The study examines the extent to which task and relations oriented leadership moderate the impact of task and relationship conflict on teamwork quality. In a sample of 37 teams, the study shows that relationship oriented leadership is beneficial for dealing with relationship conflict, but it does not have the expected positive interaction effect with task conflict. The main practical implication of the results is that in order to mitigate the negative effects of intra-group conflict on teamwork quality the leadership style should fit the type of disagreement (task versus relational) predominantly experienced by the teams.
References
[1]
Forsyth, D.R. Group Dynamics, 3rd ed. ed.; Wadsworth, Publishing: Belmont, CA, USA, 1999.
[2]
Jehn, K.A. A multimethod examination examination of the benefits and detriments of intragroup conflict. Admin. Sci. Q. 1995, 40, 256–282.
[3]
Pinkley, R.I. Dimensions of conflict frame: Disputants interpretations of conflict. J. Appl. Psychol. 1990, 75, 775–822.
[4]
De Dreu, C.K.W.; Weingart, L.R. Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: A meta-analysis. J. Appl. Psychol. 2003, 88, 741–749.
[5]
Cur?eu, P.L.; Schruijer, S.G.L. Does conflict shatters trust or does trust obliterate conflict? Revisiting the relationship between team diversity, conflict and trust. Group Dynamics: Theory, Res. Practice 2010, 14, 66–79.
[6]
Gladstein, D.L. Groups in context: A model of task group effectiveness. Admin. Sci. Quart. 1984, 29, 499–517.
[7]
Hackman, J.R. The design of work teams. In Handbook of Organizational Behavior; Lorsch, J.W., Ed.; Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA, 1987; pp. 315–342.
[8]
McGrath, J.E. Groups: Interaction and Performance; Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA, 1984.
[9]
Cur?eu, P.L. Emergent states in virtual teams. A complex adaptive systems perspective. J. Inform. Technol. 2006, 21, 249–261.
[10]
Marks, M.A.; Mathieu, J.E.; Zaccaro, S.J. A temporally based framework and taxonomy of team processes. Acad. Manag. Rev. 2001, 26, 356–376.
[11]
Cohen, S.G.; Bailey, D.E. What makes a team work: Group effectiveness research from the shop floor to the executive suite. J. Manage. 1997, 23, 239–290.
[12]
Ilgen, D.R.; Hollenbeck, J.R.; Johnson, M.; Jundt, D. Team in organizations: From input-process-output models to IMOI models. Annu. Rev. Psychol. 2005, 56, 517–543.
[13]
Hoegl, M.; Gemuenden, G.H. Teamwork quality and the success of innovative projects: A theoretical concept and empirical evidence. Organ. Sci. 2001, 12, 435–449.
[14]
Eby, L.T.; Meade, A.W.; Parisi, A.G; Douthitt, S.S. The development of an individual level groupwork expectations measure and the application of a within-group agreement statistic to assess shared expectations for groupwork. Organ. Res. Methods 1999, 2, 366–394.
[15]
LePine, J.A.; Piccolo, R.F.; Jackson, C.L.; Mathieu, J.E.; Saul, J.R. A meta-analysis of teamwork processes: Tests of a multidimensional model and relationships with team effectiveness criteria. Pers. Psychol. 2008, 61, 273–307.
[16]
Cur?eu, P.L.; Kenis, P.; Raab, J.; Brandes, U. Composing effective teams through team-dating. Organ. Stud. 2010, 31, 873–894.
[17]
Fink, C.F. Some conceptual difficulties in the theory of social conflict. J. Conflict Resolut. 1968, 12, 412–460.
[18]
Jehn, K.A. Enhancing effectiveness: An investigation of advantages and disadvantages of value based intragroup conflict. Int. J. Conflict Manag. 1994, 5, 223–238.
Aiken, L.S.; West, S.G. Multiple Regression: Testing and Interpreting Interactions; Sage: Newbury Park, CA, USA, 1991.
[21]
Jehn, K.A.; Northcraft, G.B.; Neale, M.A. Why differences make a difference: A field study of diversity, conflict, and performance in work groups. Admin. Sci. Q. 1999, 44, 741–763.
[22]
Bass, B.M. Leadership and Performance beyond Expectations; Free Press: New York, NY, USA, 1985.
[23]
Kerr, S.; Schriesheim, C.A.; Murphy, C.J.; Stogdill, R.M. Toward a contingency theory of leadership based upon the consideration and initiating structure literature. Organ. Behav. Hum. Perform. 1974, 12, 62–82.
[24]
James, L.R.; Demaree, R.R.G.; Wolf, G. Estimating within-groups interrater reliability with and without response bias. J. Appl. Psychol. 1984, 69, 85–98.
[25]
Jehn, K.A. A qualitative analysis of conflict types and dimensions in organizational groups. Admin. Sci. Q. 1997, 42, 530–557.