The Effect of Cultural Heterogeneity, Leader Power, and Leader Attitudes on Group Performance: A Test of the Contingency Model

摘要

An experiment was conducted (a) to compare the performance of 96 culturally and linguistically homogeneous and heterogeneous three-man teams under powerful and weak leadership positions and on three types of tasks varying in structure and requirements for verbal interaction, and (b) to test a previously described Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness.nThe experiment, conducted in collaboration with the Belgian Naval Forces, utilized 28C petty officers and men from a naval training center, who were assigned to 96 groups in a 16-cell design.nHomocultural and heterocultural groups differed in performance only on the highly verbal task. Heterogeneous groups, despite obvious communica-tion difficulties and culturally divergent background, perfoimed about as well on the structured and non-verbal tasks as did homogeneous groups. Groups led by recruit leaders performed as well as groups directed by petty officers. Thus, neither the military leadership training and experience nor the position power of petty officers contributed to the effectiveness of these groups. These findings have considerable potential implications for leadership training programs and an evaluation of the communication variable in affecting group productivity.nThe experiment clearly supported the hypothesis derived from the Contin-gency Model that the specific leadership style required for effective group performance is contingent upon the favorableness of the group-task situation. As in previous research, groups under managing, task-controlling (low LPC) leaders performed best in very favorable group-task situations as well as in group-task situations which were relatively unfavorable or very unfavorable. Permissive, considerate, group-oriented leaders performed best in situations intermediate in favorableness.