Third party intervention - strategies of managers in subordinates' conflicts in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate strategies used by managers when intervening in subordinates' conflicts and the factors affecting choice of strategy in Turkish organizations, where heavy emphasis is placed on intermediaries in managing conflicts. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected by means of a questionnaire from 392 employees of a convenience sample of 59 organizations, most of which were located in Ankara. Findings - Factor analysis results showed that managers utilize as many as five strategies: mediation, inquisitorial (similar to arbitration), motivational tactics, conflict reduction through restructuring, and educating the parties. The conditions under which these strategies are used were analyzed by regression. Harmony emphasis in the organization led to increased use of mediation. However, harmony emphasis, when coupled with a low degree of delegation of authority to subordinates, resulted in increased use of the inquisitorial strategy. Harmony emphasis, when combined with substantive (as opposed to personal) conflicts and with high impact conflicts led to educating the subordinates. Motivational tactics were used more when the conflict had high impact at the workplace and had escalated or threatened to get out of control. Research limitations/implications - Readers are cautioned on possible common factor bias; relations between variables may have emerged as a result of the data being reported by the same respondent. Originality/value - The findings have research implications for future studies and for training of managers for conflict intervention in collectivistic cultures.