Intentions for cooperative conflict resolution in groups

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 259-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabi Dodoiu

Purpose – The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to test to what extent a cooperative conflict management style can be related to attitudes, norms and perceived volitional control. Second, because conflict resolution is an activity that unfolds at the team level, the validity of the theoretical model was tested at the team level of analysis. The aim was to extend the understanding we have on antecedents of conflict management styles and to build a bridge between two different levels of analysis. Design/methodology/approach – This was done by building on the theory of planned behavior, which, to the authors’ knowledge, has neither been related to organizational behaviors nor to small group dynamics. A questionnaire was distributed to subjects that have experienced working together in teams. In total, 131 team members (grouped in 33 teams) provided answers on the key concepts of the model. Findings – First, perceived norms and high volitional control relate to individuals’ intentions to engage in cooperative conflict management activities, with intentions not mediating to role of norms on behavior. Second, at the team level, a high level of perceived norms relates to a higher occurrence of a cooperative resolution style. Additionally, high diversity on the attitudes over the value of this style negatively impacts its occurrence. Research limitations/implications – This study offers a cross-sectional image of an important process in the team. Additionally, relying on the subjects’ self-reports represents a limitation in the current study, considering the goal of the model is to predict behavior. Future research could address this, and additionally, consider team characteristics or individual traits that could add to the model of planned behavior. Originality/value – This paper adds to the literature as an attempt the bridge individual level constructs team-level processes. Moreover, it provides evidence for potential antecedents of conflict management styles. This latter contribution can be relevant for practitioners as well, that could invest in the institutionalization of favored resolution style to benefit from it.

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Kuriakose ◽  
Sreejesh S. ◽  
Heerah Jose ◽  
Shelly Jose

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the activity reduces conflict associated strain (ARCAS) model with the aid of AET examining the direct effect of relationship conflict on employee well-being and also discussing the mechanism through which relationship conflict influences employee well-being, and also to test the ARCAS model examining whether passive and active conflict management styles influence this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Responses were collected from 554 software engineers using structured questionnaire and postulated relationships were tested using Process Macros. Findings The study established that relationship conflicts are detrimental to employee well-being. It also established the indirect effect of relationship conflict on employee well-being through negative affect state. Negative affect state is an intra-personal mechanism linking relationship conflict and employee well-being. The study also extended the ARCAS model by establishing that passive ways of handling conflict amplify and problem-solving conflict management style mitigates the adverse impact of relationship conflict. Contrary to the prediction, forcing conflict management style was found to amplify the adverse effect of relationship conflict on well-being through negative affect state. Practical implications The findings of the study highlight the detrimental effect of relationship conflict on well-being and highlight the vital role of individual affective states in the conflict process. Furthermore, the study provides valuable insights for managers on how individuals’ conflict management styles influence the effect of relationship conflict on well-being. Originality/value The study specifically examined the effect of relationship conflict on employee well-being and explored the psychological process through which relationship conflict diminishes well-being. Moreover, the study tested and extended ARCAS model with the aid of Affective Events Theory.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjay Bhattacharya ◽  
Aditi Jain ◽  
Anirudh Rangarajan ◽  
Vani Saksena

Most employees experience conflict at workplace with their colleagues as a usual or normal part of their job. Some individuals handle it better, while some of them may need intervention. The area of work conflict has rapidly grown over the last two decades. High conflicts and bad ways of managing them cause extreme job stress and low engagement at work. This study investigates the influence of Emotional Intelligence (EI)on the conflict management style of employees in government sector organizations. The study comprised of a sample 73 employees, both from management and non-management cadre of Indian Railways. The results obtained through quantitative analysis demonstrate a clear and definite relationship between the emotional intelligence of an employee and his/her conflict resolution technique.


2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret M. Hopkins ◽  
Robert D. Yonker

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the critical relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) abilities and conflict management styles in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – Totally, 126 participants completed a measure of EI and an assessment of conflict management styles. Regression analyses were then performed. Findings – Results of regression analyses indicate several significant relationships between EI abilities and participants’ conflict management styles. The EI abilities of problem solving, social responsibility, and impulse control were the most directly related to how participants managed conflict at the workplace. Research limitations/implications – Future research should attempt to replicate these findings in other samples. In addition, researchers should investigate other significant variables that explain people’s choices in conflict management styles. Practical implications – Implications of these findings suggest that for management development purposes, people should attempt to improve on the EI abilities of problem solving, social responsibility, and impulse control in order to manage workplace conflict effectively. Originality/value – This investigation contributes to the literature by identifying specific EI abilities, rather than a macro measure of EI, that are associated with different styles of conflict management.


2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1533-1548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanqiong He ◽  
Xiu-Hao Ding ◽  
Kunpeng Yang

Purpose – Teamwork is important for innovation, but it often incurs conflicts. Previous literature has reported inconsistent relationships between conflicts and team performance. The purpose of this paper is to clarify this relationship and explore how to improve team innovation using conflict management styles. Design/methodology/approach – This study collects data in China and the survey covering 436 participants from 126 project teams. Then, structure equation model by AMOS and moderated regression analyses are used for hypotheses testing. Findings – This study finds that cognitive conflict and affective conflict have positive and negative effects on team innovation separately, and cognitive conflict positively affects affective conflict, with the total effect of cognitive conflict on team innovation being negative. Moreover, this study suggests that cooperative conflict management styles and dominating style (one of competitive conflict management styles) moderate the relationship between cognitive conflict and affective conflict negatively and positively. Research limitations/implications – First, this study did not consider features of organizations as control variables. Future research can advance in this direction. Second, the data were collected from a single marketing innovation program. Further research might use more diversified teams to test the hypotheses. Practical implications – Firms should realize that cognitive conflict promotes team innovation directly, but it also harms team innovation through affective conflict. Then, cooperative conflict management styles are effective in weakening the relationship between cognitive conflict and affective conflict. Originality/value – This study fulfills an identified need to clarify the relationship between conflict and team performance, as well as how conflict management styles moderating the relationship between cognitive conflict and affective conflict.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Caputo

Purpose The purpose of this research paper is to investigate the role of individual and cultural differences, specifically religious motivation and attitudes toward nepotism, in the selection of conflict management styles (obliging, avoiding, forcing, integrating and compromising), in the Middle-Eastern context. Design/methodology/approach The research surveyed a sample of 588 individuals (both Muslims and Christians), representative of the Jordanian population. Data were analyzed through multiple ANOVAs and multiple regressions. Findings Results suggest that both religious motivation and attitude toward nepotism affect the choice of conflict management styles, while demographic variables, such as age and gender, do not seem to have an effect. Originality/value This paper constitutes one of the first attempts to investigate the conflict management style preferences of a Middle-Eastern society and the role of two important cultural variables, namely, religious motivation and attitudes toward nepotism, which have not been previously investigated by conflict management research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary L. Cooper ◽  
Margaret E. Knight ◽  
M. Lance Frazier ◽  
Daniel W. Law

PurposeAs exhaustion is a core dimension of job burnout, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that individual perceptions of supervisor conflict management style (collaborative, dominating and avoidant) are antecedents of role stressors (role conflict, role ambiguity and role overload) in public accounting exhaustion.Design/methodology/approachSurvey results from a sample of 208 public accountants from six firms in upstate New York are used to test the conceptual model using regression and mediation techniques.FindingsThe findings indicate that perceptions of collaborative and dominating conflict management styles are important antecedents to the role stressors that precede exhaustion in public accounting. The findings also indicate that collaborative and dominating management styles have an indirect effect on exhaustion through both role conflict and role overload.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was taken from six accounting firms in one geographic area of the USA and may not be representative of all public accountants. As a result, generalizability may be limited. Theoretical implications include expansion of the existing public accounting exhaustion model to incorporate individual perceptions of conflict management styles as antecedents to role stressors, and consequently to demonstrate the indirect effects of these conflict management styles on exhaustion.Practical implicationsThis study’s findings provide practitioners with insight regarding conflict management styles, specifically which ones have a positive versus negative effect on role stressors. This can be considered in hiring, training and promotion decisions in firms’ efforts to reduce exhaustion.Originality/valueThis augmentation of the existing public accounting exhaustion model is unique, as prior research has not examined individual perceptions of conflict management style. This not only enriches the model but also is actionable by public accounting firms seeking to mitigate exhaustion.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 671-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nailah Ayub ◽  
Suzan M. AlQurashi ◽  
Wafa A. Al-Yafi ◽  
Karen Jehn

Purpose Personality differences may be a major reason of conflict, as well as the perception of conflict and preference for handling that conflict. This study aims to explore the role of personality traits in determining conflict and performance. The authors also studied the moderated mediated relationship between personality and performance through conflict and conflict management styles. Design/methodology/approach A field survey was conducted with a sample of 153 employees to test the hypotheses. Findings As hypothesized, agreeable persons perceive less conflict and extraverts are more likely to use integrating, obliging, compromising and avoiding styles. Emotionally stable people opt for integrating style whereas neurotics opt for dominating style. Conscientiousness, openness and emotional stability have a direct effect on performance, but the interactions between conflict and conflict management styles determine the relationship between personality traits and performance. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional nature of data and somewhat reliable coefficients for personality measures reduce confidence in the results. Future research should use different or multiple measures of personality. Personality traits may be explored in view of the degree of each personality trait or interactions between personality traits. Practical implications People are sensitive about engaging in conflict and handling conflict differently because of their personality characteristics. The personality traits should, therefore, be understood and considered for conflict experience, conflict management and performance. Originality/value The paper adds to management research by investigating the relationship between personality traits, conflicts, conflict management styles and performance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Caputo ◽  
Giacomo Marzi ◽  
Jane Maley ◽  
Mario Silic

Purpose The purpose of this study is to map the intellectual structure of conflict management studies by investigating the key themes, concepts and their relationships for the period 2007-2017. The study updates the previous decade (1997-2006) investigation by Ma et al. (2008) to reflect the increased publication efforts in the field. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometric analysis was used to trace the development path of the extant literature. The study included activity indicators such as distribution of articles and most-cited journals; relationship indicators such as co-author analysis and keyword analysis; and the mapping of the theoretical foundations. Findings The analysis identified five key themes that help track the direction of conflict management research: negotiation, mediation, trust, conflict management styles and performance. Originality/value These themes show a wider diversification of topics in the field than in the past, corroborating previous results about the reputation and maturity of conflict management as an independent scientific field of research. This study will help scholars to improve their understanding of the evolution of conflict management studies and the direction that conflict management research is taking, in particular, identifying available avenues for future research.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 725-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Gonçalves ◽  
Marta Reis ◽  
Cátia Sousa ◽  
Joana Santos ◽  
Alejandro Orgambídez-Ramos ◽  
...  

Purpose Negotiating effectively in multicultural contexts or others is not only a very important skill for all organizational elements but also crucial to inter-organizational relations (Adler, 2008). If defined as a process that occurs when one party feels adversely affected by another (De Dreu, 1997). Conflict management styles can be analyzed as a function of personality variables. In this respect, cultural intelligence and self-monitoring appear to be relevant variables, as they are characterized by the demonstration of flexibility and interest in elements that are present in conflict management styles. This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which variables such as cultural intelligence and self-monitoring can positively influence the ability to solve interpersonal conflicts more effectively. Design/methodology/approach This study, with a sample of 399 individuals, aimed to test a model that explores how cultural intelligence and self-monitoring are related as predictor variables in the styles of conflict resolution. Findings It was observed that cultural intelligence presents itself as a reasonable predictor of conflict management styles, whereas self-monitoring appeared as a dispositional and controversial measure in relation to those styles. Self-monitoring exhibited itself as an important predictor of conflict management, but on the other hand, it had an influence on the choice of the dominating style in conflict situations. Practical implications Understanding the predictors of conflict management style and, in particular, realizing the extent to which cultural intelligence promotes a more effective conflict management style can help in the development of selection processes and skill training programs. The development of these multicultural skills will contribute to individual, social and organizational well-being. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature of individual differences and conflict management, demonstrating that some individual differences that predict the styles of conflict management can lead to a certain ambiguity in understanding the behaviour that an individual may adopt in situations of conflict.


Author(s):  
Thomas G. Reio ◽  
Jeannie Trudel

The purpose of this study was to examine the relations among conflict management styles and target and instigator incivility and job performance, organizational commitment, and turnover intent. Data from 270 employees suggested that experiencing and instigating uncivil behavior occurred frequently. Using an integrative conflict management style was positively associated with job performance and organizational commitment and negatively with turnover intent. Dominate conflict management style was negatively associated with organizational commitment and positively with turnover intent. Both types of incivility were negatively associated with job performance and organizational commitment, and positively with turnover intent. Target incivility was the most powerful predictor in the hierarchical regression models.


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