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Team Conflict

Definition

"A process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party." (Wall & Callister 1995, p. 517)

Key References

  • Wall, J., & Callister, R. R. (1995). Conflict and Its Management. Journal of Management, 21(3), 515–558. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639502100306
    • Review of conflict definition, how conflict on one level (interpersonal or intergroup) can influence the effects of conflict at another level.
    • Identifies conflict management practices and individuals' roles in that process.
  • Jehn, K. A. (1995). A Multimethod Examination of the Benefits and Detriments of Intragroup Conflict. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40(2), 256. https://doi.org/10.2307/2393638
    • Introduction of heavily used measure of conflict (survey and interview prompt to be used together or separately), identified contextual factors that were associated with a positive versus negative effect of conflict (relationship v task) on group outcomes.
  • De Dreu, C. K. W., & Weingart, L. R. (2003). Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(4), 741–749. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.4.74
    • Meta analysis comparing the effect of conflict (task and relationship) on team performance and team member rated satifsaction, task type and the correlation between task conflict and correlation between conflict types are moderators of the conflict-performance relationship *See Tekleab et al 2009 under general cohesion

Key Measurements 

  • Jehn 1995: Survey + Interview (intended to be semi-structured) Questions, Survey scales include: Task Type, Intragroup Conflict, Conflict Norms, Satisfaction with Group, Liking, Intent to Remain, Goal Similairty, Conflict Resolution. Interview questions include: initial questions, main, semi-focused,and questions for supervisor

Recent Articles

  • O’Neill, T. A., & McLarnon, M. J. W. (2018). Optimizing team conflict dynamics for high performance teamwork. Human Resource Management Review, 28(4), 378–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2017.06.002
    • Considers the team-centered view using process conflict.
    • Advances the Team Conflict Dynamics Model by connecting conflict profiles with the key variables of psychological safety, conflict management, and team performance.
  • Greer, L. L., Caruso, H. M., & Jehn, K. A. (2011). The bigger they are, the harder they fall: Linking team power, team conflict, and performance. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 116(1), 116–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2011.03.005
    • Investiagates the impact of team power on team conflict.
    • Found taht high-power teams are less likely to have process conflict that impacts their performance negatively.
  • Costa, P. L., Passos, A. M., & Bakker, A. B. (2015). Direct and contextual influence of team conflict on team resources, team work engagement, and Team Performance. Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, 8(4), 211–227. https://doi.org/10.1111/ncmr.12061
    • Evaluated team conflict's influence and moderator role on team work engagement and team performance.
    • Found a direct influence of task conflict on team work engagement, where task conflict strengthens the relationship of strengthens the relationship between team work engagement and team performance.