Intercultural Conflict Resolution in Business Communication

A Study of Conflict Management Styles in Chinese Businesspersons

Abstract

In this research, Chinese businesspersons (hereafter, CBP) employed by Japanese companies in Japan were interviewed on how they dealt with intercultural conflicts that arose in the workplace. The results of the analysis found that "avoidance" and "accommodation" were the most commonly employed conflict management styles, influenced by workplace factors such as one's position as a subordinate or a linguistic/cultural minority. Conversely, a variety of efforts and strategies towards reconciliation, including reevaluation of conflicts, sympathizing with others and recognition of industry policies, were also observed in many cases. In conclusion, the active use of "avoidance" and "accommodation" among some of the CBP suggested its effectiveness in conflict management.