heleen van mierlo october 24, 2011 erasmus university rotterdam conflict in teams

Heleen van Mierlo October 24, 2011

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Conflict in Teams

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Unhealthy & UndesirableFor example:

Conflict induces stress, burnout, absenteism and turnover

30% of work related psychological complaints is attributable to work conflicts

35000 – 90000 conflict-related incidences of absenteism are registrated each year.

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“Conflict and common sense yield creativity”

(Michael Eisner, CEO Walt Disney Company 1984-2005)

“The absence of conflict is not harmony, it’s apathy” “How management teams can have a good fight”

(Eisenthardt, Kahwajy, & Bourgeois, 1997)

“Team Conflict? As Long as It’s Not Personal, Run With It”“I’m leery of happy teams”(http://artpetty.com/2010/07/21/team-conflict-as-long-as-it’s-not-personal-run-with-it/)

Valuable & NecessaryFor example:

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Opportunity

Danger

The 2 faces of conflictWei Ji: Danger & Opportunity

Ji

Wei

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Overview

Conflict: introduction

Different approaches

The facts: meta-analysis

A closer look at the outcomes

Conclusions

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Introductiondefinition

A situation in which 2 or more parties have goals, interests, values, or ideas that are incompatible. (Prein)

Two individuals, an individual and a group, or two groups are in conflict if at least one party feels the other party frustrates or annoys them. (Van der Vliert)

Conflict is actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests. (Wikipedia)

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Introduction Sources of conflict at work

Information-exchange; miscommunication; ...

StructureFunctional specialization; ambiguity; leadership; rewards; interdependence; restructuring; ...

Personal factorsNorms & values; personal preferences; power imbalance; ...

Communication

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3 conflict perspectives(De Dreu & Weingart, 2003)

Traditional perspective

Information processing perspective

Task versus relationship conflict

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Conflict perspectives Traditional perspective

Strong negative correlation between conflict and team performance

Conflict

Pe

rfo

rman

ce

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Conflict perspectives Information processing

E.g.,. Carnevale & Probst (1998, JPSP)

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ConflictP

erf

orm

ance

Formally:Curvilinear relationship between conflict and performance

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On the side: regression analysis

Linear: Y = a + bX + e


X

Y

aX

Y b

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On the side: regression analysis

Curvilinear: Y = a + bX + cX2 + e

X

Y

X

Y

X

Y

X

Y

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ConflictP

erf

orm

ance

Linear representation:Weak negative correlation

between conflict and performance

Formally:Curvilinear relationship between conflict and performance

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Conflict perspectives Task / relationship conflict

2 types of conflict: Task: task content Relationship: personal issues

Effectiveness = satisfaction & performanceSometimes 3rd type: process conflict (Jehn et al., 1999)disagreements about logistics of task accomplishment, e.g., delegation of task & responsibilities.

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Relationship conflict“So, and at that time, Tina sat over here, and that’s when we first had problems, because her radio was too loud and she was a bitch. […], we never will get along.”

(Jehn, 1995)

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Task conflict“We are not afraid to express ourselves and our different opinions on the subject [decisions about projects]. We sit down and talk about it. […], and we can openly express ourselves and fight about any type of situation …”

(Jehn, 1995)

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Relationship conflict (alpha = .92)

1. How much friction is there among members of your work unit?

2. How much are personality conflicts evident in your work unit?

3. How much tension is there among members in your work unit?

4. How much emotional conflict is there among members in your work unit?

(Jehn, 1995)

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Task conflict (alpha = .87)

1. How often do people in your work unit disagree about opinions regarding the work being done?

2. How frequently are there conflicts about ideas in your work unit?

3. How much conflict about the work you do is there in your work unit?

4. To what extent are there differences of opinion in your work unit?(Jehn, 1995)

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Propositions:

Relationship conflict: Negative correlation with satisfaction and

performance(e.g., ego threat, hostility, reduced cooperation)

Task conflict:Negative correlation with satisfaction(e.g., self-verification theory – Swan, Polzer, Seyle, &

Ko, 2004)

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Task conflict & performance: task type as moderator


Non-routine tasks: curvilinear relationship with performance

low conflict » low performancehigh conflict » high performance very high conflict » moderate performance

(Amason, 1996; Jehn, 1995; 1997)

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Non-routine tasks: curvilinear relationship with performance

Task conflictP

erf

orm

ance

Conflict Performance

low » low high » high very high » moderate

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Routine tasks: curvilinear relationship with performance

low conflict » moderate performance moderate conflict » high performancehigh conflict » low performance

(Amason, 1996; Jehn, 1995; 1997)


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Task conflict

Pe

rfo

rman

ce

Conflict Performance

low » moderate moderate » high high » low

Routine tasks: curvilinear relationship with performance

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low moderate high very high

Conflict perspectives Summary

Relationship conflict

All 3 perspectives

Perf

orm

an

ce

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Task conflict

Pe

rfo

rma

nce

Conflict perspectives Summary

Traditional

TC / RC, routine tasks = information processing

TC / RC, non-routine task

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Traditional Information processing

TC / RC, routine TC / RC, non-routine

Perf

orm

an

ce

Conflict perspectives Summary (linear)

Task conflict

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De Dreu & Weingart, 2003, JAPMeta-analysis team conflict literature 1994-200130 studies

The facts Meta-analysis

Variables: task & relationship conflict(job) satisfactionperformancetask type: project (highly non-routine)

decision making (non-routine)production teams(routine)other team types (mixed)

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Results (I)

Relationship conflict & satisfaction: ρ = -.54 Task conflict & satisfaction: ρ = -.32

Relationship conflict & performance: ρ = -.22 Task conflict & performance: ρ = -.23

The facts Meta-analysis (De Dreu & Weingart, 2003)

( ρ = average effect size )

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Routine tasks: curvilinear relation with performance low conflict » moderate performance moderate conflict » high performancehigh conflict » low performance

Non-routine tasks: curvilinear relation with performance

low conflict » low performancehigh conflict » high performancevery high conflict » moderate performance

(Amason, 1996; Jehn, 1995; 1997)

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Task conflict & performance for:Highly non-routine (project teams) ρ = -.26 (k=12)Non-routine (decision making teams) ρ = -.20 (k=4)Routine (production teams) ρ = .04 (k=4)Other team types ρ = -.43 (k=4)

Relationship conflict & performance for:Highly non-routine (project teams) ρ = -.17 (k=12)Non-routine (decision making teams) ρ = -.39 (k=4)Routine (production teams) ρ = -.04 (k=4)Other team types ρ = -.38 (k=4)

Results (II)


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TC/RC

Perf

orm

ance



Perf

mora

nce

Traditional

TC non-routine tasks

Information processing

TC routine tasks

TC

Expected (linear)

TC - performance (non-routine)

TC - performance (routine)

TC = RC (overall effect)

Results

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Clear link between TC & RC: ρ = .52

But: high variance across studies!

- Overall correlation TC – performance: ρ = -.23

- If ρ (TC-RC) ≤ .52: correlation TC - perform: ρ = -.10

- If ρ (TC-RC) >.52: correlation TC - perform: ρ = -.35

Task conflict – Relationship conflict (I)De Dreu & Weingart, 2003, JAP

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Task & relationship conflict (II)Simons & Peterson, 2000, JAP

3 potential mechanisms for TC-RC link: Misattribution

Behavior: conflict tactics

Sabotage

Task conflict Relationship conflict

Trust

“Aggressive conflict management tactics”

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Method: Sample: 100 management teams hotel chain

response 70 teams, 380 members

Interviews + individual surveys team members- TC/RC: Jehn (1995)- Trust (member perceptions of group-level

trust)- Conflict tactics (“We assert our opinions forcefully”)- Loudness (“We raise our voices at each other”)

Task & relationship conflict (III)Simons & Peterson, 2000, JAP

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Method (II): Data aggregation to team level after checks for:

> Agreement within teams (rwg(j))

> Between-team variance & reliability (ICC1 en ICC2)

Task & relationship conflict (IV)Simons & Peterson, 2000, JAP

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Results (I)

Task & relationship conflict (V)Simons & Peterson, 2000, JAP

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

low average high

High Trust

Average Trust

Low Trust

Overall r(TC-RC) = .57**

TC

RC Trust:

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Results (II):

Task & relationship conflict (VI)Simons & Peterson, 2000, JAP

Unexpected negative link to relationship conflict (β = -.26*); no moderation effect.

Agressive conflict tactics:

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Results (III):

Task & relationship conflict (VII)Simons & Peterson, 2000, JAP

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

low average high

High Loudness

AverageLoudness

Low Loudness

TC

RC

Loudness

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Task conflict Relationship conflict

Collective EI

Intragroup relational ties

Norms for regulating negative emotionality

Emotion regulation as a moderator.

Link TC – RC depends on how a team manages emotions.

Task & relationship conflict (VIII)Yang & Mossholder, 2004, JOB

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A closer look at the outcomes: Conflict & innovation(De Dreu, 2006, JoM)

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Positive perspective on task conflict: Conflict as source of learning and creativity.

However:Performance measures focus on goal attainment or output quantity.

Conflict & innovation(De Dreu, 2006, JoM)

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Hypotheses:

Task conflict promotes “collaborative problem solving”, thus promoting innovation.

Creative processes can cause short-term production losses


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Innovation= “Intentional introduction and application within a role, group, or organization of ideas, processes, products, or procedures, new to the relevant unit of adoption, designed to significantly benefit the individual, the group, the organization, or wider society”


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2 field studies:Study 1: - Parcel delivery, N = 21 teams,

- Innovation: # recent innovations, (supervisor judgement)

Study 2: - Diverse sample, N= 29 teams- Innovation: 4 survey items filled-out by supervisor.

- Short-term goal attainment, 3 goals described and assessed by supervisor.

- Collaborative problem solving

Conflict & innovation (De Dreu, 2006, JoM)

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Conflict & innovation

1 2 3 4 5

Innovation Short-term goals

TC

Overall results: Curvilinear relation TC - innovation Negative relation TC – short-term goal attainment

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Collaborative problem solving:

Conflict & innovation (De Dreu, 2006, JoM)

Task conflict Team innovation

Collaborative problem solving

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“My conclusion at this point is that on the whole workplace conflict is hindering rather than helping the individuals and groups involved, and that constructive conflict management is critical to mitigate the potentially very negative effects of workplace conflict on health and well-being, on individual and group creativity and innovation, on team effectiveness, and on inter-organizational collaboration.” (p.15)

The virtue and vice of workplace conflict: food for (pessimistic) thought

(De Dreu, 2008, JOB)

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De Wit, Greer, & Jehn (2011, JAP)Meta-analysis team conflict literature 1990-2010116 studies

But: the quest continues Another Meta-Analysis

Variables: Task, relationship, and process conflict Proximal outcomes: satisfaction + others Distal outcomes: performance Various moderators of the distal and proximal effects of conflict

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Results (I)De Wit De Dreu

Relationship conflict & satisfaction: ρ = -.54 (-.54) Task conflict & satisfaction: ρ = -.22 (-.32)

Relationship conflict & performance: ρ = -.16 (-.22) Task conflict & performance: ρ = -.01 ns (-.23)

Task conflict &- Trust ρ = -.37- Cohesion ρ = .01 ns

- Commitment ρ = -.25 - OCB ρ = -.19

The quest continues Another Meta-Analysis (De Wit et al., 2011)

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Main conclusions (I)


Relationship conflict is disadvantageous for proximal & distal outcomes (= De Dreu & Weingart)

Task conflict is mostly disadvantageous for proximal outcomes but less so than relationship conflict

(= De Dreu & Weingart)

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Main conclusions (II)


Task conflict - team performance positively affected by:

- Organizational level Top-management teams: ρ = .09 (ns); other teams: ρ = -.21*

>> Negative effect disappears in top management teams. TC-RC also weaker in top-MT’s. Top-managers better able

to separate task from person?

- Performance measureTask conflict is more positive for decision quality and

financial performance (compared to general performance measures)

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Main conclusions (III)


Task conflict – team performance negatively affected by:

- Link between TC-RCThe stronger this link, the more negative the effect of task conflict.

- Level of task conflictThe more intense the task conflict, the more negative the

effects

- Study settingThe effect of task conflict is more negative in workplace

settings compared to laboratory and classroom studies

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Main conclusions (IV)


Task conflict – team performance not affected by:

- Task typeNo differences between decision-making, production, project, or

mixed teams(≠ De Dreu & Weingart)

- Culture, scale, publication status, subjective/objective performance measure

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Relationship conflict is negative for team effectiveness and affective outcomes (All authors)

Task conflict is negative for affective outcomes but less so than relationship conflict

(Jehn, 1995; De Dreu & Weingart, 2003; De Wit et al., 2011)

Drawing up the balance

Consistent findings:

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Task conflict and performance

Jehn (1994; 1995): TC negative for routine tasks, positive for non-routine tasks

Empirical studies found +, 0, and – findings

Overall: De Dreu & Weingart: weak negative effect (ρ=-.23) De Wit et al.: no effect (ρ=-.01) that turns negative in many and neutral/positive in very specific situations

Overall: no clear indications for more positive role TC for non-routine task(De Dreu & Weingart, 2003; De Wit et al., 2011)


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Negative relationship diminishes as the TC-RC connection weakens.(role of trust, conflict tactics, EI, leadership, organizational level?)

Outcome matters (De Dreu, 2006; De Wit et al., 2011)- negative for short-term goal attainment- moderate TC positive for innovation- TC more positive for decision quality and financial performance


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Recent & future research: - How to limit transfer of TC to RC?- Role of conflict management strategies- Effects on creativity & innovation- Controlled experimental studies- Boundary conditions positive TC-effects?


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Traditional perspective conflict is always negative

Information processing perspective

some conflict = ok, intense conflict always negative

Task- versus relationship conflict relationship conflict is always negative

task conflict is positive for performance on non-routine tasks

?

Conflict perspectives revisited:


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ConflictDanger & opportunity?

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Next monday: Responsorial

Deadline for questions = Oct. 27 ([email protected]; forum)

heleen van mierlo october 24, 2011 erasmus university rotterdam conflict in teams

Documents

relationship conflict

team conflict

types of conflict

vliert conflict

absence of conflict

overview conflict

emotional conflict

task conflict performan