Relational Models Dissimilarity within and Across Situations: Understanding Conflict and Other Process Inefficiencies in Culturally Diverse Groups

42 Pages Posted: 5 Jun 2005

See all articles by Markus Vodosek

Markus Vodosek

German Graduate School of Management and Law

Date Written: June 1, 2005

Abstract

This empirical paper investigates how group members' dissimilar use of mental models of appropriate social interaction patterns affects group member interaction and the attitudinal and performance outcomes of culturally diverse groups. Narratives from 29 interviews with members of science research groups provide the data for an extension to Alan Fiske's relational models theory. The findings from this study indicate that relational models dissimilarity among group members increases conflict and deteriorates group interaction within a given situation. However, relational models dissimilarity is desirable when group members use different models across different situations as long as group members use the same relational model within each given situation.

Keywords: Relational models, cultural diversity, groups

Suggested Citation

Vodosek, Markus, Relational Models Dissimilarity within and Across Situations: Understanding Conflict and Other Process Inefficiencies in Culturally Diverse Groups (June 1, 2005). IACM 18th Annual Conference, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=736270 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.736270

Markus Vodosek (Contact Author)

German Graduate School of Management and Law ( email )

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