The relationship between employee commitment and conflict resolution behavior

This study examined the relationships between the use of five conflict resolution strategies (withdrawing, smoothing, compromising, forcing, and confronting) and three measures of employee commitment (commitment to the organization, profession, and community). Data were collected from supervisor-subordinate dyads in 49 parks and recreation districts. The relationships varied between the different types of commitment and between supervisors and subordinates. For example, confronting was positively related to subordinates' organizational commitment. Supervisors' professional and organizational commitment were negatively related to their use of forcing. Commitment to the community was negatively related to withdrawing for the total sample. Implications of the results for the effects of increasing employee commitment are discussed.