Premium
Do conflict management systems matter?
Author(s) -
Roche William,
Teague Paul
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
human resource management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.888
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1099-050X
pISSN - 0090-4848
DOI - 10.1002/hrm.21471
Subject(s) - conflict management , conflict resolution , organizational conflict , conflict analysis , dimension (graph theory) , conflict resolution research , knowledge management , political science , psychology , public relations , business , process management , sociology , computer science , social science , mathematics , pure mathematics
The most influential current idea in the theory of conflict management concerns the design features and supposed superior outcomes of conflict management systems combining interest‐based and rights‐based practices for resolving conflict in organizations. Yet much of the literature in the area is highly prescriptive and draws heavily either on exemplary case studies or descriptive data. Using focus groups of HR practitioners and experts in conflict resolution to develop a questionnaire covering the main conflict management practices associated with the theory of conflict management systems, the study analyzes data from a survey of firms in the Republic of Ireland to examine quantitatively the effects of conflict management systems on organizational outcomes. While proactive line management and supervisory engagement in conflict resolution as a key dimension of conflict management systems is found to be positively associated with a range of organizational outcomes, no evidence is found for the kind of system effects proposed in the theoretical and prescriptive literature. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.