ABSTRACT
Innovation, increased trade and the dissemination of ideas and values in a globalized world have created a very challenging, complex and interconnected business environment, which impacts all areas of organisational performance. Organisations must not only face the challenges of operating worldwide, but they are also required to adopt alternative managerial approaches to the consequences of global operations within the workplace: an increase in the cultural diversity of the workforce, broader job descriptions, increased flexibility, structural changes of work, constantly changing work schedules, longer working hours, coupled with the competitive demands of increased productivity or performance. The unfamiliar array of values, attitudes, perceptions, languages and cultures at a personal and organisational level in a globalized environment provides potential for challenge, dispute and conflict in the workplace. How conflict emerges, escalates and is resolved is shaped by culture, both at the organisational level (internal factors) and by the national culture in which business operates (external factors).
