How Coercive and Legitimate Power Relate to Different Conflict Management Styles: A Case Study of Birjand High Schools

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between two sources of organizational power (i.e., coercive and legitimate power) and five conflict management styles (i.e., avoiding, accommodating, competing, collaborating, and compromising style). Results of this study revealed that principals’ coercive power has a positive relationship with avoiding and competing conflict management styles. Since these two conflict management styles both require low levels of cooperation, therefore it is fair to claim that higher degrees of coercive power facilitate the use of conflict management styles that require low levels of cooperation. It was also found that principals’ legitimate power is positively related to accommodating and collaborating conflict management styles. Since both of these styles are associated with high levels of cooperation, therefore it is fair to claim that higher degrees of legitimate power will facilitate the use of conflict management styles requiring high levels of cooperation.