Models of Conflict in Management: A Literature Review
41 Pages Posted: 8 Nov 2016 Last revised: 19 Dec 2017
Date Written: November 7, 2016
Abstract
The field of management views conflict as a contingency process that can benefit or harm an organization based on characteristics of that organization and its members. We review five models of conflict in management studies. These models include two that focus primarily on interpersonal conflict (i.e. diversity-conflict and behavioral negotiation models); two that focus primarily on inter-organization conflict (i.e. social exchange and transaction cost economics models); and one set that straddles both levels of organization: social dilemma models. The review is constituted by summarizing the insights of each model, foundational papers to each model; the most recent uses and developments of the models in the past 10 years; and the future research directions.
Keywords: alliances, conflict, diversity, intergenerational conflict, management studies, negotiation, power, social dilemmas, war
JEL Classification: D74, F51, Q34, M14, M00
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation