NOTE: End date changed to 8/21/2023 per NSSC information (Ed., 7/22/22)

NOTE: End date changed to 8/21/2022 per NSSC information (Ed., 8/24/21)

NOTE: End date changed to 8/21/2021 per NSSC information (Ed., 7/27/20)

Stahl, G.K., Makela, K., Zander, L., & Maznevski, M.L. (2010a ). A look at the bright side of multicultural team diversity. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26 (4), 439 - 447.

Stahl, G. K., Maznevski, M. L., Voigt, A., & Jonsen, K. (2010b). Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A meta - analysis of research on multicultural work groups. Journal of International Business Studies , 41 (4), 690 - 709.

Suedfeld, P., Wilk, K. E., & Cassel, L. (2013). Flying with strangers: postmission reflections of multinational space crews (pp. 185-209). Springer, Berlin Heidelberg.

The proposed project will impact numerous areas. First, this research will address current theoretical gaps surrounding the critical challenge of cultural diversity in long duration spaceflight (both on the ground and in orbit). This information is then used to build a series of complementary, modular training tools to facilitate the crew’s ability to turn cultural diversity into a synergistic force. The existent literature on cross-cultural training does little to focus on cultural diversity in crews operating in isolated, confined environments. Additionally, the focus of most cross-cultural training programs is to prepare expatriates to go abroad; therefore, teaching cross-cultural competence with regard to teamwork skills is rarely seen. In building our training we seek to validate the effectiveness of such programs within analog environments using sound scientific methods and training evaluation techniques. Finally, as an important part of training development is the assessment of the skills gained during training we will also deliver a set of assessment tools that can be used to diagnose cross-cultural competence levels with regard to team interaction.

Despite the low to moderate cultural diversity within the crew, quantitative results begin to suggest how cultural values may impact crew member perceptions of teamwork processes, team identity, team faultiness, and team effectiveness. With regard to team dynamics, several trends were evidenced suggesting that cultural values may impact perceptions of the aforementioned processes, emergent states, and outcomes. These trends were variable over time. However, on average members whose cultural values included collectivism, high context communication, and members who were high in uncertainty avoidance trended towards identifying with the team to a greater extent. Cultural values of masculinity and indirect communication tended to have less of an impact on the degree to which crew members identified with the team. While long-term orientation and power distance tended to trend towards negative relationships with team identity.

There was a great degree of variability with respect to how the various cultural values related to team action processes. For example, uncertainty avoidance trended towards a strong to moderate positive relationship with action processes, especially early in the mission. Therefore, crew members who are less comfortable with uncertainty tend to perceive a greater degree of team action processes. Indirectness, on the other hand, while having a positive relationship with action processes early in the mission, quickly began to trend towards a small negative relationship with action processes. This relationship remains negative and becomes moderate to strong in strength from around Week 24 to the end of the mission.

There was also an overall trend for crew members who value high levels of power distance and have a long-term orientation to perceive there to be more faultlines within the crew. Overall, the relationship between the remaining cultural values and perceptions regarding faultline trends is strongly negative, this is especially true for collectivism. The relationship among the following cultural values – indirectness, masculinity, and uncertainty avoidance – and perceptions of faultlines tend to mirror one another.

Finally, there is variability across time with respect to the strength and direction of the relationship between specific cultural values and team effectiveness; however, the overall picture presented is one in which uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation see moderate to strong positive relationships with team effectiveness, especially up through the first four months of the mission. The remaining cultural values (collectivism, power distance, indirectness, context) tend to show similar trajectories with respect to their relationship with team effectiveness. Specifically, while there are some small positive spikes in the relationship among these values and team effectiveness, overall, the relationship is near zero or slightly negative.

We will continue to work on analyzing the full set of data from the SIRIUS ’21 mission (quantitative, qualitative). Once analyzed, we will then see where the areas of convergence and difference lie across the ’19 and ’21 missions.

NOTE: End date changed to 8/21/2022 per NSSC information (Ed., 8/24/21)

NOTE: End date changed to 8/21/2021 per NSSC information (Ed., 7/27/20)

Stahl, G.K., Makela, K., Zander, L., & Maznevski, M.L. (2010a ). A look at the bright side of multicultural team diversity. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26 (4), 439 - 447.

Stahl, G. K., Maznevski, M. L., Voigt, A., & Jonsen, K. (2010b). Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A meta - analysis of research on multicultural work groups. Journal of International Business Studies , 41 (4), 690 - 709.

Suedfeld, P., Wilk, K. E., & Cassel, L. (2013). Flying with strangers: postmission reflections of multinational space crews (pp. 185-209). Springer, Berlin Heidelberg.

The proposed project will impact numerous areas. First, this research will address current theoretical gaps surrounding the critical challenge of cultural diversity in long duration spaceflight (both on the ground and in orbit). This information is then used to build a series of complementary, modular training tools to facilitate the crew’s ability to turn cultural diversity into a synergistic force. The existent literature on cross-cultural training does little to focus on cultural diversity in crews operating in isolated, confined environments. Additionally, the focus of most cross-cultural training programs is to prepare expatriates to go abroad; therefore, teaching cross-cultural competence with regard to teamwork skills is rarely seen. In building our training we seek to validate the effectiveness of such programs within analog environments using sound scientific methods and training evaluation techniques. Finally, as an important part of training development is the assessment of the skills gained during training we will also deliver a set of assessment tools that can be used to diagnose cross-cultural competence levels with regard to team interaction.

Some of the differences noted by the crew were differences in language fluency, leadership style, gender norms, and religious practices. These differences were noted, at times, to result in tension within the crew. Additionally, there is evidence for subgroup formation at various levels within the crew. The drivers of such subgroup formation are currently being investigated more thoroughly through examination of journal and interview data. There is also some evidence that tensions amongst the crew may have been amplified by relations between the crew and the (Mission Control Center) MCC at various times within the mission.

Despite the low to moderate cultural diversity within the crew, quantitative results begin to suggest how cultural values may impact crewmember perceptions of trust and cohesion amongst the crew. With regard to team dynamics, several trends were evidenced, suggesting that cultural values may impact perceptions of emergent states (e.g., trust, cohesion). While these trends were variable over time, on average, crewmembers who possessed any of the following were found to report lower perceptions of cohesion: higher levels of power distance, higher comfort with uncertainty. Moreover, masculinity, collectivism, and long-term orientation produced trends suggesting a moderate positive relationship with cohesion.

With regard to the relationship between cultural diversity and trust, similar trends were seen. Specifically, results suggest a trend towards uncertainty avoidance and collectivism having a moderate to strong relationship with perceptions of trust. While there was some variability in both of the relationships, in general, individuals higher in uncertainty avoidance and collectivism perceived more trust within the team. The relationship between indirectness and team trust was variable over time. Overall, there was a moderate positive relationship with team trust; however, there were downward trends at two time points in the first four months. Similarly, power distance trended towards a moderate negative relationship with team trust, while at times during the middle of the fourth month trending towards a weak positive relationship.

The final emergent state that we examined were crew member mental models regarding teamwork. Analyses were conducted using the Pathfinder program (Schvaneveldt, Durso, & Dearholt, 1989). In looking at crewmember mental models, we were primarily interested in the degree to which teamwork mental models varied by culture. In investigating this question, our analyses examined the degree to which crewmembers’ mental models changed over time (individual-level focus) and the degree to which there was variation amongst the crew’s mental model at a single point in time (team-level focus). Initial results indicate: (1) variability in single crewmember mental models over time in terms of the density and interconnections, and (2) differences between the mental models of crewmembers at a single point in time (density, interconnections, agreement). We are further unpacking these differences to examine the degree to which the differences align along national lines, cultural values, and subgroupings. Preliminary analyses have also been conducted to examine the relationship between cultural values, social intelligence, and cultural intelligence.

Moving forward, we will continue to analyze the remaining information contained within the 8-month mission and look forward to the opportunities that will be afforded when we compare the 4- and 8-month missions, such that with both data sets we can begin to talk about cultural diversity in more detail. We will also continue to utilize and integrate the information gained to this point into the products we are building. With respect to the SIRIUS mission, the project team has attended planning and update meetings. Finally, additional data collection/analysis opportunities will serve to refine our initial findings and facilitate the integration of this information into the products we are building.

NOTE: End date changed to 8/21/2021 per NSSC information (Ed., 7/27/20)

Stahl, G.K., Makela, K., Zander, L., & Maznevski, M.L. (2010a ). A look at the bright side of multicultural team diversity. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26 (4), 439 - 447.

Stahl, G. K., Maznevski, M. L., Voigt, A., & Jonsen, K. (2010b). Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A meta - analysis of research on multicultural work groups. Journal of International Business Studies , 41 (4), 690 - 709.

Suedfeld, P., Wilk, K. E., & Cassel, L. (2013). Flying with strangers: postmission reflections of multinational space crews (pp. 185-209). Springer, Berlin Heidelberg.

The proposed project will impact numerous areas. First, this research will address current theoretical gaps surrounding the critical challenge of cultural diversity in long duration spaceflight (both on the ground and in orbit). This information is then used to build a series of complementary, modular training tools to facilitate the crew’s ability to turn cultural diversity into a synergistic force. The existent literature on cross-cultural training does little to focus on cultural diversity in crews operating in isolated, confined environments. Additionally, the focus of most cross-cultural training programs is to prepare expatriates to go abroad; therefore, teaching cross-cultural competence with regard to teamwork skills is rarely seen. In building our training we seek to validate the effectiveness of such programs within analog environments using sound scientific methods and training evaluation techniques. Finally, as an important part of training development is the assessment of the skills gained during training we will also deliver a set of assessment tools that can be used to diagnose cross-cultural competence levels with regard to team interaction.

Some of the differences noted by the crew were differences in language fluency, boundaries, and leadership style. Difference in language fluency were a big focus and some crew highlighted that this could lead to misunderstandings and not ‘getting’ everything that was said, including humor. Differences in boundaries were also noted and primarily dealt with how much to ‘share,’ notations of the crew as family, and that variability in how much personal information was appropriate to share may make bonding more difficult for some. A final factor that will be highlighted was the leadership style within the crew. The style was very hierarchical which some felt may have been driven by culture, but some felt it was also driven by the tremendous ‘expertise’ and ‘recognition’ of the commander. Crew members reported that while cultural differences existed, they did not pose challenges to task accomplishment within the 4-month mission. While this finding is similar to previous findings with missions around the same length (Burke & Feitosa, 2015), crew composition issues related to gender and nationality were also cited as a contributing factor to team dynamics within the crew. Moreover, a general openness to learn within the crew and an awareness that cultures are different was also seen as contributing to positive team dynamics.

Despite the low to moderate cultural diversity within the crew, quantitative results begin to suggest how cultural values may impact crew member perceptions of team dynamics, emergent states, and performance. With regards to team dynamics, several cultural values were found to significantly impact perceptions of teamwork. Specifically, crew members who possessed any of the following were found to report lower perceptions of teamwork: higher levels of power distance, higher comfort with uncertainty, long-term orientation, and values indicative of an indirect communication style. While there were some differential impacts of the above cultural values when examined at the teamwork subscale level (i.e., communication, cohesion, conflict, attitudes) those will not be discussed here as in most cases they align with the teamwork composite. While the degree to which an individual held values indicative of collectivism or masculinity was generally not seen to be related to perceptions of teamwork at the composite level, some impact at the subscale level was seen. Specifically, as collectivism increased perceptions of team cohesion decreased.

In most cases, the above values also led to lower perceptions of positive emergent states (e.g., cohesion, attitudes, trust, identity) and higher perceptions of negative emergent states (e.g., faultline development, conflict). The exception to this was that long-term orientation was not significantly related to identity, faultline development, or conflict. Furthermore, indirectness was not related to cohesion, identity, or faultline development. In terms of the impact on perceptions of team effectiveness, results indicated that higher levels of power distance, more comfort with uncertainty, more collectivistic values, masculinity, or a long-term orientation all caused individuals to perceive lower levels of team effectiveness.

Not surprisingly the degree of cultural intelligence also impacted perceptions of team dynamics, emergent states, and performance. Results suggest that as cultural intelligence increases so do perceptions of teamwork (and its subscales – attitudes, communication, cohesion, and decreases in reported conflict). Moreover, perceptions of positive emergent states (i.e., trust – affective and cognitive-trust and identity) increase while negative states decrease (i.e., faultline development). Finally, perceptions of team effectiveness increase as cultural intelligence increases. The results for the subscales that comprise cultural intelligence were found to align fairly closely with the overall composite.

Analysis of the data obtained from transcripts within the JSC Oral History project has tended to provide additional support to several of the findings that are emerging from the SIRIUS data collection. Qualitative coding of a subset of the transcripts obtained from the JSC Oral History project highlighted twelve areas as potential challenges to team interaction within culturally diverse spaceflight crews, including: differences in language, differences in philosophies, failure to integrate, differences in experience, differences in leadership style, differences in processes and rules, differences in thinking, gender differences, hierarchy, failure to share workload, and limited information sharing. Additionally, a number of factors that serve to mitigate the impact of cultural diversity were also highlighted. The most commonly used mitigating mechanisms included: socializing/building relationships, working towards team goals and communication along with adaptation/acquisition, cultural awareness/understanding each other, humor, knowledge and information sharing, and negotiation. To a lesser degree, things such as recognizing each other/providing praise and being able to recognize the social environment and pick up on cues were mentioned. Pulling from the data within the SIRIUS crew journals and interviews, we also see several additional ways that cultural awareness and cohesion can be built among the crew, including: language clubs [Russian-English, English-Russian], language socialization, use of movies and music as ways to transmit and discuss culture, and the importance of mealtime for building cohesion and understanding. The importance of both formal and informal mechanisms was noted.

Finally, additional data extracted from crew interviews and journals provide information on the role that isolation may occupy with respect to the impact of cultural values and team dynamics. For example, some crew members noted that isolation may cause individuals to identify more with their ‘origins’ (e.g., want to share it more with others). Additionally, isolation was brought up as a factor that may contribute to a blurring between professional and social boundaries as the crew becomes more like a ‘family.’

Moving forward we will continue to analyze the remaining information contained within the 4-month mission and look forward to the opportunities that will be afforded within the 8-month mission such that with both data sets we can begin to talk about cultural diversity in more detail. We will also continue to utilize the information gained to this point to prepare for the SIRIUS 8-month mission. With respect to the SIRIUS mission, the project team has attended planning and update meetings as well as begun to complete the necessary protocols and delineate the constructs that will be focused upon for our part of the mission, as well as the timing of specific measures. It is expected that in examining the primary research questions above information on: individual differences (i.e., cultural values, cultural intelligence, personality, social intelligence), team processes and states (i.e., teamwork, shared mental models, faultlines, and positive/negative affect), and outcomes (i.e., team effectiveness) will be collected. Additionally, crews will engage in journaling activities that will provide a more qualitative in depth understanding of their experiences while in the analog with respect to team interaction and culture. Finally, additional data collection/analysis opportunities (e.g., 8-month mission), will serve to refine our initial findings and facilitate the integration of this information into the products we are building.

Stahl, G.K., Makela, K., Zander, L., & Maznevski, M.L. (2010a ). A look at the bright side of multicultural team diversity. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26 (4), 439 - 447.

Stahl, G.K., Maznevski, M.L., Voigt, A., & Jonsen, K. (2010b). Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A meta - analysis of research on multicultural work groups. Journal of International Business Studies, 41 (4), 690 - 709.

Suedfeld, P., Wilk, K. E., & Cassel, L. (2013). Flying with strangers: postmission reflections of multinational space crews (pp. 185-209). Springer, Berlin Heidelberg.

The proposed project will impact numerous areas. First, this research will address current theoretical gaps surrounding the critical challenge of cultural diversity in long duration spaceflight (both on the ground and in orbit). This information is then used to build a series of complementary, modular training tools to facilitate the crew’s ability to turn cultural diversity into a synergistic force. The existent literature on cross-cultural training does little to focus on cultural diversity in crews operating in isolated, confined environments. Additionally, the focus of most cross-cultural training programs is to prepare expatriates to go abroad; therefore, teaching cross-cultural competence with regard to teamwork skills is rarely seen. In building our training we seek to validate the effectiveness of such programs within analog environments using sound scientific methods and training evaluation techniques. Finally, as an important part of training development is the assessment of the skills gained during training we will also deliver a set of assessment tools that can be used to diagnose cross-cultural competence levels with regard to team interaction.

The products resulting from the examination of the Life Sciences Data Archive include an annotated bibliography as well as insight into where gaps in knowledge may lie in terms of the impact of cultural diversity on team interaction in the context of exploration missions. This insight was utilized to draft interview protocols for use in later years of the project as well as help to guide decisions regarding the complement of measures and focus of data collection within an analog environment (i.e., SIRIUS (Scientific International Research In a Unique terrestrial Station) 4-month mission).

In conjunction with this effort, analysis of archived interviews with NASA subject matter experts provided information and corresponding gaps in knowledge regarding the impact of culture on crew interaction, mitigation strategies/countermeasures, and information on how the above may differ based on mission phase/stage/temporality. Some of the insights gained from this work include: differences in leadership styles, cultural factors that cause negative affect, and how mission phase/stage may impact the cognitive scripts crew members have concerning member interaction and how this impacts what crew members are willing to ‘accept.’ Findings also emerged that provide information on key trigger points where cultural differences may cause degradation in the quality of coordinated action among long duration spaceflight crews. For example, segmented workflow between cultures was mentioned as tending to amplify cultural differences. Additionally, insight is being gained into those more informal mechanisms that can be used to build cohesion within culturally diverse crews, such as the sharing of meals together and other socialization opportunities (both informal, formal), many of which can be done prior to flight. The importance of humor and inclusive leadership was also mentioned as important, but the appropriate use of humor can be a stumbling block.

This information as well as gaps in knowledge concerning the impact of cultural diversity on team interaction across the crew and mission lifespan is being used to not only guide future data collection efforts within the SIRIUS 4-month mission, but is serving to refine the development of a semi-structured interview protocol for subject matter experts. During the current reporting period, an initial draft of the interview protocol was developed.

Additionally, during this reporting period, the project received the final approval to be part of the complement of studies included in the SIRIUS 4-month mission (a joint mission between IBMP (Russian Institute for Biomedical Problems) and NASA). Therefore, the project team began to engage in some of the preparatory work necessary for inclusion as part of the complement of studies the SIRIUS 2018-2019 mission. For this 4-month study, primary research questions include: (1) What is the impact of cultural diversity on team dynamics (team process, emergent states) and team outcomes across the team’s lifespan? and (2) Where are the places that cultural diversity causes challenges for team dynamics and where can it be a synergistic force?

With respect to the SIRIUS mission, the project team has attended planning and update meetings as well as begun to complete the necessary protocols and delineate the constructs that will be focused upon for our part of the mission, as well as the timing of specific measures. It is expected that in examining the primary research questions above information on individual differences (i.e., cultural values, cultural intelligence, personality, social intelligence), team processes and states (i.e., teamwork, shared mental models, faultlines, and positive/negative affect), and outcomes (i.e., team effectiveness) will be collected. Additionally, crews will engage in journaling activities that will provide a more qualitative in depth understanding of their experiences while in the analog with respect to team interaction and culture.

Stahl, G.K., Makela, K., Zander, L., & Maznevski, M.L. (2010 a ). A look at the bright side of multicultural team diversity. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26 (4), 439 - 447.

Stahl, G. K., Maznevski, M. L., Voigt, A., & Jonsen, K. (2010b). Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A meta - analysis of research on multicultural work groups. Journal of international business studies , 41 (4), 690 - 709.

Suedfeld, P., Wilk, K. E., & Cassel, L. (2013). Flying with strangers: postmission reflections of multinational space crews (pp. 185-209). Springer, Berlin Heidelberg.

The proposed project will impact numerous areas. First, this research will address current theoretical gaps surrounding the critical challenge of cultural diversity in long duration spaceflight (both on the ground and in orbit). This information is then used to build a series of complementary, modular training tools to facilitate the crew’s ability to turn cultural diversity into a synergistic force. The existent literature on cross-cultural training does little to focus on cultural diversity in crews operating in isolated, confined environments. Additionally, the focus of most cross-cultural training programs is to prepare expatriates to go abroad; therefore, teaching cross-cultural competence with regard to teamwork skills is rarely seen. In building our training we seek to validate the effectiveness of such programs within analog environments using sound scientific methods and training evaluation techniques. Finally, as an important part of training development is the assessment of the skills gained during training we will also deliver a set of assessment tools that can be used to diagnose cross-cultural competence levels with regard to team interaction.

The results of the definitional phase culminated in a revised statement of work that was submitted and reviewed by NASA. The approval of this document, in turn, has recently resulted in permission to move beyond the definitional phase. We look forward to embarking on the work within this grant.

Stahl, G.K., Makela, K., Zander, L., & Maznevski, M.L. (2010 a ). A look at the bright side of multicultural team diversity. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 26 (4), 439 - 447.

Stahl, G. K., Maznevski, M. L., Voigt, A., & Jonsen, K. (2010b). Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A meta - analysis of research on multicultural work groups. Journal of international business studies , 41 (4), 690 - 709.

Suedfeld, P., Wilk, K. E., & Cassel, L. (2013). Flying with strangers: postmission reflections of multinational space crews (pp. 185-209). Springer, Berlin Heidelberg.