Abstract

In today’s globalized business landscape, organizations increasingly depend on culturally diverse teams to drive innovation, adaptability, and market competitiveness. This study investigates the impact of cross-cultural teams on organizational performance within Nigeria Breweries Enugu, a key manufacturing unit in Nigeria’s beverage sector Characte- rized by significant ethnic, regional, and cultural diversity. The research explores how cultural diversity influences team communication, cohesion, leadership effectiveness, conflict management, and subsequently, organizational outcomes such as productivity, innovation, and customer satisfaction. Utilizing a pragmatic research philosophy, the study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys of 295 employees across multiple departments with qualitative interviews involving 18 managerial and operational staff. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analyses to evaluate relationships between cross cultural team dynamics and performance indicators. Qualitative data underwent thematic analysis to deepen understanding of underlying processes, leadership practices, and contextual challenges. Findings reveal that effective cross-cultural communication and strong team cohesion positively correlate with enhanced organizational performance. Leadership emerges as a critical catalyst; culturally competent and inclusive leaders promote trust, reduce misunderstandings, and leverage diversity for problem-solving and innovation. This study underscores that organizational performance at Nigeria Breweries Enugu is significantly shaped by how cross-cultural team challenges are managed. It recommends Targeted leadership development, expanded intercultural training inclusive communication strategies, and formal conflict management mechanisms as essential steps toward harnes sing workforce diversity..