Relationship conflict in construction: A literature review

• Published date: 01 December 2020
• Author: James S. Vaux,Bree Dority
• Date: 01 December 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/crq.21286

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Relationship conflict in construction: A

literature review

James S. Vaux | Bree Dority

University of Nebraska, Kearney,

Kearney, Nebraska

Correspondence

James S. Vaux, University of Nebraska,

Kearney, 2502 19th Ave., Kearney, NE

68849.

Email: vauxjs@unk.edu

Abstract

The construction industry is recognized for its adver-

sarial culture and frequency of conflict. Previous rela-

tionship conflict research has not been collectively

summarized or categorized nor have the remaining

gaps been identified. This literature review examines

common themes and salient issues that emerge from

the included studies and provides key insights that

include the identification of sources, consequences,

and mitigating factors of relationship conflict in the lit-

erature. Recommendations are made for the use of

these findings to reduce the causes of relationship con-

flict in the construction industry, lower the negative

impact on project performance, and foster efforts to

mitigate relationship conflict.

1|INTRODUCTION

The construction industry has garnered much attention as a conflict burdened environment

due to differing stakeholder interests, increasingly complex building projects, poor communica-

tion, unique site conditions, reduced profit margins, and a high level of task interdependency

(Gardiner & Simmons, 1998; Harmon, 2003; Ning & Ling, 2013; Vaux & Kirk, 2018; Wu, Liu,

Zhao, & Zuo, 2017; Zhang & Huo, 2015). Stakeholders working to make a profit in an increas-

ingly competitive and complex market rely heavily on task interdependency being as seamless

as possible between the general contractor and subcontractors, and architect and engineer

(AE), but often encounter conflict resulting from the opposing interest of these stakeholders.

These conflicts can produce an adversarial environment which can reduce performance, and in

many cases, result in disputes leading to litigation (Fenn, Lowe, & Speck, 1997; Ng, Pena-

Mora, & Tamaki, 2007).

Conflict has been defined in general terms as an individual's or group's awareness that their

interests are obstructed by another group or individual in which there is some degree of

Received: 12 February 2020 Revised: 4 August 2020 Accepted: 5 August 2020

DOI: 10.1002/crq.21286

Conflict Resolution Quarterly. 2020;38:47–72. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/crq © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC 47

interaction, whether real or perceived, and the intensity level of the conflict is managed by the

stakeholder's attachment to their respective goal (Kolb & Putnam, 1992; Thomas, 1992; Wall &

Callister, 1995). Conflict research has identified a distinction between functional or beneficial

conflict and dysfunctional or detrimental conflict which has led to research in both types of

conflict (Amason, 1996; Jehn, 1995). These two conflict types have been differentiated as cogni-

tive conflict and interpersonal conflict. Cognitive conflict has been decomposed into process

conflict and task conflict and interpersonal conflict is known as relationship conflict

(Jehn, 1997; Jehn & Mannix, 2001; Lau & Cobb, 2010; Wu, 2013; Wu, Liu, et al., 2017). Under-

standing the distinctiveness of these conflict types provides clarity; however, the study at large

is interested in specifically relationship conflict.

Process conflict involves a realization of disagreement over the accomplishment of a task

and exactly how it should proceed. This pertains to who has responsibility for what and who

gets certain resources to accomplish the task (Jehn, 1997; Jehn & Mannix, 2001; Wu, 2013).

Similar to relationship conflict, process conflict has been shown to have a detrimental effect on

the performance of teams particularly in delays, cost overruns and lower productivity (Jehn &

Mannix, 2001; Senaratne & Udawatta, 2013; Wu, 2013).

Task conflict is associated with the accomplishment of certain tasks requiring ideas, opin-

ions, decisions, judgments, and details necessary to complete the task at hand, while involving

low levels of emotion and is primarily cognitive in nature (Amason, 1996; Chen, Zhang, &

Zhang, 2014; Costa, Passos, & Bakker, 2015; Jehn, 1994; Simons & Peterson, 2000; Wu, Liu,

et al., 2017). Task conflict has been shown to produce enhanced cognitive functioning for

higher quality decisions in teamwork (Amason, 1996; Chen et al., 2014; Costa et al., 2015;

Simons & Peterson, 2000; Wu, Zhao, & Zuo, 2017b), but can also transition into relationship

conflict if the intensity level increases to a point involving high levels of emotion and frustration

(Simons & Peterson, 2000).

Relationship conflict is generally viewed as dysfunctional and destructive, involving friction,

annoyance, frustration, and at times animosity and interpersonal strains that lead to a focus on

interpersonal incompatibility resulting in a negative effect on team performance, reduced infor-

mation exchange, and a decrease in creative thinking necessary for solving complex tasks

(Amason, 1996; Costa et al., 2015; De Dreu, 2006; De Wit, Jehn, & Scheepers, 2013; Jehn &

Bendersky, 2003; Rezvani, Barrett, & Khosravi, 2019). Cognitive resources necessary for deci-

sion making are diverted and used for interpersonal issues during relationship conflict limiting

the ability for creativity, flexibility, and productive information processing and decision making

(Lau & Cobb, 2010; Rezvani et al., 2019; Simons & Peterson, 2000). This performance loss

resulting from relationship conflict entails three distinct consequences: (1) lowered decision

quality as a result of reduced information sharing and diminished cognitive functioning,

(2) absence of consensus in decision making on teams, and (3) a lowered commitment to the

team or group (Amason, 1996; De Dreu & Weingart, 2003; De Wit et al., 2013; Jehn &

Mannix, 2001; Lau & Cobb, 2010; Simons & Peterson, 2000; Wu, Zhao, Zuo, & Zillante, 2019).

In view of the distinction between process conflict, task conflict, and relationship conflict,

this literature review focuses on relationship conflict in the construction industry. In particular,

the authors conduct a systematic search, extract data, analyze common themes that emerge

across the findings of the included studies and discuss important knowledge gaps in the area of

relationship conflict in the construction industry. Through this effort, the collective research to

date identifying the sources, consequences, and mitigating factors of relationship conflict can

be used to categorize and inform future research opportunities.

48 VAUX AND DORITY