Cultural diversity and leadership

Purpose To provide a new way of conceptualizing the leader's role in managing conflict for increased task and social outcomes in culturally heterogeneous workgroups (CHWs). Design/methodology/approach The objectives of the paper can be met by hypothesizing the proposed relationships and testing them quantitatively using multiple regression. Findings Finds that the effect of conflict in CHWs depends, in part, on the way the parties concerned manage it, and in particular the group leader. Research limitations/implications The major limitation of the current research is that it is theoretical. Future research will now need to test the propositions put forward in this paper. Practical implications The paper conceptually identified some skills and behaviors that are pertinent to effective leadership in culturally heterogeneous workgroups. Originality/value The model presented in the paper and the research emanating from it should assist in training leaders for these workgroups.