The Importance of Role Ambiguity and Trust in Conflict Perception: Unpacking the Task Conflict to Relationship Conflict Linkage

Abstract

This article examines the impact of role ambiguity and trust on the transformation of task conflict into relationship conflict. Building on the work of Simons and Peterson (2000) we argue that the work environment—in the form of role ambiguity—provides information with which individuals assess the motivations underlying task conflict. We hypothesize that under high role ambiguity, individuals are less likely to attribute an ulterior motive to those engaging in task conflict because they see the conflict as stemming from the needs of the work itself. In a sample of 141 managerial, professional and administrative employees we find strong support for this hypothesis as well as the additional hypothesis that this effect is stronger under conditions of high trust.

The Effects of Harmony of Family, Distributive Justice, and Role Ambiguity on Family Member Impediment: The Mediating Role of Relationship Conflict as an Example of Developing Country Turkey

“…This finding is also clarify by the researchers, they claimed that role ambiguity and role conflict cause an increase in stress which also leads to decrease in job satisfaction and performance (Chonko, 1982;Fatima & Rehman, 2012;Ram, Khoso, Shah, Abdul & Chandio, 2011;Onyemah, 2008). According to Tidd's research role ambiguity increases relationship conflict (Tidd, Mclntyre & Friedman, 2004).…”

“…Role ambiguity might occur when the three types of information do not subsist, in other words, at first of all, a person have to cognize what the expectations are and second, a person have to consider something about what activities on his or her part will carry out the role liabilities and the last one a person must know what the result of role performance are to self, others, and the organization so as to perform his or her role (Beard, 1996;Bolat, Bolat & Yüksel, 2011;Dierdorff & Rubin, 2007;Thiagarajan, 2007;Deluga, 1989;Tidd, Mclntyre & Friedman, 2004). If the reasons of role ambiguity have to be expanded in order to solve problems resulting from it, it can be mentioned that this ambiguity occurs from sufficient information about to do a work.…”

Preventing Conflicts in Sharing Communities as a Means of Promoting Sustainability

“…Furthermore, the use of harsh forms of regulation, such as controls and punishment, leaned towards conflict frequency. Based on these results, we assume that harsh forms of regulation could promote a task conflict evolving to a relationship conflict over time [78], which should be investigated in longitudinal studies in the future. Therefore, harsh forms of regulation seem to be the wrong choice for managing conflicts in sharing communities.…”

“…Therefore, it is necessary to consider the type of conflict. Over time, conflicts that arise out of the incompatibilities of an ongoing task may evolve into a relationship conflict and lose their positive potential [78]. Thus, it is important to understand the effects that cause the development of a task conflict into a relationship conflict and prevent its transformation [70].…”

Unfolding the recipes for conflict resolution during the new service development effort

“…However, as flexibility increases some degree of role ambiguity is inescapable, which in turn can have a negative effect on the NSD team's ability to efficiently resolve conflicts. But if role ambiguity comes, for instance, with significant cooperation and trust among team members, it may still be possible to have a positive impact on conflict resolution (Tidd, McIntyre, & Friedman, 2004). Consequently, it is difficult, and likely inappropriate, to consider the effect of NSD team dynamics on the team's ability to resolve emerging conflicts as "linear".…”