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Conflict Management 

Definition

"Preemptive conflict management involves establishing conditions to prevent, control, or guide team conflict before it occurs. Reactive conflict management involves working through task and interpersonal disagreements among team members." (Marks et al., 2001, p. 363)

Key References

  • Behfar, K., Peterson, R. T., Mannix, E. A., & Trochim, W. M. K. (2008). The critical role of conflict resolution in teams: A close look at the links between conflict type, conflict management strategies, and team outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(1), 170–188. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.93.1.170
    • Used concept mapping and content analysis to examine 7 types of conflict management strategies, analyzed frequency and effectiveness of the conflict management strategies for the three conflict types based on levels of performance and satisfaction at two different time points.
  • Tekleab, A. G., Quigley, N. R., & Tesluk, P. E. (2009). A Longitudinal Study of Team Conflict, Conflict Management, Cohesion, and Team Effectiveness. Group & Organization Management, 34(2), 170–205. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601108331218
    • Found that increased conflict management behaviors eliminated the negative effect of relationship conflict on later team cohesion but high levels of conflict management also was related to an elimination of the positive relationship between task conflict and later team cohesion, connected conflict management at early stages of team development to stronger team outcomes at later time points.
  • Zhang, X., Cao, Q., & Tjosvold, D. (2010). Linking Transformational Leadership and Team Performance: A Conflict Management Approach. Journal of Management Studies, 48(7), 1586–1611. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00974.x
    • Argue that transformational leadership will improve team coordination by emphasizing cooperative conflict management as opposed to competitive conflict management in teams, enhanced team coordination would in turn lead to better team performance.

Key Measurements 

  • 5 item sub scales for competitive & cooperative conflict approach, 7-point Likert scale, alpha = .87
  • Survey, Dutch test for Conflict Handling (DUTCH) revised versions- lean & expanded, lean: 16 items, 4 sub scales (avoiding, forcing, problem solving, yielding) 5-point Likert scale, alphas > .67, expanded: 20 items, 5 sub scales (adds compromising), 5-point Likert scale
    • De Dreu, C. K. W., Evers, A., Beersma, B., Kluwer, E. S., & Nauta, A. (2001). A theory-based
      measure of conflict management strategies in the workplace. Journal of Organizational
      Behavior, 22(6), 645–668. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.107

Recent Articles

  • Tabassi, A. A., Abdullah, A., & Bryde, D. J. (2018). Conflict Management, team coordination, and performance within Multicultural Temporary Projects: Evidence from the construction industry. Project Management Journal, 50(1), 101–114. https://doi.org/10.1177/8756972818818257
    • Collected data from the construction industry to investigate the effect of conflict management on team effectiveness.
    • Found that an avoidant style of conflict management had a positive impact on performance of multicultural project teams.
  • Mello, A. L., & Delise, L. A. (2015). Cognitive diversity to team outcomes. Small Group Research, 46(2), 204–226. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046496415570916
    • Explores conflict mangement as a moderator in the effects of diversity and cognitive styles on team outcomes.
    • Found that the negative affects of diversity on cohesion are mediated by conflict management.
  • Maltarich, M. A., Kukenberger, M., Reilly, G., & Mathieu, J. (2016). Conflict in teams: Modeling early and late conflict states and the interactive effects of conflict processes. Group & Organization Management, 43(1), 6–37. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601116681127
    • Addresses inconsistencies in literature pertaining to conflict management in teams.
    • Suggests that confict types and conflict management approaches should be modeled together as a better representation of team conflict.