A Systematic Literature Review about Team Diversity and Team Performance: Future Lines of Investigation

Lurdes Patrício,Mário Franco

doi:10.3390/admsci12010031

Abstract

This study aims to identify the different research paths that help us understand the emerging aspects explaining how team diversity influences team performance. We also present future lines of investigation that could help us to understand this theme. The study is a systematic literature review (SLR) of articles collected from the Web of Science (WoS) database, within management or business categories, published between 1996 and 2020, considering knowledge diversity, team heterogeneity, team wisdom, cross-functional project teams, and team composition. This study enables the systematization of the existing literature. The framework presented is based on the reviewed articles and explains the articulation of the concepts of team diversity and team performance based on three literature clusters, namely: (1) Team Knowledge Diversity, (2) Diversity Effects and (3) Desirable Outcomes of Diversity. Therefore, this work enriches the systematization of the academic literature on this topic, providing an original framework and a future research agenda organized by literature cluster.

Highlights

Diversity in the workplace has received significant interest in organizations looking to attract and retain talented employees, create broader knowledge bases, and increase the multidisciplinary nature of research and development (R&D) teams to benefit innovation processes
The factors contributing to team performance are the subject of multiple studies that contribute to the comprehension of achieving team effectiveness and high performance in a constantly changing environment (Dreu 2002)
Recognizing the importance and interest of team diversity and its impacts on team performance and finding a gap in systematic literature review (SLR) that approach the interrelationships of both concepts, this study addresses that gap

Summary

Introduction

Diversity in the workplace has received significant interest in organizations looking to attract and retain talented employees, create broader knowledge bases, and increase the multidisciplinary nature of research and development (R&D) teams to benefit innovation processes. Diversity in the workplace allows scientific developments that bridge gaps and reduce the time-to-market (Martinez et al 2017). The emerging global economy is characterized by knowledge-intensive firms requiring diverse, specialized knowledge workers with particular knowledge competencies collaborating to create new knowledge that enhances organizational performance (Tenkasi and Boland 1996). Teams are essential building blocks of contemporary organizations. In this context, the factors contributing to team performance are the subject of multiple studies that contribute to the comprehension of achieving team effectiveness and high performance in a constantly changing environment (Dreu 2002)

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Results

Conclusion