Chap17 CONFLICTS AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

Browaeys and Price, Understanding Cross-cultural Management, 1st Edition, © Pearson Education Limited 2009Slide 17.1

Understanding Cross-cultural Management

CHAPTER 17

CONFLICTS AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

• Concept 17.1: Understanding & dealing with conflicts


The nature of conflict

• A conflict appears when people with differing needs or goals are prevented – or perceive that they are being prevented – by others in achieving these needs or goals

• Realistic Group Conflict theory: source of inter-group conflict is struggle over (limited) structural resources, not personal characteristics. Labor, land, oil, food (social psychology theory)

• Social identity theory: conflict between groups is seen to be the result of perceived identities. Being different to another-in group vs out group behaviour


The nature of conflict (2)

• Ting-Toomey (cross-cultural) conflict involves:

– (cultural) groups protecting their own self-image. Hutterites

– intercultural perceptions coloured by ethnocentrism and stereotypes. Own culture centeredness “ Do as the Romans!!

• Uses concept of ‘self-construal’- how people perceive themselves


The nature of conflict (3)

• Ting-Toomey distinguishes between– Those with an independent sense of self welcome

communication in the conflict process, if both parties are open: this may bring tangible, creative solutions (Western)

– Those with an interdependent sense of self see conflict as negative and unproductive: a conflict process is only satisfactory if the ‘faces’ of both parties have been saved in addition to a productive agreement (East Asia)

• Independent self-concepts found more often in individualistic cultures; interdependent self-concepts more prevalent in collectivistic cultures


Conflict styles: dual concern models

• Conflict style: ‘patterned responses or clusters of behavior that people use in conflict’

• Dual concern model by Blake and Mouton based on two dimensions: ‘concern for production’ and concern for people’

• Thomas and Kilman model (1974): based on two factors in a person’s conflict style:– assertiveness: ‘the extent to which the individual

attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns’– cooperativeness: ‘the extent to which the individual

attempts to satisfy the other person’s concerns’


Figure 17.1 Two-dimensional taxonomy of conflict handling modesSource: Thomas & Kilman (1974), p. 11 (adapted)

Conflict handling modes

ASSERTIVENESSconcern for self

HIGH COMPETING

COLLABORATING

COMPROMISING

LOW

AVOIDING ACCOMMODATING

LOW HIGH

concern for otherCO-OPERATIVENESS


Criticism of such dual concern models

Can such a dual concern model handle the increasing complexity of modern-day disputes? • Room for manoeuvre is limited (legislation and

financial restrictions)• Communication during conflict is not always

direct, so face-to-face resolution not possible • Such a model is focused solely on outcome of

the conflict, either in terms of concern for self or concern for the other.


Relationship, not just goal?

Leung, K. et al. (2002) propose the introduction of harmony into the model: concerns itself with the relationship between the self and the other

• Harmony: focus on using a conflict-free relationship to achieve a goal

• NB: conflict avoidance can cause equal harm in a more subtle manner: replacing genuine problem- solving with superficial harmony


Culture, emotions and conflict

Kumar distinguishes between:• ‘Ego-focused’ emotions such as anger, pride and

guilt, linked to the (non-)fulfilment of individual goals• ‘Other-focused’ emotions such as shame, anxiety

and fear, related to the (in-) ability to show oneself as belonging to the social context

• In negotiation conflict: – those with negative ego-focused feelings will put

pressure on their opponents to make concessions– those experiencing other-focused may adjust their

expectations to get an agreement


Culture, emotions and conflict (2)

The extra dynamics arising during an encounter between disputants from different cultures• those from individualistic cultures more ready to

overcome an impasse • negotiators from collectivist cultures more likely to

share the same perception of a given event and will:

– find it difficult to suggest a way round an obstacle– may not openly make emotional individual responses– may attempt to restore personal composure and thus

harmony.


Culture, emotions and conflict (3)

What if conflict occurs between people from individualistic and collectivistic cultures? • Emotions could drive them even further apart,

with one side attempting to force a resolution and the other withdrawing from any interaction.

• Ting-Toomey et al. (2000) advocate the inclusion of emotional expression in Thomas-Kilman’s model to account for the many subtleties in conflict management.


Figure 17.2 An Eight-Style Conflict Grid: An Intercultural Approach Source: Ting-Toomey & Oetzel (2002), p.160

Intercultural approach to conflict

Obliging

Dominating

Neglect(Passive Aggressive)

Integrating

EmotionalExpression

Third-Party Help

Third-Party Help

Compromising

Avoiding

OTHER FACE CONCERN

HIGHLOW

LOW

HI

GH

SELF-FACE

CONCERN


Management of conflict

The way conflicts are addressed can vary considerably from culture to culture. These differences relate to:

• the degree to which disagreement is acceptable and therefore the extent to which conflict is tolerated

• the strategies to be adopted when dealing with conflicts

• the moment when the manager needs to intervene and the way he intervenes


Mindfulness

Ting-Toomey (1999) suggests that skills to do with mindfulness can enhance conflict management:• mindful reframing

– ‘translate’ (non-) verbal messages from the context of the other’s cultural viewpoint

– re-set priorities after mindfully observing and listening to the viewpoints and expectations of their opponents

• collaborative dialogue– grasp the cultural and personal elements involved– get the others to talk about expectations, face issues


Managing conflict in Malaysia

Core values: durability of personal relations, even if a strong divergence of opinion results in conflict

• concern for face : across all ethnic groups.

• concern for others: generosity, respect, honesty and sincerity, being upright and caring.

• respect for seniority: in some conflicts a third person, a ‘neutral senior’ clarifies key issues.

• subordinates will never confront their superior, rather they will be unco-operative and eventually resign themselves to the way their boss behaves.


Managing conflict in Thailand

• The name Thailand – ‘The Land of Smiles’ - reflects the social harmony in this country. A Thai smiles in pleasant and stress-filled situations.

• Smile hides feelings in public: self-discipline to maintain status, prestige and face: concept of ‘jai yen’ (‘cool heart’) derived from Buddhism

• Individualism quite predominant, but Thais are more ‘relationship-oriented’ than ‘results-oriented’

• Conflict is rarely regarded as either positive or negative: if a conflict arises, a third party (traditionally a respected elder) is called upon to mediate


Managing conflict in (South) Korea

• Korea, reflects in a way the differences and similarities between western and eastern attitudes to conflict

• Koreans prefer a non-competitive (or non-dominating) strategy in face-to-face conflict situation

• Prefer to use a superior or authoritarian personality to resolve conflict

• Differentiate between in-group and out-group situations: when dealing with out-groups, strategy is comparable to Western competitive approach


Mediation and conflict transformation

• In Asia Pacific: the mediator deals with concerns of group as a whole; legitimacy rests on – their social status within the group– their knowledge of traditions, personal characteristics.

• In West: the mediator’s task is tightly focused: authority defined more in terms of their expertise and experience

• The mediator can: – reframe the content and process issues of both parties– transform the whole conflict in terms of the attitudes and

behaviour of those involved


Conflict transformation (1)

• This idea of conflict transformation involves: – first transforming attitudes, then transforming

behaviour – then transforming the actual conflict in question by

pinpointing incompatibilities and removing them– transformations at personal, social and structural level– a radical process which changes the whole nature of

the relationship between warring parties


Conflict transformation (2)

• Mediation can be an instrument of transformation• But third-party intervention is not necessary if the

parties involved are: – prepared to perceive the conflict process in terms of

their own assumptions, AND – perceive the process in terms of those with whom they

are in contention


Conclusion

• Conflict style related to– Concern for self– Concern for others

• Mediation and/or collaborative dialogue can promote conflict resolution

• Cultural transformation of personal, social and structural factors can promote conflict resolution further

Chap17 CONFLICTS AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

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