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One Finger Pointing Toward the Other, Three Are Back at You

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Critical Issues in Cross Cultural Management

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Abstract

This chapter is intended to guide individuals’ understanding of their role in intercultural conflict and different sources of conflict with the goal of resolving intercultural conflicts in the workplace. More specifically, it situates conflict in the context of culture and examines the implications of global management practices for making sense of and coping with role conflict. It is asserted that culture plays a vital role in the development of role conflict, as well as how people in different cultures cope with various kinds of role conflict and the implications of those coping strategies on management practices. A common understanding of communication processes is presented, followed by a deep dive into the complexities of various kinds of conflicts that might arise as a result of the role(s) one has in an organization. Four key guidelines are presented as ways to minimize intercultural role conflict, including self- and other awareness, reframing a conflict situation as a challenge instead of a threat, capitalizing on the opportunity to learn and grow, and engaging in active communication.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The role receiver, while often the focal person, is not always the focal person. There might be layers of role receivers before a focal person receives intended messages of expectations (e.g., from upper level managers, to mid-level managers, to individual contributors, who are the focal persons).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Applied Behavioral Sciences, University of Baltimore, 1420 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    Sharon Glazer

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  1. Sharon Glazer
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Correspondence to Sharon Glazer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Cross Cultural Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

    Jessica L. Wildman

  2. Institute for Cross Cultural Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

    Richard L. Griffith

  3. Institute for Cross Cultural Manage, Florida Institute of Technology Institute for Cross Cultural Manage, MELBOURNE, Florida, USA

    Brigitte K. Armon

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Glazer, S. (2016). One Finger Pointing Toward the Other, Three Are Back at You. In: Wildman, J., Griffith, R., Armon, B. (eds) Critical Issues in Cross Cultural Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42166-7_6

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