Managing Research, Development, and Innovation: Managing the Unmanageable, Third Edition

7.4. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES WORK TOGETHER?

When a person first sees another person, some of the attributes of the other person "stick out." According to recent research, people are likely to be categorized by whatever attribute makes them distinctive (Nelson and Miller, 1995). For example, a female engineer in a laboratory with many male engineers will be seen as especially female. Thus, she will be seen as a representative of the females of the world (a group), and the relationship with her is likely to be intergroup rather than interpersonal. Her unique attributes will not stand out. On the other hand, the same female engineer in a group of female engineers is likely to be seen interpersonally. When the other individual ...