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CULTURAL CONFLICTS IN ORGANISATIONS

Cultural Conflicts in Organizations

Culture• Culture is the “lens”

through which you view the world.

• Cultures are like underground rivers that run through our lives and relationships, giving us messages that shape our perceptions, attributions, judgments, and ideas of self and other.

Conflicts An active disagreement between

people with opposing opinion or principles.

Meaning Of Cultural Conflict

Cultural Conflict is a type of conflict that occurs when different cultural values and beliefs clash. It has been used to explain violence and crime.

All over the world, different countries and different cultures engage in

different holidays, customs, cultural practices, religions and more. These

differences make up our diverse world, but also create culture conflicts.

Cultural Conflicts in Workplace

Cultural conflicts arise because of differences in values and norms of behaviors of people from different cultures. A person acts according to the values and norms of his or her culture; another person holding a different worldview might interpret his or her behavior from an opposite standpoint. This situation creates misunderstanding and can lead to conflict.

Identifying Cultural Conflicts• Cultural conflicts has three dimensions. To the two dimensions

that every conflict has (content and relational), cultural conflict adds the third one--"a clash of cultural values." This third dimension constitutes the foundation of the conflict since it determines personal identity.

• Cultural conflict can be identified by the following signs: – It usually has complicated dynamics. Cultural differences tend to create

complex combinations of expectations about one's own and others' behaviour.

– If addressing content and relational issues does not resolve the conflict, it can be rooted in cultural differences.

– Conflict reoccurs or arises strong emotions even though the issue of disagreement is insignificant.

Cultural differences in the Workplace • Dress: Some cultures specific clothing such as

headscarves or turbans that are worn at all times.• Religious practices: Some religions require time

during work each day for prayer or time off for special religious days.

• Customs: Some cultures can or cannot have specific foods or drinks or may have rules about how food is prepared.

Continued…• Social values: Ideas about appropriate social or

sexual behavior, work ethics, wealth and personal growth vary between cultures.

• Family obligations: Some cultures have very high family priorities which may sometime conflict with work.

• Non-verbal behavior: Eye contact, facial expressions, hand gestures and how people interpret them vary between cultures.

Examples of Cultural Conflicts-1• Western organizations may not be used to

Chinese customs and way of business-doing• Refusal to drink by guests in china is deemed

seriously impolite and in some cases could affect contract signing.

• While it may be hard to swallow for many westerners.

Examples of Cultural Conflicts-2

• When McDonald's first entered Indian Market, they brought their trademark Big Mac burger made with beef patty to India.

• Beef patty burger was not liked by customers as well as employees who do not want to work with beef as it interferes with their religious beliefs.

• McDonalds notified the issue removing Big Mac from menu and introducing more vegetarian burgers.

Different Organizations Where Cultural Conflict Occur

There are certain types of organizations such as schools , colleges , hospitals , firm , industry or any other business or non business organization. Cultural conflicts is the major and common problem in every kind of organization.

How To Resolve Cultural Conflicts

• The parties describe what they find offensive in each other’s behavior.

• They get an understanding of the other party’s cultural perceptions.

• They learn how the problem would be handled in the culture of the opponent.

• They develop conflict solutions.• Keep your personal beliefs personal.

Always remember that there are always varied solutions

to problems One set of steps or one solution that can

resolve every issue- does not exist. Each issue and set of circumstances are different and might require yet another approach.

Submitted by Submitted toGurpreet Kaur Miss Komal5821 BBA 4th Semester