Employee perceptions of the availability and use of interest‐based, right‐based, and power‐based conflict management strategies

Abstract

AbstractDescriptive research on workplace conflict management suggests that interest‐based approaches such as mediation are underused (Sheppard, 1984). This study examines managerial and nonmanagerial employees' levels of awareness of the conflict management strategies and third parties available to them, the types of strategy they perceive as most ideal and most realistic, and the barriers to using the most ideal strategies. Results confirm that although mediation is often viewed as the most ideal strategy, it is not widely perceived as most realistic. Findings suggest that many employees need more conflict management training and additional third parties need to be made available in the workplace. Implications for organizational conflict management and dispute system design are discussed.