Journal of Organization and Human Behaviour

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Gender Role Identity and Conflict Management Styles of Managers in the Service Sector


Affiliations
1 Deen Dayal Upadhay Kaushal Kendra, CUSAT, Kochi, Kerala, India
2 Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Resolving a conflict constructively has often been a challenge for managers and it is found that it varies across gender and personal characteristics. This paper examines conflict management styles adopted by practicing managers and their conflict management approach, in terms of gender and gender role identity. The study was done with 449 managers employed in the service sector in select cities of Kerala, India. The tools used for measurement were Conflict Resolution Inventory (CRI) and Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). Statistical tools like independent sample t-tests and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were used for the analysis of data. It was revealed upon analysis that managers are shedding of the typical gender stereotypes and being more androgynous. Significant difference in conflict management style was found only in confrontation style with respect to gender but found to be significant with all conflict management styles across the various gender role identities. Unlike the feminine category, androgynous and masculine managers used more of approach modes of conflict styles. As both concepts conflict management and gender role identity under study are culturally ascribed to an extent, a study of this kind in an Indian context adds on to the existing research work and throws light on the variations.

Keywords

Conflict Management Styles, Gender Role Identity, Masculinity, Feminity, Androgyny, Managers, Service Sector.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Rahim, M. A. (2002). Toward a theory of managing organizational conflict. International Journal of Conflict Management, 13(3), 206-235.

  • Antonioni, D. (1998). Relationship between the Big Five personality factors and conflict management styles. International Journal of Conflict Management, 9(4), 336-355.

  • Ayoko, O. B. (2007). Communication openness, conflict events and reactions to conflict in culturally diverse workgroups. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 14(2), 105-124.

  • Bem, S. L. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155-162.

  • Bem, S. L. (1981). Bem sex-role inventory. Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc.

  • Boddy, C. R. (2014). Corporate psychopaths, conflict, employee affective well-being and counterproductive work behaviour. Journal of Business Ethics, 121(1), 107-121.

  • Boonsathorn, W. (2007). Understanding conflict management styles of thais and americans in multinational corporations in Thailand. International Journal of Conflict Management, 18(3), 196-221.

  • Brahnam, S. D., Margavio, T. M., Hignite, M. A., Barrier, T. B., & Chin, J. M. (2005). A gender-based categorization for conflict resolution. Journal of Management Development, 24(3), 197-208.

  • Brewer, N., Mitchell, P., & Weber, N. (2002). Gender role, organizational status, and conflict management styles. International Journal of Conflict Management, 13(1), 78-94.

  • Chanin, M. N., & Schneer, J. A. (1984). A study of the relationship between Jungian personality dimensions and conflict-handling behaviour. Human Relations, 37, 863-879.

  • Claes, M. T. (2001). Women Men and Management Styles, In: Loutfi, MF, ed. Women, gender and work; What is equality and how do we get there? Geneva, international Labour office, 23, 385-404.

  • Colley, A., Mulhern, G., Maltby, J., & Wood, A. M. (2009). The short form BSRI: Instrumentality, expressiveness and gender associations among a United Kingdom sample. Personality and Individual Differences, 46(3), 384-387.

  • Croucher, S. M., Holody, K. J., Hicks, M. V., Oommen, D., & DeMaris, A. (2011). An examination of conflict style preferences in India. International Journal of Conflict Management, 22(1), 10-34.

  • Dana, D. (2002). Managing Differences: How to Build Better Relationships at Work and Home (2005, 4th ed.), Barbara J. Kreisman, Insights into Employee Motivation, Commitment and Retention (2002) Davidson, M. J., & Burke, R. J. (Eds.). (2011). Women in management worldwide (Vol. 2). Aldershot: Gower.

  • Debas, A. T., & Narayana, E. A (2016). The influence of gender on conflict management styles: A study among employees of public banks in Ethiopia. IJSR, 5(3), 577-82.

  • Goel, D. (2012). Exploring the predictive power of demographic factors on conflict management styles of individuals: A study of Moserbaer photovoltaic Ltd. Drishtikon: A Management Journal, 3(1), 76-97.

  • Gross, M. A., & Guerrero, L. K. (2000). Managing conflict appropriately and effectively: An application of the competence model to Rahim’s organizational conflict styles. The International Journal of Conflict Management, 11, 200-226.

  • Gunkel, M., Schlaegel, C., & Taras, V. (2016). Cultural values, emotional intelligence, and conflict handling styles: A global study. Journal of World Business, 51(4), 568-585.

  • Holmbeck, G. N., & Bale, P. (1988). Relations between instrumental and expressive personality characteristics and behaviors: A test of Spence and Helmreich’s theory. Journal of Research in Personality, 22(1), 37-59.

  • Johnson, J. L., Greaves, L., & Repta, R. (2009). Better science with sex and gender: Facilitating the use of a sex and gender-based analysis in health research. International Journal for Equity in Health, 8(1), 14.

  • Koenig, A. M., Eagly, A. H., Mitchell, A. A., & Ristikari, T. (2011). Are leader stereotypes masculine? A meta-analysis of three research paradigms. Psychological Bulletin, 137(4), 616.

  • Korabik, K., Baril, G. L., & Watson, C. (1993). Managers’ conflict management style and leadership effectiveness: The moderating effects of gender. Sex Roles, 29(5-6), 405-420.

  • Krause, E. D., & Roth, S. (2011). Child sexual abuse history and feminine gender-role identity. Sex roles, 64(1-2), 32-42.

  • Liu, J. Y., Klein, G., Chen, J. V., & Jiang, J. J. (2009). The negative impact of conflict on the information system development process, product, and project. J. Comput. Inf. Syst., 49(4), 98-104 Manyak, T. G., & Katono, I. W. (2010). Conflict management style in Uganda: A gender perspective. Gender in Management, 25(6), 509-521.

  • Orbe, M. P., & Warren, K. T. (2000). Different standpoints, different realities: Race, gender, and perceptions of intercultural conflict. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 1, 51-57.

  • Portello, J. Y., & Long, B. C. (1994). Gender role orientation, ethical and interpersonal conflicts, and conflict handling styles of female managers. Sex Roles, 31(11-12), 683-701.

  • Powell, G. N., & Butterfield, D. A. (2015). The role of androgyny in leader prototypes over four decades. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 30(1), 69-86.

  • Powell, G. N., Butterfield, D. A., & Parent, J. D. (2002). Gender and managerial stereotypes: Have the times changed? Journal of management, 28(2), 177-193.

  • Rosenthal, D. B., & Hautaluoma, J. (1988). Effects of importance of issues, gender, and power of contenders on conflict management style. Journal of Social Psychology, 128, 699-701.

  • Rubin, J. Z., & Brown, B. R. (1975). The social psychology of bargaining and negotiation. New York: Academic Press.

  • Shockley-Zalabak, P. (1981). The effects of sex differences on the preference for utilization of conflict styles of managers in a work setting: An exploratory study. Public Personnel Management Journal, 10, 289-295 Silverthorne, C. P. (2005). Organizational psychology in cross-cultural perspective. New York University Press, New York, NY.

  • Sorenson, P. S., Hawkins, K., & Sorenson, R. L. (1995). Gender, psychological type and conflict style preference. Management Communication Quarterly, 9, 115-126.

  • Strebel, A., Crawford, M., Shefer, T., Cloete, A., Dwadwa-Henda, N., Kaufman, M., & Kalichman, S. (2006). Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South Africa. SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, 3(3), 516-528.

  • Vinnicombe, S., & Singh, V. (2002). Sex role stereotyping and requisites of successful top managers. Women in management review, 17(3/4), 120-130.

  • Wood, S., Saundry, R., & Latreille, P. (2014) Analysis of the nature, extent and impact of grievance and disciplinary procedures and workplace mediation using WERS 2011 [online].

  • Havenga, W. (2006). Relationships between Gender/Age–Status Differences and Conflict Management Styles in Small Business. In Unpublished paper at Rencontres de St. Gall Conference, Switzerland.

  • Verdun, M. B. (2004). Conflict management: A gender comparison of store managers in the apparel industry within the northeast region of the united states. (Connecticut, New York,) (Doctoral Dissertation).

  • Sekaran U, Bougie R, (2013). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach (6th Ed.).

  • Vliert, E. V. D. (1997). Complex interpersonal conflict behaviour: Theoretical frontiers. Psychology Press.


Abstract Views: 290

PDF Views: 0




  • Gender Role Identity and Conflict Management Styles of Managers in the Service Sector

Abstract Views: 290  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Smarty P. Mukundan
Deen Dayal Upadhay Kaushal Kendra, CUSAT, Kochi, Kerala, India
K. A. Zakkariya
Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala, India

Abstract


Resolving a conflict constructively has often been a challenge for managers and it is found that it varies across gender and personal characteristics. This paper examines conflict management styles adopted by practicing managers and their conflict management approach, in terms of gender and gender role identity. The study was done with 449 managers employed in the service sector in select cities of Kerala, India. The tools used for measurement were Conflict Resolution Inventory (CRI) and Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). Statistical tools like independent sample t-tests and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were used for the analysis of data. It was revealed upon analysis that managers are shedding of the typical gender stereotypes and being more androgynous. Significant difference in conflict management style was found only in confrontation style with respect to gender but found to be significant with all conflict management styles across the various gender role identities. Unlike the feminine category, androgynous and masculine managers used more of approach modes of conflict styles. As both concepts conflict management and gender role identity under study are culturally ascribed to an extent, a study of this kind in an Indian context adds on to the existing research work and throws light on the variations.

Keywords


Conflict Management Styles, Gender Role Identity, Masculinity, Feminity, Androgyny, Managers, Service Sector.

References