The Indiana Jones Approach: Cultural Competencies and Conglomerated Conflict Behavior in Intercultural Conflicts

IACM 18th Annual Conference

27 Pages Posted: 24 May 2005

See all articles by Martin Euwema

Martin Euwema

Utrecht University - Department of Social and Organizational Psychology

Hetty van Emmerik

Utrecht University - Department of Social and Organizational Psychology

Date Written: 2005

Abstract

This study explores the relation between cultural competencies and conglomerate behavior in interpersonal conflicts within an intercultural context. The theory of conglomerate conflict behavior (Van de Vliert, Euwema, & Huismans, 1995) presumes that conflict behaviors should not be studied as if independent, but as 'gestalts', that is, in relation to each other, and that these gestalts can be meaningfully interpreted in terms of competitive or cooperative conglomerates (H1). The second hypothesis explores relations between cultural competencies and conglomerate conflict behavior. Survey data on five conflict styles were collected from Dutch military peacekeepers (N=542), describing a conflict they were involved in during their mission. Using cluster analysis, two different patterns of conflict handling were identified. The main contrast between the conglomerates is cooperative (high problem solving and compromising), low forcing), versus competitive behavior (low problem solving and compromising, high forcing). As expected, cultural empathy is positively related to cooperative behavior, and adventurism is related with competitive behavior. This is what we call the Indiana Jones approach; peacekeepers who like the adventure also like to fight their conflicts.

Keywords: Conglomerate conflict behavior, cultural competencies, peacekeeping

Suggested Citation

Euwema, Martin and van Emmerik, Hetty, The Indiana Jones Approach: Cultural Competencies and Conglomerated Conflict Behavior in Intercultural Conflicts (2005). IACM 18th Annual Conference, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=728434 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.728434

Martin Euwema (Contact Author)

Utrecht University - Department of Social and Organizational Psychology ( email )

P.O. Box 80.140
3508 TC Utrecht
Netherlands

Hetty Van Emmerik

Utrecht University - Department of Social and Organizational Psychology ( email )

P.O. Box 80.140
3508 TC Utrecht
Netherlands

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