This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kabanoff, B. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Analyzing Organizational Conflicts Using a Model Based On Structural Role Theory

Australian Graduate School of Management, P.O. Box 1, Kensington 2033, New South Wales, Australia.

A qualitative case approach is used to examine the capacity of the potential influence incongruence model of interpersonal conflict to analyze the latent sources of conflict and the resultant conflict processes in three cases of interpersonal conflict in organizations. A discussion of the case study approach and its role in theory construction and confirmation is provided. The three cases analyzed are those described by Walton (1969) in his seminal study of third-party conflict interventions. It is demonstrated that the model provides plausible, theoretically-integrated explanations of the sources of conflict in these three cases and aids understanding of the attitudes and behavior of the parties involved. A feature of the analysis is its integration of psychological and sociological concepts including bases of interpersonal power, the role concept and the process of role definition, and influence of role specialization and differentiation, symbolic aspects of interpersonal conflict, personality factors such as power needs, and dissonance theory. A degree of model clarification and elaboration are undertaken and the implications for conflict resolution and management are considered.

Human Relations, Vol. 41, No. 11, 841-870 (1988)
DOI: 10.1177/001872678804101104


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. J. Volkema, T. J. Bergmann, and K. Farquhar Use and Impact of Informal Third-Party Discussions in Interpersonal Conflicts at Work Management Communication Quarterly, November 1, 1997; 11(2): 185 - 216. [Abstract]