Boomers Like to Confront, Generation Y is Okay with Withdrawal, But They All Love to Negotiate in India

This article compares the conflict resolution styles of the three generations in the Indian workforce today — baby boomers, generation X, and generation Y — based on a research sample size of 503 respondents. The questionnaire developed by Pareek and Purohit (2010) classifies conflict resolution styles into five categories: three approach-based styles (confrontation, compromise, and negotiation) and two avoidance-based styles (withdrawal and resignation). The study found that Indian workers by and large prefer approach-based styles, with negotiation being the most preferred style across generations and gender. Baby boomers were found to have a significantly higher preference for confrontation than those in generation Y. Generation Y is significantly more likely than baby boomers to choose withdrawal as their conflict resolution style. In addition, male baby boomers are more likely than female boomers to use resignation as a conflict resolution style. The article discusses possible reasons for these findings in the Indian cultural context and suggests future research.