Maximizing the benefits of task conflict: The role of conflict management

Intragroup conflict research has shown that task conflict can improve group outcomes, but it has not addressed how groups ensure that the positive asp ects of task conflict are realized. This study examines the influence of gr oup conflict management on group effectiveness, as well as the moderating r ole of group conflict management on task conflict-group outcome relationshi ps. Results of a field survey of 96 business school project groups indicate d that the use of agreeable conflict management in response to task conflic t was associated with greater group satisfaction. Results examining group c onflict management as a moderator showed that the relationship between task conflict and group performance was positive when conflict was actively man aged and negative when it was passively managed. Similarly, task conflict i mproved group satisfaction when managed with agreeable behavior, and harmed satisfaction when neutral or disagreeable behaviors were used. Results fro m this work provide an important first look at how group conflict managemen t behaviors directly impact group outcomes and affect task conflict-group o utcome relationships.