International Journal of Conflict Management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of conflict management on conflicts at work.

Design/methodology/approach – A total of 148 post-graduate students in management responded to a questionnaire online. Two cluster analyses were performed to identify dispute resolution patterns and organizational dispute states. Then, cross tabulation between the two clusters was performed (Pearson's chi-square coefficient and Sommer's D statistic).

Findings – Cluster analyses identified three styles of dispute resolution pattern – interest-based, based on controlled power, and power-based – and three different organizational dispute states: harmony, dissonance, and conflict. Finally, the influence of resolution patterns on dispute states was been confirmed by the cross tabulation.

Research limitations/implications – Firstly, Ury et al.'s theoretical typology should be revised, especially for the rights-based approach. Secondly, the results of our cluster analysis indicate that it might not be necessary to measure the emotional and behavioral dimension of conflict separately. Thirdly, our research confirms the impact of conflict management on conflicts at work.

Practical implications – The results show that dispute resolution patterns have a non-negligible influence on organizational conflict states. In order to increase the likelihood of a harmony state, an interest-based dispute resolution pattern should be adopted.

Originality/value – First, the statistical technique used – cluster analysis – is somewhat innovative. Secondly, this research shows that dispute resolution patterns may affect organizational dispute states.