Work Style Diversity and Diffusion Within and Across Organizations: Evidence from Soviet-Style Hockey.

This article investigates how the large influx of Russian hockey players into the National Hockey League (NHL) after 1989 influenced the playing style of incumbent North American–born players. Using nearly 50 years of player-game data, the study finds that Russian players exhibited a less aggressive, more skilled style characterized by fewer penalty minutes and higher points per game compared to North Americans. Following the arrival of Russian players, North American players significantly reduced their penalty minutes, both when playing alongside and against Russians, indicating adoption and diffusion of the Soviet-style hockey within and across teams. The findings persist after controlling for player, coach, and game factors, and are not explained solely by changes in game rules or coach preferences, suggesting cultural diversity can lead to meaningful changes in work style through peer learning and integration.