Communication openness, conflict events and reactions to conflict in culturally diverse workgroups

Abstract

PurposeThis research paper aims to advance the understanding of the circumstances under which diversity may be beneficial or detrimental for quality group process. Especially, the paper seeks to argue that communication openness is antecedent to the differing group members’ reactions to conflict events, which, in turn, are proposed to impact group's task and social outcomes in culturally diverse workgroups (CDWs).Design/methodology/approachUsing social identity theory as the springboard, we built on existing literature to hypothesize the proposed relationships among variables. These relationships were tested quantitatively using multiple regression.FindingsThere are a couple of significant findings from the current research. Direct effects include groups with low levels of communication openness were linked with increased destructive reactions to conflict, bullying behaviors and emotional reactions to bullying; and destructive reactions to conflict were associated with emotional reactions to bullying. Moderating effects include: high levels of communication openness moderated high levels of productive reactions to conflict for decreased bullying behaviors in groups; communication openness made a difference on bullying when destructive reactions to conflict higher; and lower levels of communication openness moderated destructive reactions for increased emotional reactions to bullying.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited by its reliance on data that focused on primarily on cultural diversity consequently, the impact of gender, age, and other forms of diversity has not been controlled. Future research should consider the impact of age and other forms of diversity in teasing out the effect of communication openness on bullying behaviors.Practical implicationsThe results from this study have implications for leaders of CDWs. A leader who is able to manage the reactions to conflict, especially destructive reactions to conflict by increasing communication openness may be able to reduce the perception of bullying behaviors and emotional reactions to bullying. These actions should, in turn, lead to increased group task outcomes.Originality/valueFirst, this current paper is one of the first few studies that quantitatively examined bullying in organizational workgroups and in particular, culturally heterogeneous workgroups. Secondly, the paper is also one of the first few papers to examine the role of communication openness and reactions to conflict in workplace bullying and emotional reactions to bullying. Consequently, the paper will be useful for group members and managers as well as leaders of workgroups that experience conflict and bullying. Specifically, such leaders will need not only to manage conflict skillfully but also manage the group member's reaction to conflict to reduce bullying and emotions of bullying in their workgroups.