12

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 14

International Journal of Conflict Management

Leadership styles: relationship with conflict management styles


Tahir Saeed, Shazia Almas, M. Anis-ul-Haq, GSK Niazi,
Article information:
To cite this document:
Tahir Saeed, Shazia Almas, M. Anis-ul-Haq, GSK Niazi, (2014) "Leadership styles: relationship with conflict
management styles", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 25 Issue: 3, pp.214-225, https://
doi.org/10.1108/IJCMA-12-2012-0091
Permanent link to this document:
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCMA-12-2012-0091
Downloaded on: 13 November 2017, At: 23:14 (PT)
References: this document contains references to 41 other documents.
To copy this document: permissions@emeraldinsight.com
The fulltext of this document has been downloaded 39049 times since 2014*
Users who downloaded this article also downloaded:
(2015),"Emotional intelligence, conflict management styles, and innovation performance: An empirical
study of Chinese employees", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 26 Iss 4 pp. 450-478 <a
href="https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCMA-06-2014-0039">https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCMA-06-2014-0039</a>
(2014),"Management styles and success: Why coaching is important", Development and Learning
in Organizations: An International Journal, Vol. 28 Iss 2 pp. 23-25 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/
DLO-02-2014-0006">https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-02-2014-0006</a>

Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by All users group
For Authors
If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for
Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines
are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information.
About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.com
Emerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company
manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as
providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.
Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee
on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive
preservation.

*Related content and download information correct at time of download.


The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1044-4068.htm

IJCMA
25,3
Leadership styles: relationship
with conflict management styles
Tahir Saeed
PTCL, Islamabad, Pakistan
214
Shazia Almas and M. Anis-ul-Haq
Department of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University,
Islamabad, Pakistan, and
GSK Niazi
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

School of Business Management, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad,


Pakistan

Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between leadership styles and
conflict management styles among managers, while handling interpersonal conflict (mangers and
subordinates).
Design/methodology/approach Middle-level managers (N 150) from different private sector
manufacturing industries were included in the study to seek responses through questionnaire based on
instruments for conflict management and leadership styles.
Findings Managers who perceived to exhibit more on transformational leadership style adopted
integrating and obliging style of conflict management. Those who perceived to exhibit more on transactional
style opted for compromising style of conflict management. Whereas, managers perceived to exhibit
laissez-faire leadership style adopted avoiding style to manage conflicts with subordinates.
Originality/value Despite the universal acceptance of leadership importance in corporate settings,
research so far investigated leadership styles as determinants of conflict management styles are
population-specific, including nursing managers (Hendel, 2005), university academic staff (Paul, 2006)
and healthcare professionals (Saeed, 2008). Furthermore, the findings in the referred studies are not
consistent, and this issue seems to be at an exploratory phase that requires further investigation to
establish the relationship. Blake and Mouton (1964) and Rahim (1992) tried to measure the strategies in
which individuals typically deal with the conflicts. This approach treated conflict styles as individual
disposition, stable over time and across situations. It is argued and supported by literature that
leadership styles or behaviors remain stable over time and are expected to be significantly related to
conflict management styles (Hendel, 2005).
Keywords Transactional leadership, Leadership styles, Transformational leadership, Conflict
management styles
Paper type Research paper

Introduction
International Journal of Conflict For an organization to be successful, the employees are required to work in harmony to
Management achieve its goals. Because leadership involves the exhibition of style or behavior by
Vol. 25 No. 3, 2014
pp. 214-225 managers or supervisors while dealing with subordinates, leadership is a critical
Emerald Group Publishing Limited determinant of the employees actions toward the achievement of the organizational
1044-4068
DOI 10.1108/IJCMA-12-2012-0091 goals.
The presence of emotional tensions and conflicts in the organization is one dimension Leadership
of organizational environment. The leaders may help to release tensions, harmonize
misunderstanding and deal with disruptive behaviors (Fisher, 2000). Leaders react to
styles
problems, resolve crises, reward and punish followers, provide encouragement and
support to followers. Leaders are also concerned about organizational innovation, seek
to foster organizational cultures that are conducive to creativity, innovation,
conflict-free and challenging environment. In the ideal and conducive environment, 215
leaders tend to influence strategies in conflict management and enhance people to work
together effectively. It becomes imperative for a leader to achieve organizational
objectives, accomplished by focusing on both the rational and emotional aspects of
conflicting issues while resolving disputes or conflicts that occur at any level in the
organizational hierarchy.
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

Constructive conflict management requires considerable social skills. Managers


must be able to adapt their conflict management behaviors to a given situation. In some
cases, it may be best to confront conflict, and in other cases, it may be better to avoid
conflict or accommodate. Conflict management research focus is centered primarily on
the conflict situation and the person situation interaction (Knapp et al., 1988). However,
it is believed that conflict behavior is determined by both situational and dispositional
influences.
Markus and Kitayama (1991) examined the possible links between individualistic
and collectivistic cultural values and preferred conflict styles and found that there are a
number of similarities and difference among these cultures. Other Studies have
examined the frequently used conflict management styles in public- and private-sector
managers (Anis-ul-Haque, 2004). Studies also report a connection between conflict
resolution and attachment styles (Cown and Cown, 2005), setting the argument that
leadership styles may influence conflict negotiation strategies.
Leadership theories are classified as trait, behavioral, contingency and
transformational (Northouse, 2007). Earliest theories assumed that the primary source
of leadership effectiveness lay in the personal traits of the leaders themselves. Later
behavioral theories of leadership sought to explain what the leaders do and how the
employees react, both emotionally and behaviorally. Afterward, the contingency theory
of leadership studied leadership style in different environments (Northouse, 2007).
Although, these theories clarify role and task requirements for employees, yet they are
unable to cope with the inspiration and innovation that leaders need to compete in
todays global marketplace.
Over the past 20 years, there has been considerable interest in testing new paradigms
of leadership. Previous leadership models have been criticized for failing to explain the
full range of existing leadership styles and behaviors (Northouse, 2007). In response to
such criticism, the concepts of transformational and transactional leadership emerged.
As organizations are forced to transform and expand traditional management practices,
identifying high performance and transformational characteristics of leaders is
becoming critical. Bass (1985) a proposed three-dimensional model of leadership styles:
transformational, transactional and laissez-faire.
In research literature, the Bass model has been examined in different perspectives,
like job involvement in group cohesion and performance (Bass et al., 2003), managerial
performance, potency, performance (Kark and Shamir, 2002), employees job satisfaction
and organizational commitment (Bass and Avolio, 1994), extra effort, turnover intention
IJCMA (Seltzer and Bass, 1990) and with reference to organizational citizenship behavior
(Podsakoff et al., 2000).
25,3 Given the dominant role of leadership in work place and the complexity in
understanding human resource management in complex organizations, the effects of
leaders requires attention to the issues like conflict handling (Smith and Tonidandel,
2003). It was argued that the employees perception of leadership styles has relationship
216 with conflict management (Ekvall, 1996). Despite the universal acceptance of leadership
importance in corporate settings, research for investigated leadership styles as
determinants of conflict management styles are population-specific including, nursing
managers (Hendel, 2005), university academic staff (Paul, 2006), and healthcare
professionals (Saeed, 2008). Furthermore, the findings in the referred studies are not
consistent, and this issue seems to be at an exploratory phase that requires further
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

investigation to establish the relationship.

Literature review
The strength of social systems lies partly in how managers prevent serious conflicts and
when conflicts do arise, how they address them to maintain system integrity and
preserve the well-being of their members. Organizations adapt to changes in the
environment by facing major conflicts, addressing them and reorganizing the necessity
to deal with them.
Conflict management is the practice of identifying and handling conflict in a sensible,
fair and efficient manner. Conflict management requires such skills as effective
communication, problem solving and negotiating with a focus on interests.
Conflict is a pervasive phenomenon, both in social circles and professional
interactions. It is put aptly by Landau et al. (2001) that conflict exists in all human
relationships: It always has and probably always will, or according to Boohar (2001),
individuals who never experience conflict at the workplace are living in a dream world,
blind to their surroundings or are confined to solitary confinement. Various definitions
of conflict have been provided by many researchers from multiple disciplines like
psychology, behavioral sciences, sociology, communication and anthropology. Rahim
(1983) considered conflict as an interactive process manifested in incompatibility,
disagreement, or dissonance within or between social entities (individual, group,
organization, etc.). Marquis and Huston (1996) define conflict as: the internal discord
that results from differences in ideas, values, or feelings between two or more people.
The definitions suggested by the scholars of different disciplines are looking at conflict
from different angles. However, the common theme that seems dominant in all these
definitions is the aspects of differing needs, goals or interests and the perceived or real
interference from one party to the other party.
Conflict in organizations is often avoided and suppressed because of its negative
consequences and to seek to preserve consistency, stability and harmony within the
organization (Nadler and Tushman, 1999). Such situations necessitate conflict to be
studied empirically focusing on its appearance, causes, consequences, emotional,
cognitive, motivational and behavioral aspects (Nauta and Kluwer, 2004).
To function effectively at any level within organizations conflict management skills
are important prerequisites. Therefore, being aware of the extent of conflict at various
levels of an organization is crucial for the management of organizations. Too little
conflict results in organizational stasis, while too much conflict reduces the
organizations effectiveness and eventually immobilizes its employees (Marquis and Leadership
Huston, 1996).
Conflict management has grown into a major subfield of organizational behavior.
styles
Conflict resolution is prescribed not simply as a mechanism for dealing with differences
within an existing social system, but also as an approach that can facilitate constructive
social change toward a responsive and equitable system (Fisher, 2000). Today,
successful organizations need to develop the processes, cultures and behaviors capable 217
of accommodating and resolving conflicts in ways that benefit consumers and
employees (Nadler and Tushman, 1999).
A number of scholars have developed typologies of conflict management styles using
the conceptual model by Blake and Mouton (1964). The two dimensions have been
variously labeled desire to satisfy ones own concern and desire to satisfy others
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

concern (Thomas, 1976), or concern for self and concern for other (Rahim and
Bonoma, 1979). Typologies presented by Rahim are integrating, obliging,
compromising, dominating and avoiding.
Integrating or collaborating style involves openness, exchange of information and
examination of differences to reach an effective solution acceptable to both parties.
When people use the integrating style, they have concerns for themselves and for others,
are problem-solving and solution-oriented (Rahim, 2000). Studies have shown that
supervisors who use an integrating style achieved more behavioral compliance, less
likely to experience persistent conflict at work and have less disputes (Rahim and
Buntzman, 1990).
The obliging or accommodating style is associated with attempting to play down the
differences and emphasizing commonalities to satisfy the concerns of the other party.
Accommodating is an appropriate strategy when two people cannot agree, but a
decision is required to be made. Like the collaborating style, the accommodating style is
cooperative, but unlike the collaborating style, the accommodating style is indirect and
passive (Blake and Mouton, 1964).
In the dominating or competing style, people are more concerned with their own
interests than their partners interests. This style is assertive and uncooperative.
Managers who use the competing style typically are ineffective in meeting their goals
and inappropriate in their treatment to subordinates and escalation of conflict and are
less likely to comply with directives of management (Rahim and Buntzman, 1990).
The avoiding style has been associated with withdrawal or sidestepping situations
based on having little or no concern for oneself or others. As such, it is uncooperative and
indirect. This style has also been called non-confrontation, inaction and withdrawal that
is shown to be inappropriate and ineffective (Gross and Guerrero, 2000).
The compromising style involves give and take, whereby both parties give up
something to make a mutually acceptable decision, characterized by moderate levels of
both cooperation and assertiveness. The available research suggests that the
compromising style is generally perceived to be moderately appropriate and effective
(Gross and Guerrero, 2000).

Leadership
One of the current approaches to leadership that has been the focus of much research in
the recent decade is the bass model approach. In fact, this model is part of the new
leadership paradigm, which gives more attention to the transformational element of
IJCMA leadership. Bass and Riggio (2006) suggested that its popularity may be due to its
emphasis on intrinsic motivation and follower development.
25,3 Transformational leaders rather than focusing solely on current needs of their
employees or themselves focus on future needs. These leaders rather than being
concerned with short-term problems and opportunities faced by the organization are
more concerned with long-term issues, rather than viewing intra- and extra-
218 organizational factors as discrete, view them in a holistic perspective. The
transformational leadership is not a substitute for transactional leadership, rather a
complement to it. Research has proven that transformational leadership augments the
effects of transactional leadership (Bass, 1990). These components of transformational
and transactional leadership are predicted to effect organizational outcomes, followers
satisfaction and leaders performance. Bass (1990) observed that a leader generally
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

exhibits both styles, with one being more predominant. In an attempt to identify the
behaviors underlying these leadership styles, Bass developed the multi-factor
leadership theory. This model has been generalized across a wide variety of
organizations, cultures and hierarchical levels of management (Bass and Avolio, 1993).
The transformational leadership has consistently been linked to high levels of effort,
performance and satisfaction (Bass, 1990). Epitropaki and Martin (2005) examined the
impact of transformational and transactional leadership perceptions as important
predictors of employees reported organizational identification, performance, affective
organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behaviors, burnout and
employees health (Lewis, 2003; Saeed, 2008). Rafferty and Griffin (2004) developed a
series of hypotheses suggesting that certain sub-dimensions of transformational
leadership that are uniquely associated with a number of outcomes include affective and
continuance commitment, role breadth self-efficacy, interpersonal helping behaviors
and intentions to turnover.
Transactional leaders identify and clarify subordinates job tasks and communicate to
them how successful execution of tasks will lead to the receipt of desirable rewards.
Transactional managers determine and define goals for their subordinates, suggest how to
execute tasks and provide feedback. Previous investigations suggest that transactional
leadership can have a favorable influence on attitudinal and behavioral responses of
employees (Bass, 1990).
Laissez-faire leaders abdicate their responsibility and avoid making decisions.
Subordinates working under this kind of supervisor basically are left to their own
devices to execute their job responsibilities. Although laissez-faire leadership is
observed infrequently, managers still exhibit it in varying amounts. Prior research has
found that laissez-faire leadership has an adverse effect on work-related outcomes of
employees (Yammarino and Bass, 1990).
Blake and Mouton (1964) and Rahim (1992) tried to measure the strategies in which
individuals typically deal with the conflicts. This approach treated conflict styles as
individual disposition, stable over time and across situations. It is argued and supported
by literature that leadership styles or behaviors remain stable over time and are
expected to be significantly related to conflict management styles (Hendel, 2005). A
schematic model can be sketched to explain the overlapping role of both models of
leadership and conflict management styles (Figure 1).
In the proposed model, the conflict style constructs are shown in the top row of each
entry whereas the leadership constructs are shown in parentheses on the bottom row.
Keeping in view the above literature, the following hypotheses are formulated: Leadership
H1. The transformational leadership style is predicted to exhibit positive styles
relationship with constructive (integrating and obliging) and negative
relationship with destructive (dominating and avoiding) styles of conflict
management.
H2. The transactional leadership is anticipated to have positive relationship with 219
compromising conflict management style.
H3. The laissez-faire leadership would have positive relationship with destructive
(dominating and avoiding) and negative relationship with constructive
(integrating and obliging) styles of conflict management.
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

Method
Participants
The sample of the present study consisted of 150 managers (34 women and 116 men)
from the private-sector manufacturing industries. The sample was selected by using a
simple random sampling technique. The participants were informed about the purpose
of the study and assured to secure the confidentiality of the information provided. A
total 180 questionnaires were distributed and 150 were received back completed in all
respects, with 80 per cent response rate.

Measures
The organizational conflict management inventory (OCMI) consisted of 37 items
including five dimensions: integrating, obliging, compromising, dominating and
avoiding by Anis-ul-Haque (2004) was used to assess the conflict management styles of
managers. Instrument reliability (Cronbachs alpha coefficient) based on the sample was
0.91. The Urdu-adapted version of the multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ)
(Almas, 2007) originally developed by Bass (1985) was used to assess the leadership
styles of managers. The MLQ consisting of 36 items has three dimensions including
transformational, transactional and laissez-faire leadership. Cronbachs Alpha for the
instrument was found to be 0.83.

CONCERN FOR SELF


(Working Model Of Self)
High Low
(Positive) (Negative)
High Integrating Obliging
CONCERN FOR (Positive) (Transformational) (Transformational)
OTHERS Figure 1.
(Working Model Compromising Proposed model;
(Transactional) correspondence of
Of Others)
leadership styles with
Low Dominating Avoiding
conflict management
(Negative) (Laissez-faire) (Laissez-faire) styles
IJCMA Data analysis
Data collected on OCMI and MLQ were scored and sorted in accordance with the
25,3 directions of the instrument developers. The intercorrelation table of all variables along
with reliability coefficients of all scales and inferential statistics were calculated.
Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between
leadership and conflict management styles.
220
Results
Descriptive statistics mean and standard deviation of all variables included in the study
are shown in Table I.
The correlation matrix shows that the transformational style has significant positive
relationship with transactional style and with constructive conflict handling styles
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

(obliging and integrating) and negative with the laissez-faire style (Table II). The
transactional leadership style exhibits a significant positive relationship with
compromising and negative relation with dominating conflict management styles. On
the other hand, the laissez-faire style depicts significant positive relation with avoiding
and negative with integrating style of conflict management (Table III).
The results of the multiple regression analysis show that the transformational style
has significant relationship with the integrating style of conflict management, whereas
the transactional and the laissez-faire do not show significant relationship. The value of
R2 0.153 shows that 15.3 per cent of variance is explained by independent variables

Study variables M SD Minimum Maximum

Organizational conflict-management inventory


Integrating 42.41 5.97 28 52
Obliging 29.93 4.86 21 51
Compromising 5.00 1.74 1 10
Dominating 11.84 3.01 8 17
Avoiding 27.12 6.03 11 35
Multi factor leadership questionnaire
Table I. Transformational 26.05 4.18 14 36
Descriptive statistics for Transactional 22.97 5.40 13 35
all variables (N 150) Laissez-faire 6.62 1.87 4 19

Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Transformational (0.92)
Transactional 0.40*** (0.84)
Laissez-faire 0.18* 0.11 (0.71)
Obliging 0.18** 0.12 0.02 (0.81)
Integrating 0.23** 0.07 0.19* 0.06 (0.93)
Compromising 0.01 0.21** 0.06 0.06 0.06 (0.72)
Dominating 0.08 0.16* 0.05 0.13* 0.17* 0.02 (0.81)
Table II. Avoiding 0.11 0.06 0.22** 0.03 0.27** 0.02 0.16* (0.75)
Correlation matrix of all
study variables (N 150) Notes: *p 0.05, ** p 0.01; Boldface shows alpha reliability values of variables
(leadership styles) in dependent variable (conflict management) with (F 4.01, p Leadership
0.001). Beta values of 0.35 (p 0.003) shows that transformational style contributes
more among these variables to affect the integrating style (Table IV).
styles
The results show that only transformational style is significantly affecting the obliging
style. The results also depict that 6.5 per cent of variance is explained by leadership styles in
obliging style (F 12.01, p 0.05) and beta value equals to 0.22 (p 0.01).
In Table V, the transactional style has significant relationship with the 221
compromising style. Variance of 5.6 per cent has been explained by the transformational
style in compromising strategy. The corresponding beta value is 0.25 for transactional
(F 12.01, p 0.05).
Results show beta value 0.26 (p 0.05) for transactional and 0.19 (p 0.01) for
transformational styles of leadership have significant negative impact on dominating
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

style of conflict management. Model explains 6.4 per cent variance in dominating style
(F12.14, p 0.05) (Table VI).

Model B SE t p Table III.


Transformational 0.421 0.195 0.35 5.118 0.003 Regression analysis for
Transactional 0.371 0.281 0.10 1.320 0.189 leadership styles and
Laissez-faire 0.035 0.096 0.03 0.367 0.714 integrating style of
conflict management
Notes: R2 0.153, R2 0.144, F 4.01, p 0.001 (N 150)

Model B SE B t p

Transformational 0.321 0.127 0.22 2.518 0.013 Table IV.


Transactional 0.371 0.281 0.10 1.320 0.189 Regression analysis for
Laissez-faire 0.035 0.096 0.03 0.367 0.714 leadership styles and
obliging style of conflict
Notes: R2 0.065, R2 0.059, F 12.01, p 0.05 management (N 150)

Model B SE t p Table V.
Transformational 0.042 0.037 0.10 1.144 0.255 Regression analysis for
Transactional 0.083 0.028 0.25 2.944 0.031 leadership styles and
Laissez-faire 0.015 0.076 0.01 0.194 0.846 compromising style of
conflict management
Notes: R2 0.056, R2 0.037, F 12.01, p 0.05 (N 150)

Model B SE t p Table VI.


Transformational 0.143 0.064 0.19 2.232 0.027 Regression analysis for
Transactional 0.143 0.049 0.26 2.945 0.004 leadership styles and
Laissez-faire 0.025 0.131 0.01 0.193 0.847 dominating style of
conflict management
Notes: R2 0.064, R2 0.047, F 12.14, p 0.05 (N 150)
IJCMA Table VII shows that only laissez-faire leadership style significantly impacts avoiding
style, whereas transformational and transactional leadership do not show significant
25,3 effect. The value of R2 0.13 explains 13.1 per cent of variance by leadership styles in
the avoiding style (F 3.14, p 0.01).

Discussion
222 Negotiation and dispute resolution are among the core tasks of management and are
central to strategic decision-making and operation of organizations. While tensions and
conflicts occur naturally in organizations, some people may act in ways that resolve
these conflicts and stimulate cooperative behavior, while others may act in ways that
leave conflicts unresolved and stimulate antagonistic behavior.
The results of the study supported the first hypothesis, anticipating that the
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

transformational leadership style would have positive relationship with constructive styles
of management and negative relation with destructive styles. Standardized beta weights
revealed that transformational leadership style contributed a significant positive effect on
integrating style ( 0.35, p 0.01), obliging style ( 0.22, p 0.05) and negative impact
( 0.19, p 0.05) on the dominating style of conflict management.
These findings are in accordance with the results of prior research demonstrating
that transformational leadership has significant influence on integrating and obliging
styles of conflict management (Hendel, 2005).
Transformational leadership is effective and facilitative leadership style and is positively
related to subordinate satisfaction, motivation and performance (Gasper, 1992). In turbulent
environments and conflicting situations, transformational leaders are likely to be more
effective because they seek new ways of working, positively managing conflicts, seek
opportunities in the face of risk and are less likely to support the status quo.
The second hypothesis is also substantiated that transactional leadership style
would exhibit a positive relation with compromising style of conflict management. The
findings are consistent with the theory that transactional leadership is an exchange
process based on the fulfillment of contractual obligations and transactional leaders
offer rewards conditional on their behaviors (Bass and Avolio, 1994).
The compromising style of managing conflict in the organizations involves
give-and-take to attain a mutually acceptable agreement. Research has indicated that
transactional leaders identify and clarify for subordinates their job tasks and
communicate to them how successful execution of those tasks will lead to receipt of
desirable job rewards (Bass and Avolio, 1994).
The third hypothesis is partially verified that the laissez-fair leadership style has
significant positive effect on the avoiding ( 0.26, p 0.01) style of conflict
management. These findings are consistent with the prior research (Rahim, 1992;
Bushyacharu, 1996) that avoidance style may take form in postponing an issue until a

Model B SE t p
Table VII. Transformational 0.148 0.129 0.10 1.145 0.254
Regression analysis for Transactional 0.069 0.098 0.06 0.712 0.478
leadership styles and Laissez-faire 0.686 0.000 0.26 3.611 0.001
avoiding style of conflict
management (N 150) Notes: R2 0.131, R2 0.112, F 3.14, p 0.01
better time or withdrawing from a threatening situation. In addition, laissez-faire Leadership
leaders are also avoiders and withdrawn in dealing with issues related to their
subordinates (Bass, 1990).
styles

Practical implications of the study


The findings of the study have both important theoretical and practical implications.
From a theoretical viewpoint, the study supports propositions and extends to the prior 223
work on leadership in addition to conflict management. First, it examines the conceptual
similarities and differences among different leadership styles. Second, it promotes a
theoretical model, which integrates different aspects of leadership and conflict
management literature. Third, it examines which leadership styles have more favorable
effects on conflict management.
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

Organizations should train leaders to ensure that their primary focus is on people
management. This means reducing anxiety and anger among employees, promoting
optimism and confidence, developing peoples skills, helping them manage conflict,
building trust within and across teams and ensuring alignment around achieving the
best possible organizational aims and objectives (Michie and West, 2004).
While developing training modules, in the light of the study recommendations, the
management should emphasize the importance of different domains of transformational and
transactional leadership as a fundamental aspect of sound supervisory practices due to the
impact it seems to have on perceptions of effective human resource management.

Limitations and future research


While assessing managers conflict management and leadership styles, it was not
possible to control some of the confounding factors like the impact of organizational
climate and structure.
In addition, the results of the study were based on subjects self-report. The
probability of variance and aspect of social desirability in selection of responses on the
scales of study variables could not be minimized through method variance.
Variables other than leadership may influence choice of conflict-handling mode.
Further research is recommended on the issues with reference to personality factors and
characteristics of the organizational environment.
Furthermore, the findings should be tested in future research in public sector
organizations and other than manufacturing sector e.g. profit and non-profit
organizations of corporate sectors, banking, telecommunication, education, etc.
Additionally, the Bass model of leadership should be replicated in other cultural context
to further explore the predictive role of leadership styles while managing conflicts.

References
Almas, S. (2007), Leadership styles as predictors of conflict management styles, Unpublished
M.Phil. dissertation, National Institute of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University,
Islamabad, Pakistan.
Anis-ul-Haque, A., Bano, M. and Khan, J.Z. (2004), Conflict management styles: private and
public sector differences, Journal of Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 15 No. 12, pp. 25-34.
Bass, B.M. (1985), Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations, Free Press, New York, NY.
Bass, B.M. (1990), Bass and Stodgills Handbook of Leadership, Free Press, New York, NY.
IJCMA Bass, B.M. and Avolio, B.J. (1993), Transformational leadership: a response to critiques, in
Chemers, M.M. and Ayman, R. (Eds), Leadership Theory and Research: Perspectives and
25,3 Directions, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, pp. 49-80.
Bass, B.M. and Avolio, B.J. (Eds) (1994), Improving Organizational Effectiveness Through
Transformational Leadership, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Bass, B.M. and Riggio, R.E. (2006), Transformational Leadership, 2nd ed, Lawrence Erlbaum,
224 Mahwah, NJ.
Bass, B.M., Avolio, B.J., Jung, D.I. and Berson, Y. (2003), Predicting unit performance by
assessing transformational and transactional leadership, Journal of Applied Psychology,
Vol. 88 No. 2, pp. 207-218.
Blake, R.R. and Mouton, J.S. (1964), The Managerial Grid, Gulf, Houston, TX.
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

Boohar, D. (2001), Resolving conflict without punching someone out, Orlando-FL-Academinc


press, avaialable at: www.anu.edu.au/facilities/atem-aappaa/full_papers/Coxkeynote.html
(accessed 18 October 2006).
Bushyacharu, S. (1996), Conflict and conflict management in joint ventures: the Thai partner
perspectives, Asian Institute of Technology Research Study No. SM, Business Press, 13:
22, pp. 96-50, retrieved 24 June 2004.
Cown, C.P. and Cown, P.A. (2005), Two central roles for couple relationship: breaking, negative
intergenerational patterns and enhancing children adaption, Sexual and Relationship
Therapy, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 275-285.
Ekvall, G. (1996), Organizational climate for creativity and innovation, European Journal of
Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 105-123.
Epitropaki, O. and Martin, R. (2005), The moderating role of individual differences in the relation
between transformational/transactional leadership perceptions and organizational
identification, The Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 16, pp. 569-589.
Fisher, R.J. (2000), Intergroup conflict, in Deutsch, M. and Coleman, P.T. (Eds), The Handbook of
Conflict Resolution, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San-Francisco, CA, pp. 166-185.
Gasper, J.M. (1992), Transformational leadership: an integrative review of the literature,
Dissertation Abstracts International, University Microfilms No. 9234203.
Gross, M.A. and Guerrero, L.K. (2000), Managing conflict appropriately and effectively: an
application of the competence model to Rahims organizational conflict styles,
International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 200-227.
Hendel, T. (2005), Leadership styles and choice of strategy in conflict management among Israeli
nurse managers, Journal of Nursing Management, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 137-145.
Kark, R. and Shamir, B. (2002), The influence of transformational leadership on followers
relational versus collective self-concept, Academy of Management Proceedings, OB,
pp. D1-D6.
Knapp, M.L., Putnan, L.L. and Davis, L.J. (1988), Measuring interpersonal conflict in
organizations: where do we go from here?, Management Communication Quarterly, Vol. 1,
pp. 414-429.
Landau, S., B. Landau and D. Landau (2001), From Conflict to Creativity: How Resolving
Workplace Disagreements Can Inspire Innovation and Productivity, Jossey-Bass, San
Francisco.
Lewis, J.P. (2003), The Project Managers Pocket Survival Guide, McGraw-Hill, London.
Markus, H.R. and Kitayama, S. (1991), Culture and self implications for cognitive emotions and
motivation, Psychological Review, Vol. 98 No. 2, pp. 224-253.
Marquis, B.K. and Huston, C.J. (1996), Leadership Roles and Managers Function in Nursing, 2nd Leadership
ed, Lippincott, Philadelphia, PA.
Michie, S. and West, M.A., (2004), Managing people and performance: an evidence based
styles
framework applied to health service organizations, International Journal of Management
Reviews, Vol. 5, pp. 91-111.
Nadler, D.A. and Tushman, M.L. (1999), The organization of the future: strategic imperative and
core competencies for the 21st century, Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 28 No. 1, pp. 16-45. 225
Nauta, A. and Kluwer, E. (2004), The use of questionnaires in conflict research, International
Negotiation, Vol. 9 No. 3, pp. 457-470.
Northouse, P.G. (2007), Leadership, theory, and practice, Sage Publication, LA.
Paul,T. (2006), A study of the relationship between transformational and transactional
leadership, and conflict management styles in ohio college presidents, Unpublished PhD
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

dissertation, Harvard School of Business.


Podsakoff, P.M., MacKenzie, S.B., Paine, J.B. and Bachrach, D.G. (2000), Organizational
citizenship behaviors: a critical review of the theoretical and empirical literature and
suggestions for future research, Journal of Management, Vol. 26 No. 3, pp. 513-563.
Rafferty, A.E. and Griffin, M.A. (2004), Dimensions of transformational leadership: conceptual
and empirical extensions, The Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 329-354.
Rahim, M.A. (1983), A measure of style of handling interpersonal conflict, Academy of
Management Journal, Vol. 26 No. 2, pp. 368-376.
Rahim, M.A. (1992), Managing Conflict in Organizations, in Fenn, P. and Gameson, R. (Eds),
Construction Conflict Management and Resolution, E & FN Spon, London.
Rahim, M.A. (2000), Managing Conflict in Organizations, 3rd ed, Quorum Books, Westport, CT.
Rahim, M.A. and Bonoma, T.V. (1979), Managing organizational conflict: a model for diagnosis
and intervention, Psychological Reports, Vol. 44, pp. 1323-1344.
Rahim, M.A. and Buntzman, G.F. (1990), Supervisory power bases, styles of handling conflict
with subordinates, and subordinate compliance and satisfaction, Journal of Psychology,
Vol. 123, pp. 195-210.
Saeed, T. (2008), Leadership styles: moderating impact on role stressors and outcomes
relationship, Unpublished PhD dissertation, Foundation University, Islamabad.
Seltzer, J. and Bass, B.M. (1990), Transformational leadership: beyond initiation and
consideration, Journal of Management, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 693-703.
Smith, D.B. and Tonidandel, S. (2003), Taking account of time: the application of event history
analysis to leadership research, Leadership Quarterly, Vol. 14, pp. 241-256.
Thomas, K.W. (1976), Conflict and conflict management, in Dunnette, M.D. (Ed), Handbook of
Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Rand McNally, Chicago, pp. 889-935.
Yammarino, F.J. and Bass, B.M. (1990), Long-term forecasting of transformational leadership and
its effects among Naval officers: some preliminary findings, in Clark, K.E. and Clark, M.R.
(Eds), Measure of Leadership, Center for Creative Leadership: Leadership Library of
America, Greensboro, NC, West Orange, NJ.

Corresponding author
Tahir Saeed can be contacted at: dr_tahirs@yahoo.com

To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: reprints@emeraldinsight.com


Or visit our web site for further details: www.emeraldinsight.com/reprints
This article has been cited by:

1. Chonlatis Darawong. 2017. Conflict Management Styles and Interpersonal Conflict Between Marketing
and R&D Personnel During the New Product Development Process. International Journal of Innovation
and Technology Management 14:06, 1750034. [Crossref]
2. Elisabeth Naima Mikkelsen, Stewart Clegg. 2017. Conceptions of Conflict in Organizational Conflict
Research: Toward Critical Reflexivity. Journal of Management Inquiry 3, 105649261771677. [Crossref]
3. YangInju, Inju Yang, LiMing, Ming Li. 2017. Can absent leadership be positive in team conflicts?.
International Journal of Conflict Management 28:2, 146-165. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
4. Spiros Gounaris, Kalliopi Chatzipanagiotou, Achilleas Boukis, Helen Perks. 2016. Unfolding the recipes
for conflict resolution during the new service development effort. Journal of Business Research 69:10,
4042-4055. [Crossref]
Downloaded by Universiti Teknologi MARA At 23:14 13 November 2017 (PT)

5. Kirsten A. Way, Nerina L Jimmieson, Prashant Bordia. 2016. Shared perceptions of supervisor conflict
management style. International Journal of Conflict Management 27:1, 25-49. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
6. Neetha Veerappa Karadakal, Nagalingappa Goud, Princy Thomas. 2015. Impact of leadership role
perspective on conflict resolution styles - a study on small and medium sized entrepreneurs of Karnataka
State in India. Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research 5:1. . [Crossref]
7. Jean Poitras, Kevin Hill, Virginie Hamel, Francis-Benot Pelletier. 2015. Managerial Mediation
Competency: A Mixed-Method Study. Negotiation Journal 31:2, 105-129. [Crossref]

You might also like