Leadership paper Teacher Charles only
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rev_m4_a2_lasa1_joseph_t.docxRunning head: LITERATURE REVIEW 1
LITERATURE REVIEW 11
Literature Review
Tracey Joseph Comment by cs-admin: I centered all of this materail
Argosy University
Conflict Management _L900-A01
Instructor Dr. Roger Fuller
May /31/2017
Introduction Comment by cs-admin: Never use the word Introduction unless Introduction is the title of the paper.. This heading is called the titel heading and is to be the same as the title from the title page. This is an APA rule, not mine. If someone has told you otherwise, they are incorrect. APA assumes the material beneath the title heading is the instroduction. Share in the material that follows this heading the purpose of the paper and the main topics that will be discussed.
Conflicts in teams can have a detrimental effect if not handled constructively. In many organizations, interpersonal and team conflicts are inevitable. The two types of conflicts that are prevalent among teams are relationship conflict and task-related conflict. These conflicts can present both opportunities and threats. A myriad of empirical and theoretical studies reveals that if leaders do not handle the conflicts well, team cohesiveness and performance might suffer. From the studies consulted for this review, many themes are emergent including the role of leadership attributes in successful conflict management, fostering diversity for conflict management and the moderating effects of the type of conflict on its resolution. Highlighting these themes should help in creating a better understanding of the conflict dynamics in contemporary organizations. Comment by cs-admin: Studies such as????
Literature Review Comment by cs-admin: This heading should be the first topic of discussion you mention in the introduction paragraph.
Pazos (2012) sought to examine the effectiveness of conflict management perspectives in virtual teams. Specifically, the researcherPazos aimed at exploring the role of goal-oriented behaviors and attitudes as antecedents of conflict management. One of Pazos’ (2012)his concerns was the role that “commitment to team goals” plays as a predictor of successful management of conflicts. In this study that analyzed results of a quasi-experiment study, findings revealed that goal commitment mediated relationships between team outcomes and conflict management. Coleman, Deutsch, and Marcus (2014) also echoed similar sentiments, stating that goal commitment is indeed a major predictor of successful conflict management in teams. The researchers contended that commitment to team goals aids in the conflict management process because team members demonstrate higher involvement in identifying and mitigating the underlying causes of the conflict. Comment by cs-admin: If this is directly quoted, offer the page number. If you used quotation marks to show emphasis, then use italics for showing emphasis….an APA 6th rule. Comment by cs-admin: What researchers?
Miller, Balapuria, and Sesay (2015), from a different dimension, looked at the role that Which researchers?
organizational and team leaders have in the conflict management endeavor. The researchers specifically aimed to examine the way in which project team leaders can facilitate the conflict resolution process specifically when dealing with interpersonal conflicts. Similar toJust like Coleman et al. (2014), Miller et al. (2015) acknowledged that interpersonal conflicts might derail the success of the project through jeopardizing team cohesion and collaboration. In complex project environments, interpersonal and personality issues can breed a favorable environment for conflict to occur. Among the skills identified by Miller et al. (2016) that can help project managers to manage interpersonal conflicts in organizations successfully include effective verbal communication, decision management skills, ethical sensitivity, self-awareness, stress management, empowerment and delegation as well as effective team building. Comment by cs-admin: Which researchers? I have commented to this concern beyond this point.
Apart from highlighting skills required by leaders in the conflict resolution process, Miller et al. (2015) additionally highlight the importance of using the stages of team formation to prevent interpersonal conflicts among team members. In a sequential order, these stages of team formation are the forming, norming, storming and performing stages. Coleman et al. (2014) also underscore the importance of the four stages in conflict resolution. These clear stages can shift group dynamics from merely being a group of individuals to forging strong relationships based on teamwork. Team leaders must help individuals to move through these stages successfully through various ways including team building activities, reward and recognition systems, collocation and providing ongoing training. Medina (2016) also highlights the importance of training in the conflict management processes, affirming that appropriate training can endow team members with the right set of skills, competencies and knowledge to manage conflict constructively and ethically.
Liu, Fu, and Liu (2009) conducted a survey-based study with the aim of examining the moderating effect of different conflict handling approaches on top management teams in Mainland China. The researchers surveyed CEOs, top management team members and other lower level employees from 200 telecommunications firms in China. Consistent with the results by Miller et al. (2015) Liu et al. (2009) founded out that relationship conflicts undermined team cohesiveness, but unlike Miller et al. (2015), Liu et al. (2009) established that both relationship and task conflicts have negative implications on firm performance. The results from Liu et al. (2009) indicated that with relationship conflicts, using a compromising approach could aid in reducing its negative effects on top management team cohesiveness. To guarantee success using this style, leaders must be responsible for executing the corporate vision and mission. As Liu et al., (2009) and Medina (2016) pointed out; a clear vision empowers team members and enables them to facilitate the leader’s goals.
Kaur (2014) agreed with the propositions of Liu et al. (2009) stating that a compromising approach can be effective in managing relationship conflicts among team members because it is on the mid-range of both cooperativeness and assertiveness. Liu et al. (2009) also found out that the accommodating style did not have a notable moderating effect on conflict outcomes, whereas the avoiding approach in any type of conflict had negative relationships on team cohesiveness and firm performance. Medina (2016) equally conducted a study to examine relationships between various conflict styles and dynamics such as diversity, conflict type and training motivation among 498 upper-level business students participating in a team project. From this inquiry, it became apparent that the cooperative style was the most effective in managing project team conflicts as compared to the competitive style.
With regards to the relevance of diversity, Medina (2016) founded that exposure to more diverse perspectives enriches the team experience and subsequently minimizes the potential of conflict occurring among the team members. Individual organizational attributes that influence organizational functioning as envisaged by Medina (2016) and supported by You-Ta, Church, and Zikic (2004) included age, race/ethnicity, gender, functional background and organizational tenure. From their meta-analysis, You-Ta et al. (2004) established that organizational culture plays a critical role in shaping or influencing diverse group functioning. Findings from this inquiry also revealed that organizational culture moderates the relationship between intra-group conflict and group diversity, depending upon the degree of value congruence among group members and value content shared by the members of the group (You-Ta et al., 2004).
In examining the relationship between group diversity, organizational culture and conflict outcomes, You-Ta et al. (2004) relied upon the organizational culture profile (OCP). This theoretical framework assesses seven organization cultural dimensions, which are innovativeness, respect for people, stability, attention to detail, outcome orientation, aggressiveness and team orientation. From their investigation, You-Ta et al. (2004) found out that the cultural dimensions of aggressiveness, innovativeness, outcome orientation and attention to detail fostered positive effects of functional group diversity on task related conflict. The scholars also affirmed that visible diversity had a positive association with relationship conflict, driven in large by the process of categorization. A study by Sobral and Bisseling (2012) among Brazilian workgroups also highlighted the role of categorization in fueling team conflict. In their perspective, categorization induced by team members creates conflicts or disagreements over interpersonal interactions mostly on non-work issues such as religious preferences, gossip or social events.
Despite dissecting issues of diversity, leadership competencies and conflict handling styles, many studies (seee.g. Behfar, Friedman, &and Brett, 2016; You-Ta et al., (2004); and Medina, (2016)) have explicitly sought to examine the relationship between the different types of team conflicts and conflict management strategies. The main types of conflict experienced in team settings are relationship and task conflicts. You-Ta et al. (2004) contended that task-related conflict has a higher likelihood of having positive ramifications on group functioning. Nonetheless, Pazos (2012) disputeds this assertion, stating that the influence of task-related conflict on group functioning depends on the task type. The researcher hypothesizes that task-related conflict tends to be beneficial to groups that perform non-routine tasks whereas this type of conflict is harmful to those groups that perform routine tasks. Comment by cs-admin: When making mutiple source citations, place in alphabetical order. Comment by cs-admin: Did Pazos actually dispute You-Ta et.al.’s contentions or does Pazos’ view simply differ? Big difference.
Like You-Ta et al. (2004) and Medina (2016), Pazos (2012) nonetheless seemed to concur that relationship conflict usually has detrimental effects to group functioning. All the three studies revealed that relationship conflicts undermine group functioning since they limit group members’ information processing ability through directing their attention to one another rather than directing the attention to the designated tasks. You-Ta et al. (2004) further admit that relationship conflicts may increase stress and anxiety levels among the group members, which in turn can have negative consequences on the cognitive functioning of the group members. A consensus also exists between Medina (2016) and Liu et al. (2009) that relationship conflicts are prone to foster hostile and antagonistic interactions among team members, which subsequently hinders positive group outcomes. Comment by cs-admin: Perhaps not concur but their individual views appear to align.
Behfar, Friedman, and Brett (2016), in their comprehensive inquiry, likewise aimed at investigating the role of different types of conflict in the conflict resolution process. The researchers primarily focused on determining the chances of managing conflicts appropriately, particularly when the organization faces different forms of co-occurring conflicts. From their interview of 44 managers working in different industries, results indicated that task conflict increased the probability that teams managed co-occurring procedural conflicts constructively, but procedural conflicts reduced the likelihood of teams managing co-occurring task conflicts appropriately. Consistent with the assertions by Miller et al. (2015) and Liu et al. (2009), Behfar et al. (2016) also concluded that while task-related conflicts can be beneficial to conflict management in teams, relationship conflicts and procedural conflicts are seldom beneficial to organizations or teams in the conflict resolution process.
Miller et al. (2015) and Behfar et al. (2016) are in acknowledgement that task conflict may be beneficial compared to relationship conflict since it forces team members to adhere to the effectiveness of different ideas, while exposing them to different ways of thinking, motivates them to consider alternative viewpoints and enables them to make connections between different conceptual arguments. Members of teams confronted with task conflicts are thus more likely to see issues from the viewpoints of other group members, and recognize that the other team members have legitimate differences of perspectives. The effect of co-occurring procedural and relationship conflicts, as revealed in the study by Behfar et al. (2016), is that they provide negative distractions that shift the focus from meaningful discussions that need to take place in response to task conflict. Comment by cs-admin: For these various authors to be in acknowledgement they woul have to discuss their perspectives and agree that they were thinking the same or very simiarly. Watch the terms you use, as the terms you are using oftern make inferences that likely really are not there. Comment by cs-admin: Was this really an effect? Or perhaps an affect? Did Behfar et al. conduct an experimental study whereby variable were manipultater to determine cause/effect? Comment by cs-admin: Who is they?
Creating strong interpersonal values therefore provides a major incentive for organizations willing to manage relationship conflicts constructively. A study by Wickramasinghe and Nandula (2015) revealed that in organizations that value and communicate the importance of strong interpersonal relationships, members would be inclined to tolerate individual differences and show respect for each other. This will ultimately generate emotional support within the team, subsequently contributing to positive psychological outcomes that minimize conflict situation in the organization. You-Ta et al. (2004) supported these sentiments, further reiterating that placing a high value on interpersonal relationships reduces inter-group biases and diminishes the propensity of team members to process social categorization based upon visible attributes. As such, demographic differences in organizations with strong interpersonal relationships enables teams to become less salient compared to those that are weak in interpersonal relationships (You-Ta et al., (2004); Wickramasinghe &and Nandula, 2015). Comment by cs-admin: Again, watch the term being used. Likely, since You-Ta’s work was 9 years ealier, You-Ts did not support Wickramasinghe and Nandula’s sentiments.
Concluding Remarks
From thes thorough review of literature, findings have revealed that in team conflicts, including those related to tasks and relationships, leaders have a central role in ensuring that team members resolve the conflicts constructively in a manner that does not impede cohesiveness or team performance. Skills that the leaders must possess to manage the conflicts appropriately include effective verbal communication skills, decision management skills, self-awareness, empowerment and delegation as well as effective team building. The members of top management teams must also inculcate an ethical corporate culture within the organization that values and embraces diversity. The literature consulted affirms that the issue of conflict presents both opportunities and threats to teams, but to reap the opportunities, managers must implement ingenious conflict management approaches.
References Comment by cs-admin: Nice sources and articles
Behfar, K., Friedman, R., & Brett, J. (2016). Managing co-occurring conflicts in teams. Group Decision and Negotiation, 25(3), 501-536. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/central/docview/1781310576/55326E86D7814BBFPQ/5?accountid=34899 retrived on (2017, May, 27)
Coleman, P., Deutsch, M., & Marcus, E. (2014). The handbook of conflict resolution: Theory and practice (3 ed.). San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass.
https://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/#/books/9781118810323/cfi/6/18!/4/2/14/2@0:0
Kaur, J. (2014). Organizational citizenship behaviors: Managing interpersonal conflict at workplace. The IUP Journal of Organizational Behavior, XIII(4), 19-37. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/central/docview/217115089/EA8380F232BD4275PQ/14?accountid=34899 retrived on (2017, May, 28)
Liu, J., Fu, P., & Liu, S. (2009). Conflicts in top management teams and team/firm outcomes: The moderating effects of conflict-handling approaches. International Journal of Conflict Management, 20(3), 228-250. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/central/docview/199045599/55326E86D7814BBFPQ/14?accountid=34899 retrived on (2017, May, 28)
Medina, M. (2016). Conflict, individual satisfaction with team, and training motivation. Team Performance Management, 22(3), 223-239. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/central/docview/1826809228/EA8380F232BD4275PQ/11?accountid=34899 retrived on (2017, May, 29)
Miller, A., Balapuria, M., & Sesay, M. (2015). Facilitating project success by eliminating interpersonal conflicts. Journal of Information Technology and Economic Development, 6(1), 41-57. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/central/docview/1714458370/55326E86D7814BBFPQ/9?accountid=34899 retrived on (2017, May, 29)
Pazos, P. (2012). Conflict management and effectiveness in virtual teams. Team Performance Management, 18(7), 401-417. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/central/docview/1112036391/55326E86D7814BBFPQ/2?accountid=34899 retrived on (2017, May, 28)
Sobral, F., & Bisseling, D. (2012). Exploring the black box in Brazilian work groups: A study of diversity, conflict and performance. Brazilian Administration Review, 9(2), 127-146. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/central/docview/1448424690/EA8380F232BD4275PQ/4?accountid=34899 retrived on (2017, May, 29)
Wickramasinghe, V., & Nandula, S. (2015). Diversity in team composition, relationship conflict and team leader support on globally distributed virtual software development team performance. Strategic Outsourcing: an International Journal, 8(2), 138-155. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/central/docview/1746807557/EA8380F232BD4275PQ/2?accountid=34899 retrived on (2017, May, 26)
You-Ta, C., Church, R., & Zikic, J. (2004). Organizational culture, group diversity and intra-group conflict. Team Performance Management, 10(1), 26-34. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/central/docview/217103089/EA8380F232BD4275PQ/14?accountid=34899 retrived on (2017, May, 28)
