Dutch decision as rooted in Dutch culture: An ethnologic study of the Dutch decision process

Consensus is a mode of regulation well adapted to globalisation as it provides a means to reach agreements and manage diversity at the same time. However, is it a universal decision mode? This study explores the co-existence of individualism and collectivism in Dutch consensus. A descriptive and interpretive analysis of the Dutch decision process allows to disentangle the mechanism by which individual autonomy and cooperation articulate. This mechanism is assisted by a series of social devices that. are described and discussed as deeply rooted in Dutch society. Viewed from a French perspective, consensus reveals a number of obstacles and a totally different patterns of collective representations. Consequences for intercultural management are stressed.