Cross-cultural differences in perception of time: Implications for multinational teams

Abstract

Members of multinational teams likely have different perspectives on a variety of factors stemming from their different cultural backgrounds. The use and perception of time is one of the specific cultural values that differ cross-culturally and may have implications for the group dynamics and team effectiveness in multinational teams. Concepts such as time orientation, punctuality and pace of life are influenced by time-related differences among cultures. In the present article, it is argued that temporal diversity in multinational teams may serve as an input within the Input-Mediator-Output-Input model of team effectiveness (Ilgen, Hollenbeck, Johnson, & Jundt, 2005) and influence the team processes and outputs. Implications of cross-cultural differences in perception of time on multinational team functioning are discussed within the framework of the Marks, Mathieu, and Zaccaro (2001) taxonomy of team processes, which consists of 3 higher order team processes (i.e., transition processes, action processes, and interpersonal processes) that encompass 10 distinct, more specific processes. Propositions regarding the impact of temporal diversity on many of the distinct team processes and outcomes are put forward to help provide a temporal lens to future research on multinational teams.