Gender and Generational Differences in Organizational Conflict-Management Strategies

This study investigated the main and interaction effects of gender and generation in conflict-management strategies − integrating, obliging, dominating, avoiding, and compromising. A Multivariate Analysis of Covariance of questionnaire data collected during four decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s) from a convenience collegiate sample (N = 6,960) show that there are significant main and interaction effects of gender and generation on conflict-management strategies. Female employees use more integrating, obliging, avoiding, and compromising strategies than male employees. Dominating strategy is used more by male than female employees. This pattern remained about the same during the four decades. Implications for management, directions for future research, and strengths and limitations of the study are discussed.