Exploring linkages between social diversity, management control, and team performance: an integrative literature review

Abstract

Purpose – This article aims to explore the influence of management control on the performance of teams with surface levels of social diversity. Design/methodology/approach— Under the categorization-elaboration model perspective, an integrative literature review was conducted. Selecting articles published in the Scopus and Web of Science databases until 2023. With the terms about: gender diversity, age diversity, racial diversity and team performance obtaining 122 documents. Results were analyzed in a matrix under the criteria: it had a social diversity dimension as a principal variable, and it analyzed effects on team performance. Subsequently, were synthesized according to the social diversity categories, and then integrated into an analysis with conceptual perspectives from management control systems. Findings—The main negative effects of surface level social diversity on team performance arise from stereotypical perceptions and social biases about differences in gender, age, and race, affecting team members' interactions. This scenario is related to the causes of the need for management control in the absence of direction, motivation problems, and personal limitations, so control systems associated with possible solutions to improve group performance are proposed. Originality/value – To the authors' knowledge, this work opens the discussion on the influence of management control on the performance of teams with social diversity. Demographic changes require new perspectives for team management, from management control providing a way to guide socially diverse team behaviors to desired team performance. Last but not least, considering demographic changes and the presence of diversity in work teams, this work has practical implications by providing management control perspectives to organizations to improve the performance of their teams.