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Gender of a Leader and Frequency of Conflict at Work; The Mediating Role of Conflict Handling Strategy

Postma, Renske (2022) Gender of a Leader and Frequency of Conflict at Work; The Mediating Role of Conflict Handling Strategy. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

Conflict between a leader and their subordinates can have negative consequences for the organization as well as for workers’ wellbeing. A variable that might have impact on the conflict involvement of a leader is gender. Results of previous research on the matter are inconsistent; some claim that female leaders are less involved than male leaders in conflict while other literature states that there is no gender difference at all. Female leaders would have less conflicts because of gender expectations and the conflict handling strategy who acts on this. Females would use the problem solving conflict handling strategy more, while males use a forcing one. Because a problem solving strategy is more effective this explains why female leaders are less involved in conflicts at work. In the current study we investigate whether conflict handling strategies mediates the relationship between the gender and conflict involvement of a leader. We stated that the conflict handling strategies of problem solving and forcing do have a mediating role in the relationship between gender of a leader and conflict involvement of a leader. We conducted a dyadic field study (N = 242; 121 dyads) whereby leaders answered questions about themselves and the subordinate about the leader in question. Results showed that not a single conflict handling strategy has a mediating role. We conclude that there is a gender difference of the leader with conflict involvement, but that this relationship does not get explained by the difference in conflict handling strategies.

Item Type: Thesis (Bachelor)
Supervisor name: Fousiani, K.
Degree programme: Psychology
Differentiation route: Other [Bachelor Psychology]
Date Deposited: 24 Feb 2022 09:35
Last Modified: 24 Feb 2022 09:35
URI: http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/231

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