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Relationship Conflict

Definition 

"Conflict related to interpersonal issues, political norms and values, and personal taste." (De Dreu & Van Vianen 2001, p. 309)

Key References

  • De Dreu, C. K. W., & Van Vianen, A. E. (2001). Managing relationship conflict and the effectiveness of organizational teams. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 22(3), 309–328. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.71
    • Review of previous negative relationships observed between relationship conflict and team effectiveness & satisfaction, expanded on this by evaluating how type of response to relationship conflict can influence the preexisting negative relationship.
  • Mohammed, S., & Angell, L. (2004). Surface- and deep-level diversity in workgroups: examining the moderating effects of team orientation and team process on relationship conflict. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(8), 1015–1039. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.293
    • Analyzed how team orientation (task) and process of student teams moderate the connection between diversity and relationship conflict overtime and in turn that relationship conflict predicted self-rated performance.
  • de Wit, F. R. C., Greer, L. L., & Jehn, K. A. (2012). The paradox of intragroup conflict: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(2), 360–390. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024844.supp (Supplemental).
    • Updated meta analysis from De Drue & Weingart 2003, evaluated task, relationship and process conflict as predictors of team outcomes (viability, performance, other emergent states).

Key Measurements

  • Jehn 1994: four items for relationship conflict
  • Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II: measure of interpersonal conflict response

Recent Articles

  • McKenzie, D. M. (2015). The role of mediation in resolving workplace relationship conflict. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 39, 52–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2015.01.021
    • Examines the existing literature on mediation in resolving relationship conflict in the workplace.
    • Evidence suggests that mediation is most effective when supported by organization wide commitment to Alternative Dispute Resolution.
  • de Wit, F. R. C., Jehn, K. A., & Scheepers, D. (2013). Task conflict, information processing, and decision-making: The damaging effect of relationship conflict. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 122(2), 177–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.07.002
    • Built two studies upon the suggestion that relationship conflict determines whether a task conflict is positively/negatively related to decision making.
    • Found that the level of both perceived and actual relationship conflcit led to poor decision making.
  • Vaux, J. S., & Kirk, W. M. (2018). Relationship conflict in construction management: Performance and productivity problem. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 144(6). https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0001478
    • Examines how relationship conflict affects performance and productivity in the context of construction management.
    • Found that the consequences of relationship conflict include schedule delays, lower morale, and reduced profit.