Thriving in Mono- and Multicultural Organizational Contexts
Thriving in Mono- and Multicultural Organizational Contexts

Summary/Abstract: Background. Thriving, composed of learning and vitality produces many positive outcomes for organizations. Yet, there is a lack of studies on thriving which is embedded in social interactions that juxtapose the two types of organizational contexts, i.e. mono- with multicultural ones. Research aims. The aim of the paper is to compare the level of thriving (i.e. learning and vitality) in mono- and multicultural work contexts. The author posits that the multicultural work environment has unique demands conducive to thriving to a larger extent than the monocultural one. Methodology. The cross-sectional study was conducted in domestic companies and multinational corporations (MNCs) that represent mono- and multicultural workplaces, respectively. The samples comprised 259 employees having only monocultural interactions and 238 individuals involved in intercultural interactions. Key findings. The research reveals that the subjects employed in the multicultural organizations experienced a higher level of thriving than those working in the monocultural ones. The results support the notion that social contacts, including intercultural interactions, are needed to trigger thriving in organizations. As the paper is concerned with individuals’ positive growth, it contributes to the Positive Organizational Scholarship studies.

• Details
• Contents