خدمات و مدیریت تعارض: دیدگاه های یکپارچه سازی فرهنگی و اروپایی

This paper analyses and discusses the implications of three important characteristics (assertiveness, performance orientation and gender egalitarianism) of Turkish culture from a conflict management styles perspective in the light of the prospective integration of Turkey with the European Union (EU). The analysis of the three cultural characteristics indicates that Turkish people are more likely to resort to avoiding, accommodating and compromising strategies in situations of conflict, rather than collaborating and competing. The study shows that there are important differences between Turkey and its main trading partners regarding assertiveness, performance orientation and gender egalitarianism.

The issues of efficiency and effectiveness are becoming increasingly more important for service businesses. The efficiency and effectiveness of service business are influenced by a variety of factors. Intra-individual or interpersonal conflict is one of the factors which impinge on the level of efficiency and effectiveness an organization attains. In an organization the way people perceive conflict and how they approach and handle conflict is rather important from a conflict management and resolution perspective. This paper analyses and discusses conflict management styles of service providers from a conflict handling viewpoint. The three cultural characteristics, assertiveness, performance orientation and gender egalitarianism, of Turkish culture are analyzed and discussed in comparison with Turkey's main trading partners in the EU (European Union). The dimensions of conflict management styles in service businesses are analyzed with reference to the findings of, especially, House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, and Gupta (2004), Hall, 1976 and Hall, 1983, and Hofstede, 2001 and Hofstede, 2003 and a number of other cross-cultural studies. The study of conflict management styles from a cross-cultural perspective is important, particularly as Turkey will be joining the EU within the next decade or so, subject to Turkey's progress in making the necessary structural adjustments.1 Although Turkey with its fast growth economy,2 and relatively younger population offers many benefits to the EU, there are serious concerns among certain EU technocrats as to the limits of the EU's absorption capacity of this large country, with a population of 72 million ( World Bank, 2007), and with certain distinct cultural differences.

This study has explored the implications of three cultural characteristics on conflict management styles in Turkey based on the differences between Turkey and its main trading partners and offered some advice on training interventions. The analysis presented in the paper is by no means complete, nor comprehensive, as in most studies pertaining to culture. However, it is expected that the study will contribute towards a deeper understanding of matters relating to conflict and conflict management in services settings. Thus, services practitioners may understand better why people in Turkey and in its main trading partner countries have a different approach towards conflict and the possible implications of these approaches.