Hence, the sources of conflict are cultural dissimilarities, communicational differences, and organizational expectations and workers’ expectations.
1. **Cultural Differences**: Ted’s Asian cultural background renders him more moves hierarchical, empathetic to authority and of indirect communication style. Opposite to this, Karen esteme for communication, cooperation, and reward based on performance. These expectations cause cross cultural conflicts because they are different.
2. **Perceived Disrespect**: Karen imposes herself on a negative image of Ted and views him as distant and unmoved by her authority since he carries out his work to conclusions without involving himself in group exercises. On the other hand, Ted sees independence as the hall mark of a professional officer and believes in the outcome he gets as all that matters.
3. **Communication Breakdown**: Karen’s direct and open manner of management stands ill with Ted’s formal and quite restrained style of communication. This gap leads to Karen getting squeezed out of any decisions Ted makes for the family, on the other hand, Ted feels that Karen is always overly controlling him.
4. **Conflict Over Office Allocation**: Ted’s demand for a private office — that is a status in his culture — turns into severe conflict. Karen’s rationality of the request is in that it is seen as having entitlement and not having the vision of the team values and goals while Ted explain it in line with the need to be professional with the clients.
#### Conflict Resolution Strategies
1. **Cultural Sensitivity Training**: Karen could try to promote the culture of multiculturalism to herself as well as the team in order get a better handle on Ted’s worldview and therefore, approach him differently.
2. **Open Dialogue**: Resolving the issue involves arranging one-on-one meeting with the aim of expressing his or her expectations and concerns regarding the other party in a non-confrontational way that would enable the two of you arrive at an understanding if there are misunderstandings between the two of you.
3. **Collaborative Problem-Solving**: Karen could also need to engage Ted to fashion out a solution that meets his and the rest of the team’s needs. For instance instead of rejecting the office request outright, she could think of a way of settling for the possibility of shared office spaces.
4. **Focusing on Common Goals: The opponents’ goals appear to be in contrast to each other as they relate to clients and branch performances; discussing common goals should assist in modifying their relationship from competitive to cooperative.
