Behavioural Assessment of Interpersonal Conflict in Industry: Development of the Interpersonal Conflict Scale

Abstract

A two-factor approach toward the measurement of interpersonal conflict, incorporating dimensions of conflict resolution and conflict provocation, is proposed. The development of the Interpersonal Conflict Scale, a behaviourally based, self-or subordinate-rated measure of interpersonal conflict, is described. Factor analysis on a sample of 304 industrial supervisors yielded two subscales, a 10-item Resolution subscale and a 15-item Provocation subscale. Satisfactory internal and temporal consistency coefficients were recorded for the supervisor sample and two employee samples (N = 172 and 20). Also, the two conflict scales correlated significantly and in the predicted directions with measures of confrontational supervisory style, satisfaction with supervision, role conflict and quality of supervisor-subordinate role exchange. No significant correlations were found between either the Resolution and Provocation subscales and a measure of social desirability. Future implications for use of the scale are discussed.'n Tweefaktorbenadering tot die meting van interpersoonlike konflik, met insluiting van dimensies van konflikresolusie en konflikprovokasie, word aangebied. Die ontwikkeling van die Interpersoonlike Konflikskaal, 'n gedragsgebaseerde meting van interpersoonlike konflik volgens of eie of ondergeskikte beoordelings word beskryf. Faktorontleding op 'n steekproef van 304 toesighouers in die bedryf het twee subskale opgelewer, naamlik 'n 10 item-Resolusiesubskaal en 'n 15 item-Provokasiesubskaal. Bevredigende interne en toets-hertoets-betroubaarheidskoeffisiente is gevind t.o.v. die toesighouergroep en die twee werknemergroepe (N = 172 en 20). Verder het die twee konflikskale betekenisvol korreleer en wei in die voorspelde rigting met metings op konfronterende toesighouerstyl, tevredenheid met toesighouding, rolkonflik en die kwaliteit van toesighouer-ondergeskikte rolwisseling. Geen betekenisvolle korrelasie is tussen of die Resolusie-of die Provokasiesubskale en 'n meting van sosiale wenslikheid gevind nie. Implikasies vir die toekomstige gebruik van die skaal word bespreek.

Development of the Goal Setting Support Scale GSSS: Subordinate Assessment of Supervisory Support in the Goal-Setting Process

“…Items with a high proportion of missing values (i.e. more than 10%) and/or a skewed or bimodal distributions were eliminated on the basis that the responses did not approximate a normal distribution curve (Kim & Mueller, 1986;Nunns, Bluen & King, 1989). Consequently, 13 items were eliminatcd.…”