Conflict resolution styles between co-workers in US and Mexican cultures

• Published in: The International journal of conflict management 2006-01, Vol.17 (3), p.242-260
• Main Authors: Posthuma, Richard A, White, George O, Dworkin, James B, Yánez, Oscar, Stella Swift, Maris
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bargaining; Boundaries; Collaboration; Collectivism; Conflict management; Conflict resolution; Cross cultural studies; Cultural differences; Cultural identity; Culture; Influence; Mexican culture; Personality; Workers
• ISSN: 1044-4068; 1758-8545
• DOI: 10.1108/10444060610742344

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate how national culture and proximity to national borders can influence the conflict styles that co-workers use between themselves.Design methodology approach - In this experiment, samples were drawn from regions near the US Mexican border further north in the USA and further South in Mexico. Total n=549. Participants were presented with different conflict styles of co-workers and asked how they would respond. A new measure of national origin was developed and used to assess affinity with a particular culture based on familial lineage.Findings - This study shows that conflict resolution styles of co-workers in the USA are different from those in Mexico. Culture also moderates the relationship among the conflict resolution styles of the co-workers themselves. Mexicans were generally more contending and less yielding to co-workers than Americans. However, Mexicans were also more likely than Americans to respond to contending co-workers by accommodating or by compromising with the co-worker. National Origin and border location influenced choice of conflict resolution styles in both American and Mexican workers.Originality value - Proximity to national borders can influence degrees of cultural identity, which can in turn, influence preferred conflict styles. Degrees of national cultural identity can be measured using familial lineage.