Culture, Conflict Management Style, and Underlying Values: Accounting for Cross-National Differences in Styles of Handling Conflicts among US, Chinese, Indian, and Filipino Managers

US joint ventures with Asian firms often flounder because cultural differences impede the smooth resolution of conflicts between managers. In a survey of young managers in the US, PRC, Philippines, and India, we find support for two hypotheses about cultural differences in conflict style and the cultural values that account for these differences: Chinese managers rely more on an avoiding style because of their comparatively high value on conformity and tradition. American managers rely more on a competing style because of their comparatively high value on individual achievement.