Abstract
Purpose - The main research purposes were to (a) conceptualize Chinese conflict management behaviors as contingent on the hierarchical relations of conflict parties in an organizational context and (b) investigate individual characteristics as moderators in this contingency framework. Design/methodology/approach - This emic study consisted of two steps: (a) Using nine subject matter experts to develop conflict scenarios and conflict management strategies and (b) using this instrument to collect data from 704 actual employees across China. We used Multinomial Logistic Analysis to analyze respondents’ choice of strategies.Findings - The findings supported our hypotheses. Chinese role-playing a supervisor in a conflict with their subordinate tended to use direct, assertive strategies to resolve the conflict, but the results depended on age, education, gender, region and work experience. As a subordinate in a conflict with their supervisor, Chinese chose indirect, harmony-preserving strategies, particularly when they were older and more interaction adept. In a conflict with a peer, respondents used a broader spectrum of conflict management strategies, depending on their individual characteristics. We found no "best practices" or universal strategies adopted. Research limitations/implications - Our limitations include the lack of random sampling and a scenario-based method. We provided the emic evidence for a contingency perspective of conflict resolution framework. Practical implications - Our conflict scenarios may be used in organizational training of conflict management.Originality/value - Conflict scenarios and management strategies developed by local subject matter experts were used to evaluate Chinese workers’ choices of conflict management strategies. Our findings call for the re-conceptualization of conflict management strategies as a dynamic, situation- and culture-specific construct.
Purpose - The main research purposes were to (a) conceptualize Chinese conflict management behaviors as contingent on the hierarchical relations of conflict parties in an organizational context and (b) investigate individual characteristics as moderators in this contingency framework. Design/methodology/approach - This emic study consisted of two steps: (a) Using nine subject matter experts to develop conflict scenarios and conflict management strategies and (b) using this instrument to collect data from 704 actual employees across China. We used Multinomial Logistic Analysis to analyze respondents’ choice of strategies.Findings - The findings supported our hypotheses. Chinese role-playing a supervisor in a conflict with their subordinate tended to use direct, assertive strategies to resolve the conflict, but the results depended on age, education, gender, region and work experience. As a subordinate in a conflict with their supervisor, Chinese chose indirect, harmony-preserving strategies, particularly when they were older and more interaction adept. In a conflict with a peer, respondents used a broader spectrum of conflict management strategies, depending on their individual characteristics. We found no "best practices" or universal strategies adopted. Research limitations/implications - Our limitations include the lack of random sampling and a scenario-based method. We provided the emic evidence for a contingency perspective of conflict resolution framework. Practical implications - Our conflict scenarios may be used in organizational training of conflict management.Originality/value - Conflict scenarios and management strategies developed by local subject matter experts were used to evaluate Chinese workers’ choices of conflict management strategies. Our findings call for the re-conceptualization of conflict management strategies as a dynamic, situation- and culture-specific construct.