018). Further, I believe PM can face certain challenges in the management of group
projects across international boundaries. There are differences in the cultures and because of
which there is a lot of misconceptions on certain grounds due to the differences in language and
accent when making communication virtually. Also, PM can also face the challenges of legal
formalities as there are different laws and regulations in different countries. Moreover, there is
also lack of trusts on the international teams which can be the major challenge when critical
decisions are required (Tensix, 2011). I can prepare for the challenges through undertaking the
leadership strategies by effectively communicating with the cross-cultural teams and also
cooperating with them with the problems.
Reply: Mariana Garcia Guimaraes
Mariana, it is good to know that you have worked with Global Mobility Programs for
several years. I am agreeing to your ideas upon working with different nationalities for getting
the broad skill set. This is because people having different cultures have different perceptions
which can certainly enrich work culture through bringing diversity. The global teams can share
their respective experiences and collaborate with the other team members to have an inspiration
for the innovation and creativity. Moreover, the challenges in dealing with global projects can be
dealt with the creation of cultural awareness and empowering of each other’s cultures and
personal experiences which can lead to their effective contribution into the team (Szymanski,
Fitzsimmons, & Danis, 2019). Also, making engagement with them through building trust can
bring transparency into the decisions taken for the success of global projects.

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR 2
Reply: Sandeep Kaur
I agree with interesting idea of Sandeep which states that innovation is the leading factor
in working with international teams or groups. This is because diversity brings outlooks and
ideas which can enhance organization’s capacity to solving of problems. Also, these innovative
teams somehow lead to the increase in the competitive spirit at the international level (Mayer,
Lu, Peng, & Tsui, 2017). The challenges in working with the international teams can be
encountered through communication which can create an understanding of diverse beliefs.
Further, I agree that there are certain conflicts due to ambiguity of the information but can be
resolved through the company-wide policies and professional values which are conveyed in an
easier way through showing up of mutual trust.

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR 3
References
Mayer, M., Lu, L., Peng, J., & Tsui, A. (2017). Microdivisionalization: Using teams for
competitive advantage. Academy of Management Discoveries, 3(1), 3-20.
Mockaitis, A., Zander, L., & De Cieri, H. (2018). The benefits of global teams for international
organizations: HR implications. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management, 1-22.
Szymanski, M., Fitzsimmons, S., & Danis, W. (2019). Multicultural managers and competitive
advantage: Evidence from elite football teams. International Business Review, 28(2),
305-315.
Tensix. (2011, November 14). FIVE CHALLENGES FOR INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS.
Retrieved March 28, 2020, from Tensix: https://tensix.com/2011/11/five-challenges-for-
international-projects/