Conflict management for co-ordination between shift teams in Shanghai subway stations

Conflict among teams is inevitable in a multiteam system. Drawing on the theory of co-operation and competition, we proposed and tested a model linking the approaches teams adopt to conflict, inter-team co-ordination, and multiteam system performance. Data collected from 123 operation teams in 44 subway stations in Shanghai revealed that co-operative conflict management positively related to inter-team co-ordination, which in turn positively related to performance of the multiteam system. The relationship between competitive conflict management and inter-team co-ordination was insignificant and was moderated by co-operative conflict management. When co-operative conflict management was at a low level, competitive conflict management negatively related to inter-team co-ordination.