Perceived and ideal conflict cultures in academe: Creating the conflict cultures survey

Abstract

Focusing on conflict at the organizational level, this study explores Conflict Culture Theory by (a) conceptualizing perceived and ideal conflict cultures, (b) creating and implementing the Conflict Cultures Survey, and (c) testing Gelfand, Leslie and Keller's (2008) proposed two‐dimensional model. Tenured and tenure‐track faculty at a large, American university (N = 346) completed the survey. Ideal conflict cultures varied little whereas perceived conflict cultures varied across departments, suggesting that ideal and perceived conflict cultures are distinct constructs. Multi‐level modeling and interrater agreement indices for the conflict culture variables provide evidence that conflict cultures exist and vary by department. Results supported the two‐dimensional model rather than one‐ or four‐dimensional models, suggesting that conflict cultures vary along two dimensions: agreeableness and activeness. Practical implications for Conflict Culture Theory and the Conflict Culture Survey include predicting job satisfaction and commitment, identifying bullying or workplace harassment norms, and establishing individual‐organizational fit.

Multicultural conflict cultures: more similarities than differences in diverse societies

“…Cai and Fink (2002) found that individuals preferred integrating regardless of individualism-collectivism. The study of college professors found nearly no variation in ideal conflict cultures; participants all preferred active and agreeable conflict cultures (Desrayaud, 2022). While this does not suggest that all cultures use active and agreeable strategies uniformly, it does suggest the possibility for universality in ideal conflict cultures:…”

“…The theory of conflict cultures proposes that organizations create and reify expectations for how conflict ought to be handled (Gelfand et al , 2008). Conflict cultures vary along Van de Vliert and Euwema’s (1994) two conflict dimensions – active-passive and agreeable-disagreeable (Desrayaud, 2022; Gelfand et al , 2008). Active conflict cultures value participation, active involvement and open discourse about incompatible goals or ideas, normalizing behaviors such as openly discussing, confronting and forcing conversations.…”

“…For instance, Kumar and Worm (2004) described how cultural negotiation norms for India and China differed in terms of modes of thinking, behavioral patterns and perceptions of justice, highlighting the powerful role of macrolevel culture on exo level institutions. Both individual differences and cultural differences may impact conflict cultures, so we distinguish between perceived and ideal conflict cultures (Desrayaud, 2022). Perceived conflict cultures are the descriptive conflict norms according to organizational members, and they vary by organization or unit (Choi, 2013; Way et al , 2020).…”

“…active norms) whereas the hosts valued patience and listening (Brew et al, 2011). The one study measuring ideal conflict cultures in the USA found that college professors idealized active and agreeable conflict cultures (Desrayaud, 2022). In addition, a study of three US-based bank branches found that job satisfaction was higher at a collaborative conflict culture than at a dominating one (Choi, 2013), providing some evidence that US Americans prefer and may idealize agreeable and active norms.…”

“…One study found that managers in Hong Kong China idealized and demonstrated more collective conflict norms than managers is the USA which resulted in different conflict management outcomes (Tinsley and Brett, 2001). In a study of US American professors, ideal conflict cultures varied very little (Desrayaud, 2022) suggesting a consistent and strongly held injunctive norm, potentially stemming from cultural influences such as the individualism and self-face concern common in academia and the USA (Trumbull et al , 2020). To test this possibility, we explore some of the most commonly used cultural variables in conflict research: collectivism and face concerns.…”