WORKPLACE CONFLICTS IN PUBLIC ELDERY CARE HOMES An Exploration of Employee Experiences of Workplace Conflicts and the Role of Cross-Cultural Differences.

摘要

AbstractEssay/Thesis: 30 hpProgramme: Strategic Human Resource Management and Labour RelationsLevel: Masters /Second CycleSemester/year: Spring /2017Supervisor: Thomas JordanExaminer: Anna PeixotoReport No: xx (not to be filled in by the student/students)Key words: Workplace conflicts, cultural differences, public elderly residential homePurpose: The purpose of this study is to explore employees’ experiences of conflicts inelderly care homes to identify, describe and analyze what causes conflicts among employeesin the elderly care, with specific emphasis on the potential role of cultural differences. Thisaim is pursued through a twofold objective. First, to explore triggers of conflicts in the elderlycare. Secondly, to explore what role, if any, cultural diversity plays in collaboration andconflicts.Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework is based on two understandings.First that multiple factors trigger conflicts and these could be tackled if attention is focused ondeveloping robust collaboration cultures at work. Secondly that culture could play a role inthe occurrence of conflicts hence understanding diverse cultures at work is necessary. Twotheoretical models, namely Jordan’s theoretical framework for analyzing workplace conflictsand Hofstede’s cultural dimensions are used to understand, interpret and explain datacollected regarding workplace conflicts.Methodology: A qualitative study based on participant observation combined with indepthopen-ended interviews that take a narrative and interpretative approach. Narratives of15 interviewees with 3 or more years of work experience and field notes in a culturallydiverse elderly care home in the public sector were studied and analyzed.Results: In meeting the purpose, this study has revealed that individual characteristics (likepersonality, attitudes, behaviors), relationship characteristics (like work load, taskdistribution, informal leadership and communication) and system conditions to be responsiblefor emergence and reoccurrence for conflicts. It further reveals that cultural differences comewith misunderstandings and aids in escalation of trivial matters into workplace conflicts.