2.5.3 (HL)—Cultural clashes

A culture clash occurs when groups bring incompatible assumptions about authority, risk, communication or success into the same organisation or partnership.

The clash can slow decisions, create mistrust and make a formal integration look complete while work remains divided. Diagnose the specific norm in conflict and create shared routines, incentives and channels rather than demanding instant cultural uniformity.

After an acquisition, one team expects managers to approve every change while the other expects engineers to act autonomously. A joint decision rule and mixed project teams make the difference visible and test a workable compromise.

Culture clash is not proof that one group is inferior. Explain the mechanism and consider power, history and the time needed for trust to form.