Positive intercultural management in the fourth industrial revolution: managing cultural otherness through a paradigm shift

The authors argue that a paradigm shift in intercultural management is needed to withdraw from a problem-oriented perspective–stressing the differences and difficulties of intercultural interactions–and foster a solution-oriented, positive psychology perspective, taking PP1.0 and PP2.0, the first and second wave of positive psychology, into account. This Positive Intercultural Management (PIM) perspective, thereby provides new directions to intercultural management during the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The article contributes to filling the void of PIM by demonstrating and promoting the positive, complementary and synergistic experiences in intercultural management interactions. On the basis of negotiated culture and intercultural synergy, the article describes and discusses positive factors contributing to PIM, such as interculturally competent actors; organizational structures such as intercultural tandems; and negotiated processes mediated by boundary spanners. It further addresses previously discussed challenging issues, such as cultural othering and awareness in intercultural management. Practical implications relate to key actors in PIM, such as managers or consultants, who need to change the perspective from problem-focused to solution-orientated PIM in international and global management contexts, in order to steer intercultural negotiation processes so that they promote complementarity and synergy.