The Brockton Neighborhood Health Center - 1316 Words

Dispute Resolution 624 11/4/10 Cross-Cultural Conflicts Professor, Rezarta Bilali Assignment # 2 Joseph A. Bettencourt The Brockton Neighborhood Health Center, an Institution Formed and Molded By Diversity Controversy According to behavioral theories of communication and decision-making the rational solution to a problem is not always the best answer. Therefore, when diversity creates controversy, which inhibits the development of an organization, the organization is forced to adopt other useful tactics that would result in positive outcomes. This document will focus on several aspects of cross-cultural conflicts; A)†¦show more content†¦A) According to chapter 7 Intercultural conflict competence, in â€Å"cultural assumptions about conflicts color our attitudes, expectations, and behavior in the conflict episode† (Toomey, p.132), the task force felt empowered to go in and take charge of the situation without involving the community in the decision making process, placing the already concern issues in a prostrated state. Toomey goes to explain that in individualist vs. collectivist, â€Å"collectivist uses the process oriented model of conflict resolution by emphasizing the importance of managing mutual or group face interest in the conflict process, by upholding a claimed sense of positive public image in any social interaction† (Toomey p. 132). Power, control and loosing face, those were the elements that clouded the leaders of Brockton from looking at the problem through a different lens. B) Cultural constitute phenomenon; after the site selection without community approval the community was propelled into conflict escalation, making the City of Brockton a perfect candidate for mass violence. Citizens could not take out their frustration on the task force; instead they turned their attention on the groups that they perceived as the perpetrators of the problems (minorities). According to Stub in cultural-societal roots of violence. â€Å"Members of different subgroups of society can respond to