Intercultural Management and Social Performance: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

Today, the importance of intercultural management and social performance in organizational success continues to grow. These two dimensions have become essential pillars in addressing the challenges posed by globalization and the cultural diversity of the workforce. This implies that the ability to manage intercultural differences and ensure high-quality social relations constitutes a genuine foundation for improving internal cohesion, stakeholder satisfaction, and organizational legitimacy.

The objective of this article is to examine how intercultural management contributes to enhancing the social performance of organizations. Hence, the central research question is as follows: To what extent does intercultural management foster the improvement of organizational social performance?

To address this question, we conducted a theoretical study based on a literature review of the main theories and approaches to intercultural management as well as the indicators of social performance. A careful analysis of the theoretical data led us, on the one hand, to observe that the recognition and valorization of cultural differences play a key role in fostering positive social relations and organizational climate. On the other hand, it revealed that improving specific indicators of social performance — notably inclusion, employee satisfaction and engagement, corporate reputation, and social responsibility — requires effective intercultural management, reflected in adaptive, inclusive practices that leverage cultural diversity within organizations.