Oog om oog en baas boven baas : interactiepatronen bij interpersoonlijk conflict op bureaucratische en organische organisatie-afdelingen

This dissertation is focused on interaction patterns in interpersonal conflict within organizations. Starting point is the interpersonal theory (IPT; Kiesler, 1983; Leary, 1957) that distinghuishes two dimensions to describe interpersonal (conflict) behavior, namely dominance-submissiveness and friendliness-hostility. Furthermore, with respect to interaction patterns, which exist when two people influence each other’s consecutive behaviors, IPT poses that dominance pulls submissiveness and vice versa (complementary interaction pattern), whereas friendliness leads to friendliness and hostility to hostility (symmetrical interaction pattern). Former research revealed insufficient evidence for complementary dominance-submissiveness, but amply sufficient evidence for symmetrical friendliness-hostility. Moreover, conflict behavior in organizations has never before been described and predicted with IPT. Therefore, the first goal of this dissertation was to test hypotheses about interaction patterns in interpersonal conflict within organizations. The second goal of this dissertation was to examine whether the micro phenomenon of conflict interaction is influenced by the macro phenomenon of organizational structure. Organizations can roughly be divided into bureaucratic systems, characterized by low decision participation and by relatively simple, standardized work, versus organic systems, characterized by high decision participation and by relatively complex work that is coordinated by means of mutual adjustment. Former research revealed communication differences between bureaucratic, non-participative systems and organic, participative systems. In organic systems, the communication climate is more open than in bureaucratic systems. Therefore, conflict handling is expected to be more open, assertive, and confrontative than in bureaucratic systems. However, ther are only a few studies of differences between bureaucratic and organic systems with respect to interaction patterns in interpersonal conflict. Another organization variable that probably influences conflict interaction is status difference. In accordance with findings from former research, it might be expected that high-status persons will show more dominant and more hostile conflict behavior than low-status persons. However, no specific predictions can be derived from former research about the influence of status difference upon interaction patterns in interpersonal conflict. The third goal of this dissertation was to gain insight into determinants of effective conflict management. On the basis of earlier research it can be stated that more dominant and more hostile conflict behavior is less effective. Once again, no direct indications can be derived from former research about the effectiveness of interaction patterns in interpersonal conflict.