Why Won’t Task Conflict Cooperate? Deciphering Stubborn Results

M. L. Loughry, Allen C. Amason

Research output: Contribution to conferencePresentation

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to suggest why the theoretically positive relationship betweentask conflict and team performance has received mixed empirical support.Design/methodology/approach– We review the literature on task conflict and offer explanationsfor findings that contradict the expected positive relationship between task conflict and teamperformance.Findings– High levels of correlation among task, relationship and process conflict, and measurementand data analysis issues make it difficult to isolate the effects of each type of conflict. Group-levelmoderators, including values congruence, goal alignment, norms for debate and the group’sperformance history and conflict history affect the relationship between task conflict and performance.The complex relationship between conflict and trust may cause task conflict to have mixed effects onperformance. Individual differences and conflict management approaches also affect the relationshipbetween task conflict and performance. Temporal issues and stages of group development are otherrelevant influences.Practical implications– To better achieve the theorized performance benefits of task conflict, acontext characterized by trust is needed. Then norms fostering task conflict can be cultivated andemployees can be trained in conflict management. Individual differences that affect team members’ability to confidently accept task conflict can be considered in selection.Originality/value– Suggestions are presented for future research that may explain discrepantfindings in the past empirical literature. In particular, it may be difficult for some team members toperceive task conflict in well-functioning teams. Measures of task conflict that avoid the use of wordswith a negative connotation should be tested
Original languageAmerican English
StatePublished - 2014
EventPaper to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management -
Duration: Jan 1 2014 → …

Conference

ConferencePaper to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management
Period01/1/14 → …

Keywords

  • Conflict
  • Process conflict
  • Relationship conflict
  • Task conflict
  • Team performance
  • functional conflict

DC Disciplines

  • Business
  • Business Administration, Management, and Operations

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