The Critical Role Of Conflict Resolution In Teams

Several studies have been conduct in past few years to develop a better understanding on workplace conflict and it’s impact on team performance. Then the author uses past results to determine two main developments for this article, which is how intragroup conflict literature questions the measuring levels of conflict in explaining group performance. While the other one is how different types of conflict have direct impact on outcomes. In order to examine the relationship between conflict resolution and team performance, the author suggested leaders looking at team viability and their ability in handling conflict. From literature review, several scholars have been argued conflict management is important predictor in results in conflict performance relationship. To investigate the key role for conflict management, previous studies have justified a process which help to reduce negative impact of conflicts. For example, Tjosvold (1991) argued that a cooperative approach to conflict resolution allows conflict of a variety types to be resolved in a beneficial way.

Also, the procedural justice literature supports the process of conflict management allows teams to solve their conflict fairly. A group model has been used to posit individual define their status while applying the procedure in the group process. In addition, previous studies on conflict management behaviors is either as “individually styles” that are stable traits of individuals or generalized behavior orientations. The purpose of this study aims to examine specific conflict resolution strategies in results for each group outcomes associated with three commonly measurement: task, relationship and process conflict. The critical key to measure group performance, leaders first should understand a teams’ ability in choosing, adapting and handling conflicts to meet performance criteria. Teams that can adapt the suitable strategies to resolve conflict are more likely to satisfied members and enhanced group performance, however, the conflict will continue if they adapt ineffective styles. In methodology, the author used participant-driven method inquiry to collect information. An open-ended survey questions were hand over to entire 252 first year MBA class students, or 65 study teams, who is from East Coast graduate school of management. The reason why open-ended survey is being used is because it does not constrain members’ conflict management behavior.

Furthermore, the author choose not to use existing conflict management inventories because he was interested in capturing detail about team level development and application of different types of conflict strategies. Also, the school is relatively small and the autonomous groups were newly formed with no previous history. Autonomous groups were being chosen to investigate the management due to two reasons. Firstly, autonomous groups have become more prevalent in past two 20 years, it is widely used in academic setting.

Secondly, this groups can have a better explanation on how management of team process. The data analysis was a mix of qualitative and quantitative method. The groups were administered two surveys form which include open-ended and closed-ended questions. The open-ended questions asked respondents to describe their teams’ norms, believes, communications and others that can contributed to team members. Variables such as team grade, represent a group’s ability in adapting task strategies, and team satisfaction, represent how well a group in managing social side, were used to investigate team outcome. Qualitative data analysis was used to investigate: (1) different conflict strategies used to address different types of conflicts; (2) the comparison of positive and negative outcomes form those strategies; (3) changes in team norms when the success or failure of conflict resolution.