Breaking Silos: A Field Experiment on Relational Conflict Management in Cross-Functional Teams

Smaranda Boroş (), Lore Gorp, Brecht Cardoen and Robert Boute
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Smaranda Boroş: Vlerick Business School
Lore Gorp: Ghent University
Brecht Cardoen: Vlerick Business School
Robert Boute: Vlerick Business School

Group Decision and Negotiation, 2017, vol. 26, issue 2, No 4, 327-356

Abstract: Abstract In this paper we investigate how effective conflict management in conflict asymmetry situations impacts the quality of cross-functional management teams’ performance. During a 5-day business simulation, we explore the consequences of the relational conflicts and conflict asymmetry experienced by team members. We use two different measures of conflict asymmetry: the traditional group conflict asymmetry measurement of Jehn (Adm Sci Q 40:256–282, 1995) and a social networks method. We find that when some team members evoke more conflict than others, this affects the evolution of team dynamics (and ultimately the performance of the team) even more than high levels of conflict altogether; however, group emotional awareness can mitigate this negative effect and improve the team performance through the appropriate use of conflict management strategies. Since group emotional awareness can be fostered and trained within teams, this is of practical value to improve the performance of cross-functional management teams.

Keywords: Relational conflict asymmetry; Conflict management strategies; Cross-functional teams; Group emotional awareness; Integration management; Social networks; Field experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1007/s10726-016-9487-5

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