THE MODERATING ROLE OF COLLABORATION IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND PROJECT PERFORMANCE IN DUBAI ELECTRICITY AND WATER AUTHORITY (DEWA)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/AIJBES.827046Keywords:
Collaboration, Cultural Diversity, Project Performance, Team DiversityAbstract
This study examines the moderating role of collaboration in the relationship between cultural diversity and project performance in the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Grounded in Social Identity Theory and Information/Decision-Making Theory, the study investigates two key questions: whether cultural diversity influences project performance and whether collaboration conditions this relationship. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify empirical studies (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods) published between 2019 and 2025 across major databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and PsycINFO. The selected studies were evaluated using quality appraisal procedures and synthesized through thematic analysis. Findings indicated the absence of a consistent direct effect of cultural diversity on project performance. Instead, cultural diversity produced informational advantages, enhancing creativity and problem-solving, while also introducing social risks such as in-group bias and interpersonal conflict. Collaboration, operationalized through trust, psychological safety, inclusive leadership, and information elaboration. High-collaboration climates transformed diversity into performance gains, whereas low-collaboration environments amplified identity-based tensions and weakened outcomes. The study proposes a process model that positions collaboration as the key mechanism through which cultural diversity contributes to project success in complex utility organizations.
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