Evaluating the evolution of construction management students' conflict management styles as a result of andragogical methods

Abstract

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is becoming common in construction thought and practice. Although IPD has its success stories and continues to grow, IPD failures exist. Much of the research on IPD focuses on both the integration of technology and contractual restructuring to encourage collaboration however, less attention is given to culture and how to manage conflict within this changed environment. A common reason cited for IPD failures is that some construction managers had difficulty adjusting to operate within this new environment despite being successful in other more traditional methods. IPD, a collaborative approach to project delivery demands a change from the traditional non-cooperative mindset and requires construction managers to manage conflict from a more collaborative perspective. Initial results acquired through the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), which categorizes conflict management styles, indicate that construction management (CM) students' conflict management styles at Central Washington University (CWU) tend to be non-cooperative. Left unchecked, this could further establish a non-cooperative culture in the construction industry and thereby, limit the growth and success of future IPD projects. In addition, an inability of the CM student to operate in a collaborative manner may significantly impede their ability to compete in a changing industry. Therefore, students in an undergraduate CM program at CWU learn the value of collaborative conflict management through andragogical methods that challenge their non-cooperative propensities. The andragogical methods used include active learning games and conflict-infused assignments that require students to apply collaborative conflict approaches. This study evaluated the evolution of conflict management styles between the students' junior and senior years while enrolled in the CM program at CWU. Results were then used to evaluate the andragogical methods used to disseminate conflict management education. Three conflict management styles showed statistically significant differences between the students' junior and senior years including Avoiding, Compromising, and Collaborating. No statistical difference was indicated for the Competing and Accommodating conflict management styles. In addition, results showed that the students as a group became more collaborative in their conflict management styles between their junior and senior years.