Diversity faultlines and team learning

Abstract

Managing diversity is an important issue on the agenda of policy makers, managers, and researchers. Past research has shown that diversity can enhance, but also disrupt team functioning. In this dissertation, I attempt to more thoroughly understand this paradox by examining when and why diversity can enhance versus inhibit team learning and performance. These studies are grounded in the faultline perspective, which focuses on the demographic alignment of diversity attributes in a group. In addition, a typology and instrument for measuring team learning types was developed based on the topics that teams can learn about: task, process, and social learning. The relationship between faultlines and these types of team learning was examined. The results of this dissertation indicate that faultlines are not necessarily bad for team learning and performance, as is often assumed. For instance, faultlines had healthy effects on team learning when team members knew each other well and when the team had a constructive error culture. On the other hand, faultlines disrupted team learning and performance when team members perceived subgroups in their team. The results of this dissertation have important implications for future research and for the management of diversity in organizations.