Conceptualizing the Relationship between Individualism – Collectivism and Conflict Management Styles at Individual Level

Abstract

The omnipresent and inevitable conflict is debated a lot in organizational studies. Many researchers study the relationship of conflict management styles and cultural dimensions specifically with individualism – collectivism. But these studies deal the culture at a national level aggregately. Hofsete’s demarcation of cultures in to individualistic and collectivistic cultures is the basic pillar of such studies in cross cultural comparisons of conflict management styles. In this study, an attempt was made to relate individualism – collectivism with conflict management styles at individual levels as all people in a presumed collectivistic/individualistic culture are not collectivists/ individualists. Getting support from literature, propositions are developed and a model is proposed. Future research directions and prospects are discussed.

Keywords: Individualism, Collectivism, Conflict, Conflict Management Styles, Intra-Cultural Conflict, Inter-cultural Conflict

JEL Classification: D23, L20