Surviving trust from conflict in the construction industry: an interaction between conflict handling behaviors, behavioral outcomes, conflict and trust

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to reveal the role of conflict management in the process of trust development. Specifically, this study investigates how the salience of conflict varies with different conflict-handling behaviors and behavioral outcomes and how the variation of the salience of conflict influences the trust development between contracting parties. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was undertaken to collect data from 310 experienced project practitioners. Hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping with a structural equation model were mainly used to test the hypotheses. Findings This paper finds that the relational degree of conflict handling behaviors can influence the salience of conflict and furthermore to influence trust between contracting parties, with this relationship mediated by the behavioral outcomes; however, all these relationships are contingent on the stage where relational conflict handling behaviors are adopted and the specific type of outcomes the behaviors result in. Practical implications This study provides some specific directions for the practitioners to conduct relational conflict handling behaviors and generate positive outcomes to keep trust developing between contracting parties in conflictual situations. Originality/value This study contributes to the knowledge of inter-organizational trust development as well as conflict management, by investigating the relationship between conflict and trust in a direction, which is less examined and revealing the process of conflict management, where the conflict handling behaviors influence behavioral outcomes to further manage conflict, in trust development.

The Impact of Customer Relationship Marketing on Customer Loyalty

“…Furthermore, the empirical findings indicate that communication and conflict handling are also significant and have a positive relation to customer loyalty. In this line, authors like Ndusbisi, (2011) and Wang, Liu, Zhang, and Gong (2021) state that customers' conflicts/complaints when settled by the company quickly, 95% of these customers repeat purchasing behavior from that company and eventually strengthen positive perceived customer-company relationships. Additionally, the findings obtained reveal that trust is also positively and significantly affected by commitment, conflict handling, and communication.…”

The interaction effect of trust and contract on dispute negotiation strategy: evidence from the Chinese construction industry

“…Trust has been viewed as a critical factor that can support the formation of collective strategies and improve the relationship among contracting parties both in construction settings and in other industries (Wong et al , 2008; Jones and Shah, 2016; Li et al , 2019). However, while most existing research on inter-organizational trust has been focused on how trust impacts performance outcomes, far less attention has been paid to how trust impacts actual inter-firm behaviors that intermediate between trust and performance outcomes, with several exceptions (Hai-Ming et al , 2020; Wang et al , 2021). Similar to the research on contract, it is argued that the trust, as an informal governance mechanism, has its limitation.…”

“…Trust may also help overcome the inherent inflexibility of contract. In another way round, well-specified contracts may decrease the uncertainty and severity of risks and provide a reliable and stable foundation for the development of trust (Wang et al , 2021). In sum, the lack of conceptual clarity and the fragmentation of research streams from different theoretical lenses contribute to the inconsistency.…”

Influence of Supervisor Leadership Style and Conflict Handling on Subordinates: A Case Study of Taoyuan Police Department

“…Hence, hypotheses H3 and H4 are proposed. [28] believed that the relational degree of conflict handling behaviours can influence the salience of conflict and furthermore influence trust between contracting parties, with this relationship mediated by the behavioural outcomes; however, all these relationships are contingent on the stage where relational conflict handling behaviours are adopted and the specific type of outcomes the behaviours result in. Because of their specificity, police officers' position is stipulated in the contracting relationship as law enforcement officers, with necessary duties and obligations.…”