Library_Essay

Article one The first article I found was The Role of Cross-Cultural Factors in Integrative Conflict Resolution and Crisis Communication: The Hainan Incident, published in the American Behavioral Scientist in 2009 by Yi-Hui Huang and Olwen Bedford. This article shows the integrated theoretical and policy-oriented framework for cross-cultural conflict resolution by exploring relationships among conflict resolution styles and crisis communicative strategies with emphasis on both conflict structure and cross-cultural factors. They use the Hainan negotiation between China and the United States as a case study to prove study on the topic. The analysis indicated that the use of mediators and consideration of favor and face, which are central resources in Chinese interpersonal interactions, are likely to contribute to an integrative conflict solution. (Huang & Bedford, 2009) I found this article to have clarity and lots of detail around the topic. Overall it was easy to understand and was supported by diagrams and various studies. I located the article in the SocINDEX database. It was available in PDF full-text format. I would recommend this article to students specifically studying various cultures and their ways of dealing with conflict. The article covers the three main styles of conflict; Integrative style, Distributive style and Avoidance style. As it pertains to SPCH426 students, this article would be good to use since it covers some of the subjects discussed in the book. However, students would definitely need to use other sources since it only covers two specific cultures. Article Two The second article I found was A cross-cultural comparison of family communication patterns and conflict between young adults and parents published in Journal of Family Communication in 2008. The studies showed surveys that researched conflict styles scale modified for the family setting, and a family communication satisfaction measure. The surveys showed individual preferences for each conflict strategy (i.e., integrating, compromising, dominating, obliging, and avoiding) were examined in relation to his or her cultural background and family communication patterns. I found this article to be clear and easy to understand. Overall it was easy to understand and was supported by charts, tables, diagrams and surveys. I located the article in the PsycINDEX database. It was available in PDF full-text format. I would definitely recommend this article to student’s in the SPCH426 class. The article covers conflict and how the differences in culture show how conflict is resolved. It proves that culture does play a role in how conflict is handled. Article Three The third article I found was Cross-cultural conflict and harmony in the social construction of a child, published in New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development in 2007. The article was about parent-teacher conferences between Latino immigrant parents and their children's elementary school teacher revealed cross-cultural value conflict. Discourse analysis indicated that parents and the teacher often use different criteria to evaluate children's progress; that is, they have different goals for child development. The teacher's goals are usually more individualistic, whereas the parent’s goals are often more collectivistic. (Greenfield, Quiroz, Raeff, 2007) I also found this article to be clear and easy to understand. I’m not sure if it would be appropriate for students of the SPCH426 class to use since it covers more individualistic and collectivistic styles and how they impact conflict. (Since we didn’t get too far in the chapters yet, I’m not sure if we will cover these two styles) The documentation was supported by charts, surveys, and diagrams. I located the article in the Wiley Online Library. It was available in the online and in PDF full-text format. Source Four: I read the book Contemporary Leadership and Intercultural Competence: Exploring the Cross-Cultural Dynamics Within Organizations published by Sage Publications in 2008 for another class around conflict. The book was written by Dr. Michael A. Moodian who is a writer and assistant professor of social science at Chapman University. He holds doctorate degree in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University and a master’s degree in communications from California State University, Fullerton. His doctoral dissertation research focused on the intercultural competence levels of postgraduate students throughout various stages of study. The book is about understanding the relationship between cultural competency and leadership. The book provides prospective on measuring intercultural competencies, assessing leadership within a multicultural context, and numerous examples of how organizations can lead in an evolving world. The sources of the book came from a variety of contributions from some of the world’s most renowned cross-cultural management theorists and commentators. The book is written very concise and direct to the topic. However, it only briefly discusses the impact cultural differences have on conflict so I don’t think this would be a good book for the SPCH426 students. The author covers more of the evolving role of diversity in organizations and how culture can affect training, HR, culture and the law, and communication/conflict. Source Five: My last source was a book called Cultural Variation in Conflict Resolution: Alternatives To Violence published by Psychology Press in 1996. The book was written by Professor Douglas P. Fry. Dr Fry teaches at Åbo Akademi University in Vasa (Vaasa), Finland and also holds an affiliation with the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology at the University of Arizona. The book provides a scholarly exploration of cultural variation regarding conflict resolution. It presents an interdisciplinary examination of how conflicts are perceived and handled in a variety of cultural settings. The sources of the book draw on data and models from anthropology, psychology, and political science. The chapters analyze conflict resolution across the societal spectrum, including cases from Western and non-Western traditions, complex and tribal societies, and violent and non-violent cultures. Dr. Fry demonstrates the extremely important impact of culture on conflict resolution. I think this source is an excellent book to read for SPCH426 students since it heavily details the differences between cultures and how they react to conflict. The book is provides clarity and easy for any level college student to read. While the book was published over 10 years ago, the information is still relevant today. Citations: Fry, D. (1996). Cultural Variation in Conflict Resolution: Alternatives To Violence. New York, NY: Psychology Press Greenfield, P. M., Quiroz, B. and Raeff, C. (2000), Cross-cultural conflict and harmony in the social construction of the child. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2000: 93–108. doi: 10.1002/cd.23220008708 Moodian, M. (2007). Contemporary Leadership and Intercultural Competence: Exploring the Cross-Cultural Dynamics Within Organizations. New York, NY: Sage Publications, Inc Shearman SM, & Dumlao R. (2008) A cross-cultural comparison of family communication patterns and conflict between young adults and parents. Journal of Family Communication (J FAM COMMUN), 2008 Jul-Sep; 8(3): 186-211 (77 ref) Yi-Hui, Huang, & Bedford, Olwen. (2009). The Role of Cross-Cultural Factors in Integrative Conflict Resolution and Crisis Communication: The Hainan Incident. American Behavioral Scientist; Vol. 53 Issue 4, p565-578, 14p