AMBIGUITY AND CONFLICT-MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

The effect of ambiguity is investigated with regard to the success of a venture on the initial choice of interpersonal conflict management s trategy of the venture's initiator. In the experiments reported here, subjects were asked to imagine a hypothetical situation in which the d ecisionmaker, in a capacity as an organization member, seeks the use o f an organizational resource in order to initiate the venture. The con flict arises as another member of the organization also lays claim to the same resource. Subjects, taking on the role of the decision-maker, show more collaboration in managing the conflict when experts disagre e about the probability of successful outcome of the venture. Similar inclinations are revealed when the possible long-term adverse conseque nces of the conflict are made explicit. These findings support the int erpretation of ambiguity effect in terms of increased loss aversion di e to personal responsibility.