The Global Diversity Desk Reference: Managing an International Workforce

5.2. THE IMPACT OF CULTURE ON CONFLICT

Reports of cultural clashes and conflict within cross-border partnerships such as that of Daimler and Chrysler are common. Even much earlier, the merger of Metal Box with Carnaud was marked by conflicts between the autocratic management style of the French and the more participative orientation of the British; the GEC and Siemens partnership featured contrasts between the British firm's decentralized and short-term approach and the centralized longer-term style of the German partner.^[] At its most basic, culture determines how we engage in conversation, dialogue, or negotiation with one another—even our conversational patterns reveal deeper cultural norms, as shown in the figure on the next page, which ...