Conflict management in an international company

Aim. To identify the main elements and specific features of conflict management in an international company, as well as to study the experience of the world’s leading companies in human resource management.

Objectives. To consider different methods and approaches of conflict management in international firms; to characterize the main problems, strategies, methods and styles of conflict management in an international company.

Methods. The authors used modern methods. Methods. modern methodology of socio-economic research, including system and process approaches, method of comparative analysis, empirical and analytical methods of research.

Results. The results of the study revealed that in a multinational team employees have more differences than similarities in their values. The key factor for the resolution of such conflicts can be the increase of employees’ awareness of the specificity of cultures of different countries.

The analysis carried out according to Schwartz’s methodology made it possible to create value portraits for Russian and Chinese employees of Huawei, as well as to make a comparative analysis of the significance of values for members of a cross-cultural team. When managing conflicts, it is also worth paying attention to the methods of resolution as an important element of management of any organization. Among them we can distinguish five main styles: avoidance, smoothing, coercion, compromise and problem solving.

Conclusions. The authors found that the conflict management system in an international company has a complex structure, regardless of the actual location of the business. The study showed that the effectiveness of conflict management is important for the stability of an international organization, because the scale of dysfunctional consequences of conflict can affect its functioning and image abroad. The complex process of conflict management requires specific activities from the participants. Among them - prevention and avoidance of conflict; diagnostics and regulation of conflict by adjusting the behavior of its participants; prediction of conflict development and assessment of its functional orientation; conflict resolution.

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