El estudio del conflicto en los equipos de trabajo. Una visión de las contribuciones científicas realizadas en España

See discussions, s a s, and au ho p o iles o his publica ion a : h ps://www. esea chga e.ne /publica ion/288787622 The s udy o conflic in wo k eams. A ision o he scien ific con ibu ions made in Spain A icleinPapeles del Psicologo · Janua y 2011 CITATIONS 9 READS 53 3 au ho s: Some o he au ho s o his publica ion a e also wo king on hese ela ed p ojec s: P omo ing Inclusi e O ganiza ions View p ojec Humanización de la ges ión de con lic os en e pacien es y p o esionales sani a ios: habilidades socio-emocionales y Resolución Al e na i a de Con lic os (ADR) View p ojec Mi iam Beni ez Uni e si y o Se ille 24 PUBLICATIONS108 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE F ancisco J Medina Uni e sidad de Se illa 92 PUBLICATIONS699 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Lou des Mundua e Uni e sidad de Se illa 121 PUBLICATIONS1,418 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE All con en ollowing his page was uploaded by Mi iam Beni ez on 21 July 2019. The use has eques ed enhancemen o he downloaded ile. STUDYING CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS. A REVIEW OF THE SPANISH SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION Mi iam Bení ez, F ancisco J. Medina and Lou des Mundua e Social Psychology Depa men , Se ille Uni e si y In he las yea s, we ha e obse ed an inc easing in e es in he analysis o con lic and wo k eam e ec i eness. This g owing in e es is shown in he many a icles om Spanish esea ch eams ocused on he phenomenon o con lic in wo k eams. This pape p o ides a ho ough analysis and classi ica ion o he li e a u e on con lic a wo k, s essing he main esea ch s eams de eloped by p es igious esea che s in he Eu opean and in e na ional scope. Ou main goal in his e iew was o iden i y he mos impo an a iables in ol ed in he con lic p ocess in wo k eams, as well as he p ac ical implica ions o p o essionals de i ed om his li e a u e. To his end, we i s ocused on he Inpu -P ocesses-Ou pu heo e ical model, dis inguishing be ween wo ypes o con lic ( asks con lic s. ela ionship con lic ). Second, we adop ed a con ingen pe spec i e o examine bo h posi i e and nega i e e ec s o hese di e en ypes o con lic . Finally, we p o ided sugges ions o u u e esea ch on con lic o help he de elopmen o s udies in his opic s ill incipien in Spain. Key wo ds: Rela ionship con lic , Task con lic , Wo k eams, Con ingen pe spec i e En los úl imos años hemos asis ido a un c ecien e in e és po el análisis de las consecuencias del con lic o en la e icacia de los equipos de abajo, e lejándose en la publicación de un impo an e núme o de a ículos ealizados po equipos de in es igación españoles. Es e abajo ealiza un análisis y sis ema ización de es a li e a u a, pa iendo de líneas de abajo consolidadas po p es igiosos in es igado es y desa olladas en el ámbi o eu opeo e in e nacional. Con es e obje i o se ponen de mani ies o cuáles son los ac o es más impo an es que in e ienen en el p oceso del con lic o den o de los equipos de abajo y las implicaciones p ác icas pa a el eje cicio p o esional que se de i an de es os es udios. Pa a ello: (a) nos hemos cen ado en los modelos explica i os de la e icacia de los equipos u ilizando una ap oximación Inpu -P ocesos-Ou pu ; (b) hemos hecho uso de la dis inción en e ipos de con lic os (con lic o de a eas s. con lic o de elaciones); (c) hemos adop ado una pe spec i a con ingen e pa a de e mina los e ec os posi i os o nega i os de ambos ipos de con lic os. Finalmen e, apo amos in o mación mos ando la exis encia de opo unidades pa a el desa ollo de u u os es udios en es a línea de abajo aún incipien e en España. Palab as cla e: Con lic o de elaciones, Con lic o de a eas, Equipos de abajo, Fac o es con ingen es on lic i e ela ionships in he wo kplace and hei ine icien managemen cons i u e one o he mos impo an psychosocial s esso s o he quali y o wo king li e and o ganiza ional p oduc i i y (Robe s, 2005). Clea e idence o his a e he indices o di e se s udies ha show ha execu i es and eam leade s dedica e mo e han 20% o hei ime managing hese ypes o con lic s and looking o solu ions o p e en o pallia e hei nega i e e ec s (U siny & Bolz, 2007). Howe e , he p esence o con lic s in o ganiza ions is conside ed o be an ine i able p ocess (Mundua e and Ma ínez, 2004; Thomas, 1992) and, on occasion, a necessa y elemen o he p oduc ion and eno a ion o knowledge hus p e en ing he appea ance o g oup hink (Medina, Mundua e, Ma ínez, Do ado, & Mañas, 2004; Tu ne & P a kanis, 1994). The s udies ca ied ou in Spanish o ganiza ions indica e, e ec i ely, ha cu en o ganiza ions need c ea i e and inno a i e ideas ha a e demanded by na ionwide and ansna ional ans e sal sec o al policies o compe i i eness managemen (González-Romá, 2008). In his con ex , he disc epancies abou wo k aspec s a e ega ded as an oppo uni y o he gene a ion o knowledge (Mañas & Díaz-Fúnez, 2009). The e o e, con lic , in ou con ex , is an in insic p ocess in he dynamics o o ganiza ions, p esen as much a in e pe sonal le els as a g oup and o ganiza ional le els Special Sec ion 69 Papeles del Psicólogo, 2011. Vol. 32(1), pp. 69-81 h p://www.cop.es/papeles Co espondence: Mi iam Bení ez. Social Psychology Depa - men . Se ille Uni e si y Calle Camilo José Cela s/n. C.P. 41018- Se illa. E-mail: [email p o ec ed] ............ Pa o his in es iga ion was suppo ed by he esea ch P ojec PSI2008 00503/PSIC P oyec o de In es igación Fundamen al no o ien ada I+D Minis e io de Ciencia e Inno ación C (Boz, Ma ínez, & Mundua e, 2009; Medina, Mundua e, Do ado, Ma ínez, & Gue a, 2005). Employees in e ac wi h colleagues, supe io s, clien s and employe s and consequen ly, said in e ac ional p ocesses can become con lic i e ela ionships (e.g., Bení ez, Gue a, Medina, Ma ínez, & Mundua e, 2008a; Ma ínez-Pecino, Mundua e, Medina, & Ewema, 2008). This phenomenon implies an in e es ing pa adox: in spi e o ha ing been empi ically demons a ed ha eam wo k is one o he mos e icien ways o eaching high pe o mance le els – in compa ison wi h hose ha can be achie ed wo king indi idually (Wes , 2001) – i is also ue ha his new wo k dynamic is in need o a change in he way o hinking and high le els o coo dina ion and in e ac ion among i s membe s (Pei ó, 2001), which omen s an inc ease in in ag oup con lic s (De D eu & Gel and, 2008). In his ega d, he s udies de eloped in Spain conside ha con lic is a phenomenon ha is p esen in he daily dynamics o wo k eams and is he key o unde s anding he ela ionships among i s membe s (Gil, Rico & Sánchez- Manzana es, 2008; González-Romá, 2008). Consequen ly, he eme gence and ele ance o his phenomenon has p o oked di e se na ional and in e na ional esea che s o be in e es ed in knowing how con lic a ises, wha consequences i has in he de elopmen o wo k eams and, which ac o s and s a egies could p e en nega i e consequences and p omo e he bene i s o i s posi i e consequences. Con ained in his heme, esea ch de eloped in ou cul u al con ex has no made inno a ion possible on i s own, bu i has been inco po a ed in o lines o esea ch consolida ed by p es igious esea che s and p omo ed om he Eu opean and in e na ional sphe es. In his ega d, he s udy o eam wo k con lic has been app oached aking he ollowing aspec s in o accoun o i s analysis: (a) he conside a ion o con lic as ano he p ocess o he heo e ical models explica i e o he e icacy o wo k eams (e.g., Gil e al., 2008; González- Romá, 2008); (b) he need o dis inguish be ween di e en ypes o con lic (Jehn 1995; 1997); (c) he adop ion o a con ingency pe spec i e in o de o unde s and he dynamics o i s e ec s (Jehn & Bende sky, 2003). Founded on p e ious lines, he p esen wo k will e ise he mos ecen li e a u e on wo k eams, as well as he p ac ical implica ions o p o essional p ac ice, making special emphasis on Spanish con ibu ions. FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT PROCESS In o de o s udy he ac o s in ol ed in he con lic p ocess, we will ollow he heo e ical models by Gil e al. (2008) and González-Romá (2008), who, ounded on he con ibu ions o di e se au ho s (e.g., Hackman, 2001; Janssen, an de Vlie , & Wes , 2004), de eloped wo explica i e models o wo k eam e icacy based on he Inpu -P ocesses-Ou pu model. In his amewo k, con lic is conside ed o be a mo i a ional and a ec i e p ocess ha in luences he ac ions and esul s o wo k eams. Likewise, he models iden i y he composi ion o eams as one o he key an eceden s in hei e icacy. Mo eo e , hey indica e ha o ganiza ional and si ua ional ac o s in luence eam s uc u e as a whole a ec ing he es o he a iables (see Gil e al., 2008). In cohe ence wi h ecen li e a u e, in Figu e 1, a model designed o s uc u e and o de he analysis o he mos impo an ac o s in ol ed in he con lic p ocess in wo k eams is p esen ed. Con lic an eceden s in wo k eams A good pa o he esea ch ca ied ou ega ding wo k eam con lic has a emp ed o de e mine which an eceden s p o oke i s appea ance. Resea ch on eam composi ion h ough di e si y indica o s s and ou in his ega d (Jehn, No hc a , & Neale, 1999). In his sphe e, i has been demons a ed ha di e si y p o okes an inc ease in con lic s among colleagues, conside ing his ela ionship o be de imen al o he eam. Howe e , some s udies indica e he need o elabo a e mo e complex models ha no only analyze he di ec e ec s o di e si y on con lic bu also ake in o accoun di e si y ypes and o he g oup aspec s in o de o de e mine he na u e o i s consequences ( an Knippenbe g & Schippe s, 2007). In his ega d, esea che s in ou cul u al sphe e coincide in poin ing ou ha i is necessa y o dis inguish be ween social o demog aphic di e si y – di e ences in supe icial aspec s – and unc ional o in o ma ion di e si y – di e ences owing o wo k ela ed cha ac e is ics – in o de o de e mine he e ec s (posi i e o nega i e) o di e si y (Osca & Ga cía-Salmones, 2010). I had long been hough ha he di e si y o supe icial a iables o he eam membe s was wha mos in luenced psychosocial a iables such as con lic . Howe e , in ecen yea s, i has been obse ed ha employees’ non- isible o in e nal a iables a e hose ha ha e g ea e impac on in ag oup con lic . Al hough i is ue ha he con e gence o di e en skills, ap i udes, and STUDYING CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS 70 Special Sec ion s yles o hough may ep esen po en ial weal h o p oblem analysis, decision making and he ca ying ou o asks o di e en na u es, p ac ice has shown ha i is equally p obable ha , aced wi h his ype o di e si y, phenomena such as con lic , loss o eam con idence, weakening o he social ne wo k and ailu e in ask a ainmen appea (A ciniega, Woeh , & Poling, 2008) Based on his e idence, he impo ance o explo ing which condi ions de e mine he success o ailu e o unc ional di e si y in wo k eams is emphasized, highligh ing ask cha ac e is ics. Thus, i has been shown ha di e si y o expe iences and skills, as well as he con lic s gene a ed by hem, a e necessa y in o de o he eam o be able o sol e complex asks equi ing inno a ion and c ea i i y (Gil e al., 2008). Following his line o wo k, i has been shown ha he use o i ual means (e.g., ideo con e ences o compu e -media ed ela ionships), signi ican ly al e s in e ac ions among g oup membe s, educes communica ion e icacy, gene a es mo e p oblems o con idence building among i s membe s, and as a esul , p omo es he de elopmen o eam con lic s (Ma ínez-Mo eno, González-Na a o, & O engo, 2005). Howe e , i appea s ha hese i ual e ec s, in u n, depend on he demands o he ask; only when eams ca y ou complex and/o in e dependen asks is i ecommendable o educe i ual le els (using mo e adi ional communica ion means) (Gil e al., 2008). Consequences o con lic and con ingen ac o s The s udy o he consequences o con lic has basically been app oached unde wo g ea o ally opposing heo e ical pe spec i es: he pessimis ic pe spec i e o con lic (e.g., De D eu & Weinga d, 2003; De D eu, 2008) and he op imis ic pe spec i e o con lic (e.g., Jehn & Bende sk, 2003; Tjos old, 2008). While in he op imis ic pe spec i e, con lic in wo k eams is conside ed o be a powe ul means o gene a ing g ea e pe o mance; mo e pessimis ic and c i ical ocuses belie e ha he bene icial e ec s o con lic will only be gi en in excep ional ci cums ances, conside ing i o be mo e o a limi a ion han an ad an age. In his heo e ical amewo k, we canno igno e he con ibu ions o ele an esea che s indica ing he need o dis inguish be ween ypes o con lic and he adop ion Task cha ac e is ics Complexi y Vi uali y G oup P ocesses Con lic s Task Con lic Rela ionship Con lic Social suppo o supe iso Wo k- amily con ex Con lic managemen s yles Thi d-pa y media ion Hypo he ical consequences Well-being a wo k G oup e ec i eness Job sa is ac ion Bu nou Team/o ganiza ional clima e G oup po ency Con ex i uali y Con lic managemen s yles Social suppo o supe iso T us among wo kma es Social in e ela ions among wo kma es Inpu G oup Composi ion Homogenei y He e ogenei y FIGURE 1 MAIN FACTORS THAT INTERVENE IN THE CONFLICT PROCESS IN WORK TEAMS MIRIAM BENÍTEZ, FRANCISCO J. MEDINA AND LOURDES MUNDUATE 71 Special Sec ion STUDYING CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS Special Sec ion 72 o a con ingen pe spec i e in o de o unde s and he dynamics o i s e ec s (Jehn & Bende sky, 2003). The adi ionally accep ed classi ica ion has been ha p oposed by Jehn (1995; 1997). This au ho es ablishes a di e en ia ion be ween wo ypes o con lic s: ask con lic and ela ionship con lic . Task con lic is de ined as “disag eemen s among he g oup membe s abou ask con en o he way o pe o ming i , including di e ences in iewpoin s, ideas and opinions”. Howe e , ela ionship con lic is unde s ood as “ he disc epancies and incompa ibili ies ha a ise among he g oup membe s due o pe sonal p oblems un ela ed o wo k, as es, ideas o alues, which ypically include pe sonal ension, animosi y and annoyance” (Jehn, 1994, p. 224; Jehn, 1995, p. 258). The hypo hesis ha ela ionship con lic is de imen al, independen ly o he ci cums ances, has ecei ed wide suppo om bo h pe spec i es and in di e se na ional and in e na ional con ex s (e.g., Beni ez e al. 2008a; Boz e al., 2009; De D eu & Weinga , 2003). Ne e heless, he con adic o y esul s on he consequences (posi i e o nega i e) o ask con lic p omp ed an impo an deba e ha is ongoing in cu en esea ch. This has led s udies g ouped unde he pessimis ic pe spec i e o igno e he dis inc ion be ween ypes o con lic s and o ocus on he de imen al e ec s o ela ionship con lic . On he o he hand, he op imis ic pe spec i e has ad oca ed o he conside a ion o ask con lic as a necessa y and bene icial p ocess o wo k eams. In Spain, a e iew o esea ch on his opic e eals ha hei au ho s ha e based hei wo k on hese wo adi ional lines o con lic , emphasizing ha al hough bo h lines o wo k a e equen ly sepa a e, in ou cul u al con ex hey ha e mo ed wi h no able in e ac ion. The pessimis ic pe spec i e o con lic . F om his pe spec i e, con lic is conside ed o be a limi a ion o wo k eams and does no comp ehend di e ences based on hei na u e. Con lic is app oached as a dynamic p ocess ha occu s be ween pa ies who su e nega i e emo ional eac ions on pe cei ing disc epancies and in e e ences in he a ainmen o hei goals (Ba ki & Ha wick, 2004). The e o e, in his cu en con lic heo y, con lic - abou pe sonal o labo al aspec s - canno be unde s ood in he absence o emo ions o nega i e eac ions be ween eam membe s (Bod ke & Jameson, 2001). In his sense, di e se s udies ha e conside ed ela ionship con lic as one o he mos impo an sou ces o s ess in he wo k con ex (Giebels & Jansen, 2005; Spec o & Jex, 1998). The me e expe ience o disco dance, disc epancies in pe cep ions, alues, o belie s, in ol es emo ional and a ec i e p ocesses ha likely p o oke emo ional s a es o ange , disgus , agg essi eness, esen men and ep oaches (F one, 2000). In his si ua ion, s ess and anxie y le els inc ease (Jehn & Mannix, 2001), p osocial beha io is educed and demons a ions o mu ual suppo a e a enua ed (De D eu & an Viannen, 2001). Thus, like any o he s esso , con lic equi es he gene a ion o esou ces in o de o mi iga e he disc epancy si ua ion ha is p oduced (Spec o & Jex, 1998). Tha is o say, an adap i e esponse is necessa y when aced wi h a con lic si ua ion. In his ega d, when membe s o a wo k eam disag ee and he app op ia e esou ces o cope wi h hese cogni i e demands a e una ailable, con lic becomes an impo an sou ce o s ess o he wo k eam (Bení ez, Medina, & Mundua e, 2011a, 2011b). The conside a ion o con lic as a wo k s esso and i s nega i e epe cussions on wellbeing, p oduc i i y and eam heal h has no gone unno iced by Spanish esea che s. In he pas ew yea s, unde a pessimis ic pe spec i e, he e has been a esu gence o in e es in ela ionship con lic gene a ing di e se s udies ha con ibu e knowledge abou ce ain con ingen elemen s p oposed as p o ec i e ac o s o he ha m ul e ec s o his ype o con lic . Among hese ac o s, he impo ance o he ollowing a e unde lined: (a) supe iso social suppo (Boz e al., 2009); (b) he adop ion o concilia ion measu es o he wo k- amily li e in he wo k con ex (Boz e al., 2009); (c) con lic managemen s yles (Beni ez e al., 2011a, 2011b); and (d) hi d-pa y media ion (Ma inez-Pecino e al, 2008). Supe iso social suppo . The ole o he supe iso , in pa icula he social suppo o e ed by he leade o eam membe s, has been highligh ed as a undamen al sou ce o diminishing he ha m ul e ec s o ela ionship con lic in he a ec i e esponses o employees (Thomas, Bliese, & Jex, 2005). The esul s o hese s udies a e sus ained by he in luence leade s exe on pe cep ions, a ec i e esponses, and he beha io o eam membe s (González-Romá, Pei ó, & To de a, 2002; Schaub oeck, Lam, & Cha, 2007). Boz e al. (2009) emphasized he ole o supe iso social suppo as a s ess inhibi o caused by ela ionship con lic . Exp essly, he esul s o his s udy e ealed ha in eams whe e membe s pe cei ed ha he supe iso suppo ed hem (emo ionally Special Sec ion 73 and ins umen ally) wo k sa is ac ion was no hu by his ype o con lic . On he con a y, sa is ac ion dec eased when ela ionship con lic was combined wi h he lack o immedia e supe iso social suppo . The econcilia ion o wo k-pe sonal- amily li e in he wo k con ex . The social and poli ical changes in he business sphe e, among which he inco po a ion o women in o he labo o ce s ands ou , has a o ed he inc emen in amily-wo k con lic in he pas wen y yea s (Siegel, Pos , B ockne , Fishman, & Ga den, 2005). Faced wi h his si ua ion, cu en esea ch has ecognized he c i ical ole o he o ganiza ion in he c ea ion o a lexible wo k con ex adap ed o amily needs ha p omo e balance be ween amily and wo k (And ade- Boz, Ma ínez, & Mundua e, 2007; G eenhaus & Powell, 2006), being conside ed a esou ce ha can mi iga e he nega i e e ec s o s ess (F one, 2002) and a ele an ac o in he educ ion o he nega i e e ec s o con lic (Ro ondo & Kinkaid, 2008). The s udy by Boz e al. (2009) suppo s he p oposed ela ionships, gi en ha hese au ho s obse ed ha he ela ion be ween ela ionship con lic and wo k sa is ac ion was modula ed by he pe cep ion o a wo k con ex ha acili a ed amily- wo k econcilia ion. Tha is o say, when employees pe cei ed ha hei o ganiza ion o e ed hem pe sonal, ins umen al and a ec i e esou ces o concilia e hei amily-wo k ace s, wo k sa is ac ion was no hu by he disc epancies ha a ose be ween eam membe s abou pe sonal aspec s. Con lic managemen s yles. F om a s ess and indi idual heal h pe spec i e, i has been demons a ed ha he manne con lic is managed can be a way o mi iga ing he nega i e e ec s o he s esso (De D eu, an Die endonck, & Dijks a, 2004). Thus, di e se s udies show ha he consequences o con lic depend on how he opposing pa ies esol e he dispu es (Tjos old, 2008). In ou con ex , wo ecen s udies (Bení ez e al., 2011a, 2011b) ha e demons a ed he impo ance o conside ing con lic managemen s yles (in eg a ing, comp omising, a oiding, yielding and domina ing) o de e mine he consequences o ela ionship con lic . On he one hand, in he i s s udy, he ha m ul ole o ela ionship con lic in he c ea ion o a se ice clima e in wo k eams became e iden ; ha is, o he p omo ion o a wo k eam clima e whe e membe s had a sha ed ision ega ding he policies, p ac ices and p ocedu es ha a e ewa ded, suppo ed and expec ed by he o ganiza ion wi h espec o he quali y o se ice o e ed o he cus ome . On he o he hand, he mode a ing ole o in eg a ing in his ela ionship was demons a ed. When aced wi h a ela ionship con lic , an ele a ed use o he in eg a ion s yle in he eams did no lead o a dec ease in se ice clima e, showing ha i was in eg a ion and no a oiding ha was he mos e ec i e managemen s yle o educing he nega i e e ec s o ela ionship con lic on se ice clima e. In he second s udy by Bení ez e al. (2010b), he mode a ing ole o con lic managemen s yles in he ela ion be ween ela ionship con lic and emo ional exhaus ion was examined. Taking he wo k eam as he le el o analysis, he indings con i med, on he one hand, he nega i e e ec o ela ionship con lic on emo ional exhaus ion in his g oup case. On he o he hand and in acco dance wi h esul s ound by G oss & Gue e o (2000), he e ec i e ole o in eg a ing in diminishing he nega i e e ec s o his ype o con lic was demons a ed. I appea s ha beha io s in sea ch o solu ions ha bene i he in e es s o all eam membe s end o p omo e a posi i e wo k ambience whe e mu ual aid, empa he ic lis ening, and he accep ance o opposing poin s o iew a e alued, educing emo ional exhaus ion (G oss & Gue e o, 2000). Likewise, he mode a ing ole o he a oiding s yle was shown, empi ically suppo ing wha was de ended by De D eu a& an Vianen (2001) and sus ained by Zap & G oss (2001). E ec i ely, hese au ho s a gued ha a oiding could be conside ed o be he mos success ul managemen s yle in he ace o ela ionship con lic s, especially when con lic in ensi y is high. While in eg a ing and a oiding appea o exe cise a posi i e e ec , esul s showed ha he use o comp omising in eams is ine ec i e and ha m ul when aced wi h pe sonal con lic s. Comp omising equi es a g ea deal o e o o sol e disc epancies, supposes he ejec ion o some in e es s in exchange o he accep ance o o he s, and implies he sea ch o quick solu ions p e en ing he o mula ion o in eg a i e solu ions and inc easing he le el o emo ional exhaus ion in wo k eams (G oss & Gue e o, 2000). These esul s suppo he di icul y o pu e nego ia ing s yles o gi e and ake , such as comp omising, in he nego ia ion o issues associa ed wi h pe sonal ela ionships, inding in eg a i e s yles which sea ch o new poin s o encoun e whe e pa ies can sa is y hei in e es s in he dispu e o be e ec i e. Thi d pa y media ion. Among he ypes o hi d pa y in e en ions is media ion, which has been he objec o MIRIAM BENÍTEZ, FRANCISCO J. MEDINA AND LOURDES MUNDUATE STUDYING CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS he g ea es a en ion as an al e na i e o labo con lic s (Mundua e, Cisne os, Do ado, & Medina, 1999; Se ano, 2003). In his ega d, p esen day o ganiza ions ha e begun o use media ion as an e ec i e p ocess in con lic esolu ion (Ma ínez-Pecino e al, 2008; Se ano, 2008), and he need o aining e icien media o s in con lic esolu ion, in bo h amily and wo kplace, has been shown (Se ano, Lopes, Rod íguez, & Mi ón, 2006). Media ion pe mi s he con lic ing pa ies o enjoy a ce ain deg ee o eedom and hey can coope a e mu ually. Thei esul s mean a mo e equi able pe cep ion o he esul s, g ea e commi men o hem and mo e sa is ac ion o he pa ies in ol ed (Mundua e e al, 1999) and o e he possibili y o going beyond an isola ed con lic esolu ion, becoming a mode a ing ool in ela ionships and p e en i e o u u e wo k eam ensions (Mundua e, 2008). The op imis ic pe spec i e o con lic . Unde his pe spec i e, i is a gued ha con lic pe se does no ha e o ha e nega i e consequences, highligh ing he bene icial e ec s o ask con lic (Jehn & Bende sky, 2003; Tjos old, 2008). Thus, his school o hough ad oca es he conside a ion o ask con lic as a sou ce which gene a es new knowledge, indica ing he impo ance o knowing which con ingen ac o s p omo e i s bene icial e ec s and unde which condi ions hei consequences can be p ejudicial. The wo k ca ied ou in he Spanish sphe e unde his pe spec i e sus ains ha he nega i e esul s o ask con lic can be explained by h ee mo i es: (a) by he high exis ing co ela ion be ween ask con lic and ela ionship con lic (e.g., Bení ez, Gue a, Medina, & Mundua e, 2008b; Game o, González-Romá, & Pei ó, 2008); (b) by no aking in o conside a ion he con ex ual ac o s whe e ask con lic s a ise and de elop (Gue a e al, 2005; Li a, Ripoll, Pei ó, & González, 2007; Medina, Mundua e, Ma inez, Do ado, & Mañas, 2003a); and (c) by an inapp op ia e app oach o he s udy o managing hese ypes o con lic s (Medina, Do ado, Cisne os, A é alo, & Mundua e, 2003b; Mundua e, Ganaza, Pei ó, & Euwema, 1999). We will now b ie ly analyze hese h ee mo i es. Task con lic and ela ionship con lic . The me a- analysis by D eu & Weinga (2003) and he s udy by Simons & Pe e son (2001) demons a e he posi i e associa ion be ween ask con lic and ela ionship con lic , he s eng h o said co ela ion anging be ween .34 and .88. These esul s sugges ha he ela ionship be ween bo h ypes o con lic may depend on he condi ions in which hese a ise and de elop. Tha is o say, he e may be con ingen a iables ha explain such a iabili y. In his way, ecen s udies ha e shown how ce ain g oup ac o s modula e he ela ionship be ween bo h ypes o con lic s in wo k eams, such as social suppo by he supe iso (Bení ez e al, 2008b), social in e ac ion and us be ween wo k eam membe s (Game o e al., 2008; Pe e son and Beh a , 2003) and he eam’s skills in managing emo ions (Yang & Mossholde , 2004), among o he s. We highligh he s udy by Game o e al, (2008) in which, besides showing he modula ing ole o social in e ac ion in he ela ionship be ween bo h ypes o con lic , he media ing ole o ela ionship con lic in he dynamics o he ela ionship be ween ask con lic and a ec i e clima e was obse ed. This implies ha he p ejudicial e ec s o ask con lic on employees’ a ec i e esponses a e only p oduced when eams, in addi ion o pe cei ing a ask con lic , also expe ience a ela ionship con lic . These esul s a e consis en wi h he s udy by Medina e al. (2005), in which he media ing o modula ing ole o ela ionship con lic in he associa ion be ween ask con lic and he a ec i e a iables o wo k sa is ac ion, wellbeing and he p opensi y o lea e he job was con as ed. In a sample o 169 se ice o ganiza ion employees, hese au ho s obse ed ha , in addi ion o he media ing e ec o ela ionship con lic , i was ele an o conside he in ensi y le els o bo h ypes o con lic s in o de o de e mine he posi i e o nega i e consequences o ask con lic . In his sense, i was shown ha ask con lic had a dys unc ional e ec on a ec i e a iables only when bo h ypes o con lic s p esen ed high in ensi y le els. G oup clima e and o ganiza ional cul u e. One o he easons ha wo k eams a e able o wo k e ec i ely oge he is ha hey c ea e a posi i e g oup clima e based on he pe sonal ela ionships es ablished among hemsel es and on ce ain no ms and p inciples sha ed by all (Zande , 1993). In his ega d, some au ho s sugges ha eams could bene i om ask con lic when hey cul i a e a clima e ha is ole an o di e en poin s o iew and whe e disag eemen s abou he ways o pe o ming a job a e conside ed by he wo ke s as a manne o imp o ing i and o eaching eam objec i es (Jehn, 1995, Lo elace, Shapi o, & Weinga , 2001). Based on said conside a ions, Medina e al., (2003a; 2004) Medina, Gue a e al., (2005) ound ha ask con lic was e ec i e o he sa is ac ion and well-being o employees o he ex en ha in bo h eams and 74 Special Sec ion MIRIAM BENÍTEZ, FRANCISCO J. MEDINA AND LOURDES MUNDUATE o ganiza ions a cul u e o goals was p omo ed. Tha is o say, when ac i i ies and communica ions a e o ien ed o he achie emen o p e iously es ablished goals making e e ence o a ionali y, pe o mance indica o s, goal achie emen , and ewa ds con ingen on wo k and e o , con lic s cen e ed on wo k issues a e bene icial o wo k eams. G oup po ency Ano he con ingen mo i a ional and a ec i e p ocess o emphasize in wo k eams is g oup po ency. Gil e al. (2008) indica ed ha when eam membe s sha e a belie in g oup e iciency, hey a e willing o make an e o o wo k ha d o each a common goal ins ead o aiming o pe sonal goals. The s udy by Li a e al., (2007) suppo s said conside a ion. In a longi udinal s udy, hese au ho s showed he modula ing ole o g oup po ency in he ela ionship be ween ask con lic and g oup e ec i eness. The eams ha wo ked unde di e en expe imen al condi ions based on he means o communica ion employed ( adi ional ace- o- ace s . compu e media ed communica ion) showed ha , independen om he i uali y o he ela ionship, when high le els o g oup po ency we e pe cei ed in he eams, hey we e able o bene i om he posi i e e ec s o ask con lic . On he con a y, i was de imen al o eams ha had a low belie in hei g oup e icacy. Vi ual Con ex . The modula ing ole o i uali y was no app eciable in he p e ious s udy. Howe e , i has been demons a ed ha he use o i ual means o ca y ou ce ain asks signi ican ly al e s in e ac ions be ween eam membe s, so ha communica ion is less e icien and he appea ance o con lic s is mo e equen . In suppo o his conside a ion, he s udy elabo a ed by Ma ínez- Mo eno, González-Na a o, Zo noza, & Ripoll (2009) a i med he modula ing ole o i uali y. Th ough a longi udinal design, i was obse ed ha a e a pe iod o eamwo k, con lic s ha med g oup pe o mance o a g ea e deg ee when g oup membe s used i ual communica ion means ( ideo con e ence and compu e - media ed communica ion) compa ed o hose who communica ed in a adi ional way ( ace- o- ace). Con lic managemen s yles. The s udy by Chen, Liu, & Tjosold (2005) b ough o ligh he impo ance and e icacy o a coope a i e app oach o con lic managemen . In a coope a i e app oach, he achie emen o common goals and he o ien a ion owa d mu ual bene i is sough , in such a way ha he con lic ing pa ies make an e o o unde s and he opinions o o he s and o elabo a e solu ions ha inco po a e di e se poin s o iew. On he con a y, he use o compe i i e s a egies implies ha he pe cep ion o con lic is a win- lose si ua ion in which he e is a endency o use p essu e and in imida ion beha io s o ob ain sel -in e es s. In he same ein, in eg a ing o p oblem sol ing has been conside ed o be mos e ec i e when acing con lic s on aspec s ela ed o wo k ( an de Vlie , Euwema, & Huismaus, 1995). One cha ac e is ic o hese s udies on managemen con lic has been he endency o analyze s yles sepa a ely adop ing an analy ical pe spec i e in which di e se s yles a e compa ed as i hey we e independen . Ne e heless, as Mundua e e al. (1999) indica ed, con lic is p oduced h oughou an in e ac ion p ocess du ing which pa ies equen ly change om one beha io o ano he in he same con lic episode. Thus, i was shown ha i is no in eg a ing i sel ha is he mos e ec i e beha io , bu a combina ion o di e se s yles ha lead o he a ainmen o he bes esul s (Luque, Medina, Do ado, & Mundua e, 1998; Mundua e, Ganaza, Pei ó, & Euwema, 1999). Along he same lines, Medina e al. (2003b) analyzed he e ec i eness o he combina ion o ce ain con lic managemen beha io s, s udying in dep h how hese beha io al combina ions occu ed du ing he in e ac ion p ocess. P ecisely, beha io s p oduced by con lic ing pa ies in an escala ing si ua ion we e analyzed as well as hei a icula ion wi h he e ec i eness o he nego ia o s. The esul s showed ha he e ec i eness o managemen s yles depends bo h on he momen o con lic escala ion and on he ecip oci y o he o he pa y wi h espec o he beha io p oduced. Howe e , when acing escala ing con lic s, bo h p oblem sol ing beha io s and accommoda ion beha io s had a g ea ad an age wi h espec o o he managemen beha io s: hey we e able o educe he con lic in ensi y and, consequen ly, i s escala ion. In sum, he p esen s udy demons a ed ha , on making p oposals, e ec i e nego ia o s mus ake in o conside a ion he in e es s o he o he pa y in spi e o he ac ha he esponse o he ad e sa y is aimed a he a ainmen o pe sonal in e es s. PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION STRATEGIES WHEN FACING CONFLICT PHENOMENON In he business wo ld, he g adual demand o ain wo ke s and eam leade s in e icien con lic esolu ion s a egies (Nussbaum, 2009) exac s he awa eness o socie y and u u e p o essionals abou he impo ance o his phenomenon and he consequences o i s de icien managemen . Fo his eason, and in ag eemen wi h he 75 Special Sec ion STUDYING CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS aining ecommenda ions o he Eu opean Highe Educa ion A ea, i is necessa y o begin he i s aining s eps a uni e si y wi h he p esen a ion o science- manuals (applied a he same ime) ha explain he basic con en o his phenomenon, o i s unde s anding and managemen , so ha good eam unc ioning is p ocu ed. Along hese lines, we highligh he wo k ca ied ou by he Human Resou ces Resea ch and De elopmen Team (INDRHO) (h p://g upo.us.es/g upo ind ho/), such as he Con lic , Nego ia ion and Media ion Manual coo dina ed by p o esso s Mundua e and Medina and eedi ed in h ee consecu i e edi ions (2005-2009). This manual includes he con ibu ions o p es igious esea che s in he a ea o con lic , nego ia ion and media ion, who ha e a emp ed o ansmi hei heo e ic knowledge on his subjec ma e o he equi emen s o wha po en ial p o essionals will need in hei p o essional p ac ice. Likewise, i is ele an o conside he impac ha , o social imp o emen and inno a ion as well as he p omo ion o new p ojec s in esea ch and de elopmen , he esul s o he esea ch in he a ea o O ganiza ional and Wo k Psychology exe cise. This equi es he di ulga ion o knowledge, no only in jou nals and scien i ic o ums, bu also in popula manuals and communica ion means ha sa is y he cu en social and poli ical needs being li ed in he coun y o egion. Simul aneously, as indica ed by Salgado & Pei ó (2008), “A p o essional p ac ice o quali y, igo and e icacy mus ha e i s ounda ion in scien i ic knowledge” (p.2), o which he luid and pe meable collabo a ion be ween esea ch and p o essional p ac ice is e y en iching o social de elopmen . In his ega d, hey highligh he p ac ical manuals and epo s elabo a ed by he INDRHO Team, in collabo a ion wi h heO icial Psychological College o Andalusia [Colegio O icial de Psicología de Andalucía Occiden al (COPAO)] (COPAO) and di e se public adminis a ions, suppo ing he ac ions ha he O icial College o Psychologis s ha e p omo ed since he 80s o he de elopmen o he Psychology o Wo k, O ganiza ions and Human Resou ces. These manuals and epo s de ail, om a scien i ic poin o iew, he guidelines o speci ic in e en ions when aced wi h phenomena such as con lic , wo kplace ha assmen and bu nou , such as ways o p e en ing o mi iga ing he nega i e consequences o hese. In he same ein, we unde sco e how he need o e icien con lic managemen on he pa o o ganiza ions equi es he inco po a ion o models and echniques o p o en e icacy in o he dynamic o o ganiza ional managemen i sel . A good example o his is he collabo a ion be ween he INDHRO Team and he Andalusian Council o Labo Rela ions [Consejo Andaluz de Relaciones Labo ales (CARL)] in he de elopmen o a labo media ion model, which is cu en ly inco po a ed in o he Ex ajudicial Sys em o Labo Con lic Resolu ion in Andalusia [Sis ema Ex ajudicial de Resolución de Con lic os Labo ales en Andalucía (SERCLA)]. In his scien i ic-p o essional collabo a ion, he p ac ice o labo media ion is p esen ed as a p e en i e ool ha helps o p ese e he ela ions be ween he pa ies who in e ac daily in he wo k en i onmen (Ma ínez-Pecino e al., 2008). CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE CHALLENGES IN THE STUDY OF CONFLICT The aim o he p esen pape was o syn hesize and in eg a e some o he esul s ob ained in Spain on con lic and i s managemen in wo k eams. In o de o do his, we used he heo e ical and explana o y models o wo k eam e ec i eness de eloped by Gil e al. (2008) and by González-Romá (2008). Thus, con lic has been conside ed o be a mo i a ional and a ec i e p ocess ha in luences eam ac ions and esul s, and he no ion o di e si y has been iden i ied (in supe icial o isible aspec s as well as in deep and in isible aspec s) as a ele an an eceden o his g oup p ocess. A he same ime, he adop ion o a mo e complex pe spec i e o de e mine he consequences (posi i e o nega i e) o homogenei y s. he e ogenei y in wo k eam dynamics has been insis ed upon. Add essing he sugges ions o ele an esea che s on he impo ance o conside ing con lic dimensionali y, he accep ed adi ional classi ica ion has been used, in which ask con lic and ela ionship con lic a e di e en ia ed (Jehn, 1995; 1997). Likewise, a con ingen pe spec i e o desc ibing which ac o s he Spanish s udies conside o be acili a o s o inhibi o s o he nega i e consequences o ela ionship con lic and o he posi i e consequences o ask con lic (see Figu e 1) has been adop ed. Wi h ega d o ela ionship con lic , i has been es ablished as a sou ce o s ess in wo k eams, and di e se ac o s such as inhibi o s o he nega i e consequences o hese ypes o con lic s on he well-being and e ec i eness o wo k eams ha e been iden i ied: he social suppo o 76 Special Sec ion MIRIAM BENÍTEZ, FRANCISCO J. MEDINA AND LOURDES MUNDUATE 83 Special Sec ion Special Sec ion 84 STUDYING CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS View publica ion s a sView publica ion s a s