DOI: 10.1177/23220937261457304 ISSN: 2322-0937

Intergenerational Differences in Conflict Resolution in Colombia and India: A Comparative Study

Sonali Bhattacharya, Shubhasheesh Bhattacharya, Kaushik Chaudhuri
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Our research focuses on comparing the conflict resolution styles of the Indian and Colombian workforce across three generations: the Baby Boomer generation, Generation X and Generation Y. The study involved a sample of 715 Colombian and 657 Indian respondents. To assess the conflict resolution styles, we employed a questionnaire ( Pareek & Purohit, 2018

, Training Instruments in HRD and OD ) that categorised the styles into five groups: confrontation, compromise, negotiation (approach-based styles), withdrawal and resignation (avoidance-based styles). The findings of our study indicate that both Colombian and Indian workers generally exhibit a preference for approach-based conflict resolution styles. In Colombia, confrontation emerges as the most favoured style, while negotiation is the preferred style in India, regardless of the respondents’ generation or gender. Notably, significant generational differences were observed in Colombia regarding the compromise, negotiation and withdrawal styles, and in India concerning the confrontation and withdrawal styles. Furthermore, our research demonstrates that the Baby Boomer generation displays a considerably higher inclination towards approach-based conflict resolution when compared to Generation Y in both countries.

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