IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wsi/ijimxx/v21y2017i04ns1363919617500414.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Managing Interpersonal Conflict Between Expatriates And Thai Managers Through Intercultural Communication: The Moderating Effect Of Expatriates’ Culture Of Origin

Author

Listed:
  • C. DARAWONG

    (Sripatum University, Chonburi Campus, 79 Banga-Trad Road, Klongtumru, Chonburi, 20000, Thailand)

  • B. IGEL

    (#x2020;School of Management, Asian Institute of Technology, PO Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand)

Abstract

Intercultural communication has been considered as an effective tool in performing international business in overseas subsidiaries. In this paper, we investigate the impact of intercultural communication on interpersonal conflict between expatriates and Thai managers during the new product development process, and how expatriates’ culture of origin moderates this impact. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey from local managers who regularly communicate with expatriate managers working in Thailand. The results show that intercultural communication reduces relationship conflict and increases task conflict. Furthermore, the negative impact of intercultural communication on relationship conflicts between Asian expatriates and Thai managers is stronger than between Western expatriates and Thai managers. The research results contribute to the existing theories by extending inter-functional communication and conflict to an intercultural context. Also, this research enhances understanding on how the impact of intercultural communication on conflict is moderated by expatriates’ culture of origin, namely Asian and Western. Managerial implications for MNC subsidiaries and future research are also discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • C. Darawong & B. Igel, 2017. "Managing Interpersonal Conflict Between Expatriates And Thai Managers Through Intercultural Communication: The Moderating Effect Of Expatriates’ Culture Of Origin," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(04), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:ijimxx:v:21:y:2017:i:04:n:s1363919617500414
    DOI: 10.1142/S1363919617500414
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S1363919617500414
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1142/S1363919617500414?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nancy J Adler & John L Graham, 1989. "Cross-Cultural Interaction: The International Comparison Fallacy?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 20(3), pages 515-537, September.
    2. Graham R. Massey & Elias Kyriazis, 2014. "Interdependence And Communication Between Technically Trained Managers And Marketing Managers During Innovation Projects," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 18(03), pages 1-21.
    3. Ricarda Bouncken & Alexander Brem & Sascha Kraus, 2016. "Multi-Cultural Teams As Sources For Creativity And Innovation: The Role Of Cultural Diversity On Team Performance," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(01), pages 1-34, January.
    4. Alfred M Jaeger, 1983. "The Transfer of Organizational Culture Overseas: An Approach to Control in the Multinational Corporation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 14(2), pages 91-113, June.
    5. Henrik Bresman & Julian Birkinshaw & Robert Nobel, 1999. "Knowledge Transfer in International Acquisitions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(3), pages 439-462, September.
    6. Zaza Nadja Lee Hansen & Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen, 2011. "Global product development: the impact on the product development process and how companies deal with it," International Journal of Product Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 15(4), pages 205-226.
    7. Jinhong Xie & X. Michael Song & Anne Stringfellow, 1998. "Interfunctional Conflict, Conflict Resolution Styles, and New Product Success: A Four-Culture Comparison," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(12-Part-2), pages 192-206, December.
    8. Robert G. Cooper & Elko J. Kleinschmidt, 2000. "2 New Product Performance: What Distinguishes the Star Products," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 25(1), pages 17-46, June.
    9. Smith, Kenwyn & Berg, David, 1997. "Cross-cultural groups at work," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 8-15, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Helene Tenzer & Philip Yang, 2019. "The Impact Of Organisational Support And Individual Achievement Orientation On Creative Deviance," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(02), pages 1-28, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Henri A. Schildt & Markku V.J. Maula & Thomas Keil, 2005. "Explorative and Exploitative Learning from External Corporate Ventures," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 29(4), pages 493-515, July.
    2. Panayotis Dessyllas & Alan Hughes, 2005. "R&D and Patenting Activity and the Propensity to Acquire in High Technology Industries," Industrial Organization 0507008, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Finocchiaro Castro, Massimo, 2008. "Where are you from? Cultural differences in public good experiments," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 2319-2329, December.
    4. Ahammad, Mohammad Faisal & Tarba, Shlomo Yedidia & Liu, Yipeng & Glaister, Keith W., 2016. "Knowledge transfer and cross-border acquisition performance: The impact of cultural distance and employee retention," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 66-75.
    5. Wang, Daojuan & Hain, Daniel S. & Larimo, Jorma & Dao, Li T., 2020. "Cultural differences and synergy realization in cross-border acquisitions," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    6. Yildiz, H. Emre, 2016. "“Us vs. them” or “us over them”? On the roles of similarity and status in M&As," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 51-65.
    7. Jacob, Jojo & Belderbos, René & Lokshin, Boris, 2023. "Entangled modes: Boundaries to effective international knowledge sourcing through technology alliances and technology-based acquisitions," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    8. Pamela J. Hinds & Diane E. Bailey, 2003. "Out of Sight, Out of Sync: Understanding Conflict in Distributed Teams," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 14(6), pages 615-632, December.
    9. Mohamed-Larbi Aribou, 2017. "Fusions-acquisitions et création de valeur : Bilan des recherches et perspectives d'évolution," Post-Print hal-01468250, HAL.
    10. Yulin Fang & Guo‐Liang Frank Jiang & Shige Makino & Paul W. Beamish, 2010. "Multinational Firm Knowledge, Use of Expatriates, and Foreign Subsidiary Performance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 27-54, January.
    11. López-Sáez, Pedro & Cruz-González, Jorge & Navas-López, Jose Emilio & Perona-Alfageme, María del Mar, 2021. "Organizational integration mechanisms and knowledge transfer effectiveness in MNCs: The moderating role of cross-national distance," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(4).
    12. Khavul, Susanna & Pérez-Nordtvedt, Liliana & Wood, Eric, 2010. "Organizational entrainment and international new ventures from emerging markets," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 104-119, January.
    13. Zhu, Shanshan & Hagedoorn, John & Zhang, Shuhui & Liu, Fengchao, 2021. "Effects of technological distance on innovation performance under heterogeneous technological orientations," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    14. Frenz, Marion & Ietto-Gillies, Grazia, 2009. "The impact on innovation performance of different sources of knowledge: Evidence from the UK Community Innovation Survey," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 1125-1135, September.
    15. Ardito, Lorenzo & Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio, 2017. "Breadth of external knowledge sourcing and product innovation: The moderating role of strategic human resource practices," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 261-272.
    16. Beena Saraswathy, 2010. "Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisations in India: Extent, Nature and Structure.July 2010," Working Papers id:3096, eSocialSciences.
    17. Minbaeva, Dana & Pedersen, Torben & Bjoerkman, Ingmar & Fey, Carl F. & Park, H.J., 2001. "MNC Knowledge Transfer, Subsidiary Absorptive Capacity and HRM," Working Papers 14-2001, Copenhagen Business School, Department of International Economics and Management.
    18. Park, Byung Il & Ghauri, Pervez N., 2011. "Key factors affecting acquisition of technological capabilities from foreign acquiring firms by small and medium sized local firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 116-125, January.
    19. O'Connor, Neale G. & Luo, Yadong & Lee, Danny K. Y., 2001. "Self-selection, socialization and budget control in the PRC: a study of a U.S.-Sino joint venture and Chinese state-owned enterprise," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 135-148, May.
    20. Mehmet Ali Köseoglu & John A. Parnell & Melissa Yan Yee Yick, 2021. "Identifying influential studies and maturity level in intellectual structure of fields: evidence from strategic management," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(2), pages 1271-1309, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wsi:ijimxx:v:21:y:2017:i:04:n:s1363919617500414. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Tai Tone Lim (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.worldscinet.com/ijim/ijim.shtml .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.