Team conflict research, taken as a whole, has produced some conflicting results, especially regarding task conflict, which has demonstrated substantial heterogeneity across situations and an overall near-zero effect. Accordingly, several groups of scholars have called for new ways to study conflict. In this dissertation, I extend past conflict asymmetry research, which has considered only agreement between two parties, by investigating whether the two parties’ conflict inferences of each other are accurate. To do so, I draw from the Truth and Bias model of judgment to understand the biases and inaccuracies associated with conflict inferences. Further, I incorporate the partner’s conflict communication and the actor’s perspective taking as moderators to shed light on the contingencies of accurate conflict perceptions. To highlight the bottom-line implications of achieving accuracy, I use polynomial regression and link various aspects of accuracy to important dyadic outcomes. To test my dissertation model, I collected data from ongoing student project teams using a time-lagged round-robin design. Results from the social relations modeling indicate that dyadic conflict inferences are inaccurate, being characterized by a negative directional bias, a significantly stronger bias force than the truth force, and low levels of actual similarity. Further, moderation analysis identifies the partner’s suppressive conflict communication as a contingency factor that can weaken the truth force, suggesting that more open communication can help dyad members achieve accuracy. Exploratory analysis also shows that perspective taking can strengthen the bias force. Further emphasizing the importance of accuracy, the polynomial regression results indicate that conflict inference accuracy (versus inaccuracy) is associated with higher levels of attributional confidence and problem-solving behaviors. Moreover, the level of accuracy in task conflict perceptions has an inverse U-shape relationship with problem-solving behaviors, whereas higher levels of accuracy in both task and relationship conflict perceptions are associated with lower levels of relationship satisfaction. Supporting the benefit of positive illusions, under-perception (versus over-perception) is related to higher levels of attributional confidence and relational satisfaction. In contrast to the importance of achieving accuracy (versus inaccuracy), agreement (versus disagreement) is not associated with positive outcomes. Supplementary analysis indicates that these dyadic outcomes, when aggregated to the team level, are strongly associated with team satisfaction and effectiveness. Overall, this research suggests that focusing solely on the team level risks overlooking the existence and the various sources of inaccuracy in dyadic conflict perceptions. Further, the accuracy of the dyad partners’ conflict inferences of each other plays an important role in shaping their subsequent interactions. To the extent that conflict is a relational, multilevel phenomenon, dyadic conflict inferences should become an integral part of scholarly understanding of conflict; this perspective holds promise for not only accounting for the conflicting results in the conflict literature, but also informing managerial practices that are conducive to effective conflict management in the workplace.

To better understand the impact of task conflict in work teams, an incremental, multi-level model is developed, which distinguishes individual-level perceptions of conflict from more overt group-level manifestations of conflict. Task conflict is conceptualized as being detrimental for teams only to the extent that it positively predicts relationship conflict. The positive relationship between task conflict and relationship conflict is referred to as conflict spillover. The composition of team members’ underlying beliefs concerning the functional value of task conflict (referred to as conflict values) is examined as a moderator of conflict spillover. It is proposed that perceptual conflict spillover is smaller among team members who hold positive conflict values, and that manifest conflict spillover is smaller among teams composed primarily of members who hold positive conflict values. Hypotheses were tested in a longitudinal study of 59 student teams (294 individuals). At the team level, the diversity of team members’ conflict values was found to moderate manifest conflict spillover, such that the association between task and relationship conflict was significantly positive for teams composed of members who held more diverse conflict values. For teams composed of members who had less diverse conflict values, there was no significant association between manifest task conflict and manifest relationship conflict. As a result of these significant differences in conflict spillover, manifest task conflict indirectly and negatively predicted the task performance and viability of teams containing more diverse conflict values, but did not significantly impact the effectiveness of teams with less diverse conflict values. At the individual level, the significant positive association between perceived task conflict and perceived relationship conflict was not moderated by individual conflict values. However, because of this perceptual conflict spillover, task conflict perceptions also indirectly and negatively predicted team members’ personal willingness to continue working in the team. Results of this dissertation highlight important differences in the ways that conflict operates at the individual and group levels. Having identified the diversity of conflict values as a moderator of manifest conflict spillover, this dissertation outlines areas for further academic and practical knowledge development concerning the prevention of dysfunctional team dynamics.

To better understand the impact of task conflict in work teams, an incremental, multi-level model is developed, which distinguishes individual-level perceptions of conflict from more overt group-level manifestations of conflict. Task conflict is conceptualized as being detrimental for teams only to the extent that it positively predicts relationship conflict. The positive relationship between task conflict and relationship conflict is referred to as conflict spillover. The composition of team members’ underlying beliefs concerning the functional value of task conflict (referred to as conflict values) is examined as a moderator of conflict spillover. It is proposed that perceptual conflict spillover is smaller among team members who hold positive conflict values, and that manifest conflict spillover is smaller among teams composed primarily of members who hold positive conflict values. Hypotheses were tested in a longitudinal study of 59 student teams (294 individuals). At the team level, the diversity of team members’ conflict values was found to moderate manifest conflict spillover, such that the association between task and relationship conflict was significantly positive for teams composed of members who held more diverse conflict values. For teams composed of members who had less diverse conflict values, there was no significant association between manifest task conflict and manifest relationship conflict. As a result of these significant differences in conflict spillover, manifest task conflict indirectly and negatively predicted the task performance and viability of teams containing more diverse conflict values, but did not significantly impact the effectiveness of teams with less diverse conflict values. At the individual level, the significant positive association between perceived task conflict and perceived relationship conflict was not moderated by individual conflict values. However, because of this perceptual conflict spillover, task conflict perceptions also indirectly and negatively predicted team members’ personal willingness to continue working in the team. Results of this dissertation highlight important differences in the ways that conflict operates at the individual and group levels. Having identified the diversity of conflict values as a moderator of manifest conflict spillover, this dissertation outlines areas for further academic and practical knowledge development concerning the prevention of dysfunctional team dynamics.

Global teams have become commonplace. As teams have become more dispersed, leveraging outsourced resources has gained popularity. Outsourcing can be a prudent move financially; however, when it is inappropriately applied, the damage it produces can easily overshadow any financial gains. Such ill effects can include impaired employee performance and morale caused by decreased job security. Moreover, it can lead to a less favorable team atmosphere and increased task conflict. This study examined the effects of team virtuality along with the strategic alignment of outsourcing on team performance. The research utilized the intervening processes theory (IPT). The IPT posits that the relationship between certain constructs cannot be measured directly; however, the impact can be measured through other constructs. In the case of this study, it was the impacts of the constructs of virtuality, job security, outsourcing, and team temporariness on team performance. The intervening constructs were team atmosphere and task conflict. The research instrument was an online survey. The results of this survey supported the hypotheses that task conflict was impacted by team virtualization, job security, and team atmosphere. Weak support was provided for the influence of team temporariness on task conflict. The impacts of team virtualization and job security on team atmosphere were not supported. Finally, team performance was influenced by team atmosphere but not task conflict.

Social action and communication constitute the building blocks in the organizational structure and the agents of change, as well as shape the relationships among working parties, that can become inconsistent, due to the same desire of two or more people for a similar resource which is in scarcity, introducing the issue of human relations in an organizational context and especially the issue of conflict prevention. In this study we investigate conflict in a group based on different parameters by providing some insights on what is the impact between these different factors when interrelated. The research is carried out by adopting the survey path and performing multivariate statistical analysis techniques where we simultaneously examine the relationship between latent factors in an organizational conflict environment.

Interpersonal conflict is a research topic increasingly gaining importance in project management. The purpose of this exploratory study was to find out how relationship conflict affects task conflict in projects. The research investigated the styles individuals prefer to handle task conflict with colleagues in bad personal relationship. The influence of four personal characteristic variables (Gender, Age, Work experience and Culture background) on the choice of conflict handling styles were examined at the same time. ROCI-II was used as the data collection instrument. Questionnaires were published through web-based online survey system. 182 valid responses were collected in two weeks. Data was analyzed with statistic software SPSS. The results revealed that integrating, compromising, avoiding, dominating and obliging are the five styles ranked from highest to lowest preferred by individuals to handle task conflicts with colleagues in bad personal relationships. High value of assertiveness and negative value of cooperativeness indicated that in a situation of relationship conflict, individuals are more assertive and less cooperative to deal with task conflicts with colleagues. Results of the study didn't show significant difference among personal characteristic groups. High correlations among conflict handling styles were discovered from this study. Implications of the research findings for theoretical and practical organizations or individuals are provided. Areas and recommendations for future research are suggested.

The purpose of this study was twofold. The first was to further clarify and expand or understanding of the relationship between interpersonal conflict, incivility, and their roles as stressors in the stressor-strain relationship. The second goal was to examine how neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, trait anger, and sphere specific locus of control moderate the stressor-strain relationship between task conflict, relationship conflict, incivility and workplace and health outcomes. The results suggest that extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, trait anger, and locus of control play significant roles in how workplace aggression affects individuals. These findings suggest that occupations that experience a high level of workplace aggression should consider incorporating these personality traits into their selection system as a way of limiting or reducing the effects workplace aggression can have on individual health, wellbeing, and job outcomes.

La présente recherche a pour objectif d’étudier les effets que peuvent exercer la conception du travail sur le type de conflit qui émerge en milieu de travail. La notion de conception du travail se divise en trois dimensions, soit les caractéristiques reliées à la tâche, les caractéristiques reliées aux connaissances et les caractéristiques sociales. Ces dimensions sont mises en relation avec les deux types de conflit en milieu de travail, soit le conflit relié à la tâche et le conflit relié à la relation. Cette recherche vise également à vérifier l’effet modérateur des traits de personnalités sur les relations entre les dimensions de la conception du travail et celles du conflit en milieu de travail. Cette recherche est basée sur 473 participants qui occupent un emploi rémunéré et qui ont vécu une situation de conflit en milieu de travail allant jusqu’à 6 mois avant la période de sondage, allant du 14 au 18 janvier 2012. Les résultats indiquent qu’il n’y a pas de relations particulières entre la conception du travail et le type de conflit en milieu de travail. En ce qui a trait aux effets des traits de personnalité, les résultats indiquent que ces variables n’ont aucuns effets modérateurs sur la relation entre la conception du travail et le type de conflit en milieu de travail. Globalement, les résultats ne démontrent aucune relation entre la conception du travail et les types de conflit en milieu de travail, ou les effets modérateurs que les traits de personnalités peuvent avoir sur ces relations. / The goal of this research is to study the effect of work design on the type of conflict that emerges in the workplace. The concept of work design is divided in two three dimensions, namely task, knowledge and social characteristics. These dimensions are linked to the two dimensions of workplace conflict, that is, task conflict and relationship conflict. This research is also intended to verify the moderating effect of personality traits on the association between work design and workplace conflict. This study is based on 473 employed participants who have experienced workplace conflict up to 6 months prior to the canvass period, which was from January 14th to the 18th 2012. The results indicate that there is no particular association between work design and conflict in the workplace. With regards to the moderating effect of personality traits, results indicate that these variables do not moderating the association between the dimensions of work design and the type of workplace conflict. Overall, results do not show a relation between work design and types of workplace conflict, or the moderating effect that personality traits can have on these relations.

La présente recherche a pour objectif d’étudier les effets que peuvent exercer la conception du travail sur le type de conflit qui émerge en milieu de travail. La notion de conception du travail se divise en trois dimensions, soit les caractéristiques reliées à la tâche, les caractéristiques reliées aux connaissances et les caractéristiques sociales. Ces dimensions sont mises en relation avec les deux types de conflit en milieu de travail, soit le conflit relié à la tâche et le conflit relié à la relation. Cette recherche vise également à vérifier l’effet modérateur des traits de personnalités sur les relations entre les dimensions de la conception du travail et celles du conflit en milieu de travail. Cette recherche est basée sur 473 participants qui occupent un emploi rémunéré et qui ont vécu une situation de conflit en milieu de travail allant jusqu’à 6 mois avant la période de sondage, allant du 14 au 18 janvier 2012. Les résultats indiquent qu’il n’y a pas de relations particulières entre la conception du travail et le type de conflit en milieu de travail. En ce qui a trait aux effets des traits de personnalité, les résultats indiquent que ces variables n’ont aucuns effets modérateurs sur la relation entre la conception du travail et le type de conflit en milieu de travail. Globalement, les résultats ne démontrent aucune relation entre la conception du travail et les types de conflit en milieu de travail, ou les effets modérateurs que les traits de personnalités peuvent avoir sur ces relations. / The goal of this research is to study the effect of work design on the type of conflict that emerges in the workplace. The concept of work design is divided in two three dimensions, namely task, knowledge and social characteristics. These dimensions are linked to the two dimensions of workplace conflict, that is, task conflict and relationship conflict. This research is also intended to verify the moderating effect of personality traits on the association between work design and workplace conflict. This study is based on 473 employed participants who have experienced workplace conflict up to 6 months prior to the canvass period, which was from January 14th to the 18th 2012. The results indicate that there is no particular association between work design and conflict in the workplace. With regards to the moderating effect of personality traits, results indicate that these variables do not moderating the association between the dimensions of work design and the type of workplace conflict. Overall, results do not show a relation between work design and types of workplace conflict, or the moderating effect that personality traits can have on these relations.