Management of superior - subordinate conflict: an exploration
- 2003
- p.444-59.
- Apr
The present research attempts to explore certain basic issues relating to superior-subordinate conflict and its management in the organisational setting. Statistical analysis of `perceptual' data obtained from 72 managers of an aluminium-manufacturing organisation operating in the public sector, indicated that matters relating to the technical and operative aspects of the job emerged as important issues of superior-subordinate conflict whereas individual differences between managers were viewed as the significant sources of such conflict. In general, it was observed that managers' conflict resolution behaviour was characterized by an immense utilization of problem-solving, smoothing and compromising modes together with the relative absence of withdrawing and forcing behaviours. It is noteworthy, however, that there were some significant differences between the superiors and their subordinates with respect to their utilization of various conflict management strategies. - Reproduced.