Examining the “Pros” and “Cons” of Team<i>Con</i>flict: A Team-Level Meta-Analysis of Task, Relationship, and Process Conflict

TLDR

Jehn (1997) identified task, relationship, and process conflict as distinct types, yet existing meta-analyses leave unresolved issues that warrant further investigation. This study reports novel meta-analytic findings on moderators of the conflict–team performance relationship, correlations among all conflict types and team innovation, and the links of task and relationship conflict with team potency, cooperative, competitive, and avoidance behaviors. The meta-analysis incorporated 89 independent samples, 6,122 teams, and approximately 28,000 team members. Results showed moderator effects on the conflict–team performance link, significant correlations between all conflict types and team innovation, and associations of task and relationship conflict with team potency, cooperative, competitive, and avoidance behaviors.

Abstract

Jehn (e.g., 1997) offered three distinct types of team conflict, namely, task conflict, relationship conflict, and process conflict. Despite existing meta-analyses, there remain important and ongoing issues that warrant further meta-analytic investigation. Our contribution is threefold. First, we report novel meta-analytic findings involving moderators of the conflict–team performance relationship. Second, we report on meta-analytic correlations involving all three conflict types and team innovation. Third, we report on the relations involving task conflict and relationship conflict with previously unexamined, but critical, teamwork variables: team potency, cooperative behaviors, competitive behaviors, and avoidance behaviors. Input for the current meta-analysis included 89 independent samples, 6,122 teams, and approximately 28,000 team members.