UTM-EF FRAMEWORK: A UNIVERSAL APPROACH TO MULTICULTURAL IT TEAM MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS IN THE DIGITAL ERA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36074/grail-of-science.17.10.2025.017Keywords:
multicultural teams, IT project management, UTM-EF framework, cultural intelligence, team effectiveness, Communication-Fit coefficient, Value-Fit coefficient, CROSS Cycle FrameworkSummary
This article presents the Universal Team-Management Effectiveness Framework (UTM-EF 2.0), an innovative methodology for managing multicultural teams in IT projects based on empirical research with N=136 respondents from diverse cultural backgrounds. The framework integrates novel Communication-Fit (CF) and Value-Fit (VF) coefficients that enable precise measurement of cultural compatibility with 95.07% predictive accuracy using machine learning algorithms. The framework structures assessment across four interconnected levels: Results and Quality (35% weight), Processes and Technologies (25% weight), People and Culture (30% weight), and Stakeholders and Learning (10% weight). Through structural equation modeling, we demonstrate that communication processes mediate 45.8% of the relationship between cultural factors and team effectiveness (β = 0.63, p < 0.001). Implementation across 45 teams in 15 Ukrainian IT companies resulted in significant improvements: 18.8% increase in team productivity, 41.9% reduction in cultural conflicts, 25.8% enhancement in communication satisfaction, and 247% ROI. The framework transforms multicultural team management from intuitive practices into measurable, data-driven management systems with empirically validated predictive capabilities, providing practical tools for IT managers navigating the complexities of global distributed teams.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Nazarii Mazur, Nataliya Chukhray
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