Cross-Cultural Conflicts: Concept, Causes, and Elucidations

Introduction

As the world is progressing in this era of globalization, business world is making a move beyond their domestic territories to expand their businesses in the foreign land. The business world is now focusing on the geocentric approach to get the best person to carry out the job. The changed approach of the corporate world has now opened the job avenues for the potential talent giving them opportunity to experience and get exposed to the different opportunities and make best out of their competencies.

People are now coming out of their closet and accepting assignments in the foreign land with a hope to learn and grow in their respective careers. As geographical distances are diminishing with people from various destinations are landing in the same workplace. With the growing dominance of the Multinationals Corporations in the business world, predominant cultures of the organizations are fading away, giving way to cultural mix giving acceptance to individuals from various origins and faith.

The popular organizations ranging from big corporate giants like Apple, Microsoft, Google or any other conglomerates like TATA, Reliance, Proctor and Gamble, HUL etc. are addressing the diversity at their workplace with a motive to reap out the benefits of the same. The workplace diversity has helped to channelize the potential of diversity and helped these organizations to grow and prosper and make a mark in the business world.

On one hand, where the diversity in the workforce is bringing its paybacks for the organizations on the other hand it is also giving rise to the conflicts originating from the diversity itself. It becomes essential for the organizations to give due consideration to the conflicts which arises owing to the existing cross cultural diversity at workplace.

Cross cultural diversity which nowadays is being treated as a boon may turn into bane if not handled carefully. Although, diversity embraces the individual differences based upon age, gender, race, ethnicity, value systems and personality but also provide the unexpected challenges. The challenges may range from cultural clash augmented with differing value systems hampering the overall work environment and disturbing the synergy at workplace. Chua (2013), is his research concluded that intercultural tensions and conflicts are inevitable in the global workplace and ambient culture disharmony disrupts creativity. The authors in the chapter will be discussing the definitions, concept of cross cultural conflicts and list out the probable causes responsible for occurrence of the conflicts and have also suggested the various methods through which conflicts could be brought down to create harmony and peace at work place which contributes to overall increase in the performance and productivity of the business firm/organisations.