Unlocking the performance of racial dissimilarity in subordinate-supervisor dyads: Collectivism and communication media are key

As opposed to past literature in which racial dissimilarity has been largely examined through a negative lens, this study fills an important gap by revealing that racial dissimilarity between supervisor and subordinate can lead to a knowledge advantage. Based on the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) framework, we conducted a field study of 151 subordinate-supervisor dyads to examine how dyadic racial dissimilarity impacts Elaboration of Task-Relevant Information (ETRI) and subordinate job performance when jointly moderated by subordinate cultural values and communication media. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and mediation analysis. We found that ETRI was higher under conditions of dyad racial dissimilarity and when subordinates were high in collectivistic values and met with their supervisor more face-to-face than virtually but lower when subordinates were high in individualistic values and met with their supervisor more virtually than face-to-face. The findings also supported a mediated moderation model whereby the three-way interaction effect of the three independent variables on subordinate job performance was mediated by ETRI. Theoretically, through synthesizing an overlooked perspective of the relational demography literature together with AMO framework, we elucidate how racially dissimilar vertical dyads exchange knowledge. Practically, managers can align vertical racially dissimilar dyads by paying particular attention to subordinates' cultural values as well as communication media to enhance subordinate's performance.