Empirical research on the output of multicultural teams has yielded divergent
results. Many studies have shown that heterogeneous groups outperform homogenous
groups. In contrast, some studies have shown that homogenous teams avoid the
“process loss” caused by unpracticed communication and the subsequent conflict of
more diverse teams. Recently, Williams and O’Reilly (1998) reviewed 40 years of
diversity research and came to the conclusion that diversity does not have any
predictable effects on team performance. Their review called for further research
incorporating a more complex conceptualization of diversity and inclusion of context
(e.g., organizational aspects, task type), types of diversity (informational and
demographic), and process variables such as conflict and communication. A study
by Jehn et al. (1999) attempts to synthesize these concepts with a model that illustrates
how various types of diversity affect performance. The model includes three
types of diversity discussed in past team research (informational diversity, social
category diversity, value diversity). Informational diversity originates in differences
between team members’ educational background, work experience, and specialties.