Thomas J. Bergmann

Conflict Styles as Indicators of Behavioral Patterns in Interpersonal Conflicts

Abstract Relationships were examined between the assertiveness and cooperativeness dimensions of conflict styles, as determined by the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict MODE Instrument, and the specific behaviors, as identified through a situational conflict questionnaire, used by American business school students in a recent interpersonal conflict. The results suggest that preferences for assertiveness are reflected in both strategic and tactical use of behaviors, whereas cooperativeness is associated with last-choice behaviors.

Third-Party Sensemaking in Interpersonal Conflicts at Work: A Theoretical Framework

Theoretical and empirical models of interpersonal conflict focus primarily on engagement and avoidance behaviors between the conflict parties. Recent studies of workplace conflicts, however, suggest that encounters with third parties (e.g., co-workers, friends, family) are common responses to perceived incompatibility of interests. This paper introduces a model for understanding conflict-induced sensemaking behaviors, grounded in the conflict and social cognition literatures. Three components of sensemaking are proposed-emotional, cognitive, and behavioral. These elements are influenced by the focus of the party initiating sensemaking, as we illustrate through case-history scenarios.

Pay procedures: what makes them fair?

Instrumental and value-expressive models of procedural justice were the basis of a field study with 612 employees of a large county government. The purpose was to identify the standards used to assess the fairness of pay procedures, and to determine the extent to which instrumental and value-expressive models of procedural justice explain procedural assessments. Results support the inference that both instrumental and value-expressive evaluation standards are used for fairness judgments of pay procedures. Results also indicate that the relevance of instrumental and value-expressive standards is dependent upon the component of the pay process being evaluated and the criterion referent.

Interpersonal Conflict at Work: An Analysis of Behavioral Responses

Interest and research in interpersonal conflict has led to the development of a number of instruments for measuring conflict style. These instruments lack the more demonstrative responses that sometimes occur during interpersonal conflict, and each determines conflict style through abstract measures. Two hundred and sixty-three participants were asked to describe one conflict that they were involved in at work. Given a list of 21 conflict responses, participants were asked to (1) rank-order the responses in the order in which they actually responded to the conflict, (2) identify the responses they were currently using, (3) identify those responses they had not used but might, and (4) identify those responses they would never use. The results indicate some well-defined clusters of responses, including an emotive category.

Response to haar's comment— and the beat goes on: Corporate downsizing in the twenty-first century

Corporate downsizing continues to be a major strategy used by organizations to cope with a dynamic and turbulent global marketplace. A fundamental assumption made by executives is that this strategy improves the financial health of the corporation. De Meuse, Vanderheiden, and Bergmann (1994) examined several indices of financial performance over a five-year period and found that firms employing downsizing experienced a deterioration in financial performance rather than an improvement. Haar (1999) questioned the findings of this study, asserting that if a companys risk level would have been included in the analysis, their results could have been different. In the present investigation, risk was incorporated in the original analysis. Again, the findings strongly indicate that downsizing was not an effective corporate strategy for enhancing the financial performance of corporations.

Use and Impact of Informal Third-Party Discussions in Interpersonal Conflicts at Work

Interpersonal conflicts in the workplace frequently involve conversations with coworkers and outsiders as a means of making sense of the conflict situation. However, little is known about the factors associated with the use of third-party discussions or the impact of these discussions on subsequent behavior. This study examined informal third-party discussions in the workplace, as described by 396 individuals involved in interpersonal conflicts. Results indicate that conflict intensity and relative power are likely to affect the incidence and timing of third-party discussions and that discussions witi people inside and outside the organization can have differential effects on the assertiveness and cooperativeness of behavior.

Pay Compression: Causes, Results and Possible Solutions:

A policy to combat pay compression should include a properly designed job- evaluation program, effective performance appraisal, and a realistic merit-increase budget supported by a competitive salary structure.

The evolution of honesty tests and means for their evaluation

Issues have been raised regarding means of honesty testing of employees. It seems probable that paper-and-pencil testing will be the most widely used method. This technique, though, must be improved before it will be more widely accepted. Scoring must be reevaluated, validation standards must be further refined, additional research is needed regarding the accuracy of the tests, and future legal challenges probably will have to be met with respect to such testing relative to privacy, discrimination, and union busting.

Dogmatism and Attained Educational Level: A Field Study

A short form of Rokeachs Dogmatism Scale was administered to 445 managers in an agri-product industry. The managers represented four levels of education. Controlling for the possible effects of age, organizational level, function, years in present position, years with present company, years as a manager, years of full-time work experience, staff-line role, span of control, order of birth, and family size, a significant inverse relationship was found between educational attainment and dogmatism. The results point to the desirability of considering the relationship between education and personality structure (dogmatism) in future research.

Where Does the Responsibility Lie

The current government-guaranteed pension system in the United States may well be contributing to the nations losing ground in worldwide competition, according to the authors.