HARMONY AND CONFLICT: INTERPERSONAL HARMONY MOTIVES, PERCEIVED CONTROL, AND HIERARCHICAL STATUS IN WORKPLACE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Abstract

The present study sought to integrate relational concerns in terms of interpersonal harmony into the existing conflict styles framework in order to provide a more holistic view of conflict management. I investigated the relationship between two harmony factors (harmony enhancement and disintegration avoidance) and conflict styles. I proposed that this relationship is mediated by perceived control, while the relationship between the harmony factors and perceived control is moderated by the hierarchical status of the conflict target. Participants were invited to respond to an online survey in which they answered questions pertaining to their harmony motives, a recent task conflict, their conflict styles, and level of perceived control during the conflict. Findings revealed that perceived control mediated the relationships between harmony enhancement and integrating along with compromising, whereas the mediation effect was not supported for the relationships between disintegration avoidance and avoiding as well as obliging. Finally, the moderating effect of hierarchical status was not found. These results shed light on the underlying mechanisms between harmony enhancement and the associated conflict styles, while future research is required to deepen our understanding of disintegration avoidance and its relationship to conflict behaviour.