From Countervailance to Confluence: The Dynamic Role of Differentiation in Cross-Cultural Multiteam Systems

Joanna Zakzewski

Advisor: Stephen Zaccaro, PhD, Department of Psychology

Committee Members: Seth Kaplan, Sarah Wittman, Cynthia Maupin

Online Location, Online
April 08, 2025, 02:00 PM to 04:00 PM

Abstract:

This research explores the dynamic influences of cultural diversity in cross-cultural multiteam systems (MTSs). Cultural diversity often presents as a driver of differentiation in teams research yet has been relatively understudied at the MTS level, despite unique countervailing forces that emerge when integrating teams embedded in multiple cultural contexts. A series of two studies following an abductive framework were used in this investigation. Study 1 combined field interviews and case studies in a reflexive thematic analysis to identify themes and propositions related to cultural diversity in MTSs. Study 2 applied these findings to the development of two computational models, a system dynamics model and an agent-based model, which served to simulate data and elucidate patterns across MTS structures. This paper concludes by highlighting the dynamic shift from countervailance to confluence in cross-cultural MTSs, the role of leadership structures in facilitating MTS coordination between highly differentiated teams, and the implications of this work for researchers and practitioners in the field.