Research on conflict management: a case study about small work groups in China

Abstract

This research is focused on a qualitative case study about conflict management in small work groups in China. Data were gathered in companies that have their offices in four Chinese cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Bozhou and Fuyang. 74 informants from 26 work teams participated in this study. Participants were asked to recall events happened in their teams through face-to-face interviews. This case study aims to understand what types of conflict people experienced in their teams, the strategies people adopted to deal with conflicts and the orientations that emerge in the conflict management process. Overall, results show that the most common type of conflict is relationship conflict. With regard to conflict management styles, integrating and compromising styles are more frequent among managers, whereas avoiding, obliging and dominating styles are more frequent among subordinates. Overall, most of orientations are constructive. Furthermore, the findings were interpreted based on the Chinese culture.