Buffering Against the Detrimental Effects of Demographic Faultlines: The Curious Case of Intragroup Conflict in Small Work Groups

Abstract

Group faultline literature suggests that subgroups impede group functioning. We propose that team conflict may buffer the detrimental effects of faultlines on group performance. We draw on social categorization and group process theories suggesting that the negative effects of fault‐lines are due to increased competition and decreased communication across subgroups and can be diminished with cross‐subgroup information exchange and elaboration. We propose that intragroup conflict in small groups will decrease negative effects of demographic faultlines because detecting conflict and engaging in conflict management require cross‐subgroup communication and information elaboration. In Study 1, using student groups we found that relationship, task, and process conflict buffered the negative effect of demographic faultline strength on group performance. In Study 2, we manipulated conflict and group faultlines (ethnic faultlines vs. no faultlines) and found that group conflict buffered the negative effect of faultlines on group performance. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.

The Effect of Task Conflict on Relationship Quality: The Mediating Role of Relational Behavior

“…First, existing studies have focused more on intragroup task conflict in the individual level (Adair et al., ; Solansky, Singh, & Huang, ). In other words, prior studies have not paid enough attention to interorganizational conflict (Lumineau, Eckerd, & Handley, ), and even less attention has been paid to how interorganizational task conflict affects relational behavior in projects.…”

“…Conflict was initially divided into task conflict and relationship conflict (Jehn, ). In subsequent studies of conflict, process conflict was isolated from task conflict (Adair, Liang, & Hideg, ; Jehn & Mannix, ; Thatcher, Jehn, & Zanutto, ). People in different cultures may have distinct understandings of relationship conflict or process conflict.…”

Managerial and Employee Conflict Communication in Papua New Guinea: Application of the Culture‐Based Social Ecological Conflict Model

“…The study also has practical implications. Prior research demonstrates that intercultural conflict can be both beneficial and detrimental to businesses depending on how it is managed (Adair, Liang, & Hideg, ; Jayne & Dipboye, ; Oetzel, Dhar, & Kirschbaum, ; Ting‐Toomey & Kurogi, ; Ting‐Toomey & Oetzel, ). In this study, the conflict strategies result in negative conflict outcomes.…”

Subgroups, conflict, and leadership in higher education information technology : an interpretative phenomenological analysis exploration

“…If group members have associations with several subgroups, especially those with strong faultline conflict, it is possible these boundary spanners may help improve communication and acceptance among the other subgroupfocused members. The establishment of a superordinate identity, or overall team identification, may also diminish some adverse effects of group faultlines (Adair et al, 2017;Bezrukova, Jehn, Zanutto, & Thatcher, 2009;Brewer, 2000;Crisp & Hewstone, 2000;Mas, Flache, Takacs, & Jehn, 2013). The superordinate identity serves as a type of boundary spanner and may unite the otherwise separated subgroup members.…”

“…This study focuses on how subgroup conflict occurs in Information Technology (IT) organizations as seen through the eyes of the organization's senior leader-usually a Chief Information Officer (CIO). Many authors have described and researched the phenomenon of conflict among subgroups contributing to poor performance (Adair, Liang, & Hideg, 2017;Bezrukova, Jehn, Thatcher, & Spell, 2012;Jehn, Northcraft, & Neale, 1999). Many researchers agree that subgroup conflict may lead to poor overall team performance (Thatcher, Jehn, & Zanutto, 2003;Lau & Murnighan, 2005;Phillips, Mannix, Neale, & Gruenfeld, 2004).…”