Cross-cultural conflict management in an age of globalisation

The Twenty-first Century is often hailed as the Pacific Century. In economic and trade terms, it is already evident with the rise of China and India as major players. Conflicts are inevitable in commonplace human interactions. The crucial question as we move towards an age of globalisation is to ask ourselves if we are competently prepared to manage cross-cultural conflicts given the diversity of habits that occupy our respective words, thoughts and deeds in multicultural environments. This paper seeks to examine the major cultural paradigms that underpin East-West behaviours in the context of conflicts. It will demonstrate, for example, how the primarily collectivist East will perceive and manage conflicts vastly different to Western individualistic ways. It will then conclude that cross-cultural conflict management skill is an essential acquisition to meet contemporary challenges.