Conflict in Organisations: Evidence from Jordan’s Collectivist Society
Dr. Suhair Mereish.
In today’s organisations, conflict is an inevitable feature of working relationships. Whether driven by cultural differences, individual differences, or misaligned interests, unresolved conflict can substantially impact performance, job satisfaction, and organisational effectiveness. This highlights the importance of conflict management in sustaining organisational performance. Rather than viewing conflict solely as a disruptive force, effective conflict management can transform it into an opportunity for constructive dialogue, stronger relationships, and positive organisational outcomes.
Conflict is also culturally shaped, particularly when comparing Middle Eastern and Western contexts, where norms, hierarchy, and interpersonal relationships impact how conflict is handled.
Within the Middle Eastern region, Jordan provides a useful context for examining these dynamics. Thus, understanding conflict management styles in Jordanian organisations offers practical insights for negotiation, interpersonal communication, and cross-cultural working.
This article explores the conflict management styles adopted by employees in Jordanian organisations and highlights evidence-based interventions that Business Psychologists can apply in practice.
Understanding Conflict Management Styles
Conflict refers to a disagreement between individuals or groups, with each party seeking to assert its own perspective. Rooted in perceived differences, conflict can be both disruptive and constructive, influenced by culture and social structure. A widely used framework for understanding conflict management is the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) (1974), which assesses how individuals respond when the concerns of two parties are perceived as incompatible. The model is based on two dimensions: assertiveness, the extent to which individuals pursue their own concerns, and cooperativeness, the extent to which they seek to address the concerns of others. These dimensions underpin five conflict management styles:
- Competing – characterised by high assertiveness and low cooperativeness.
- Collaborating – defined by high assertiveness and high cooperativeness.
- Compromising – marked by moderate assertiveness and cooperativeness.
- Avoiding – distinguished by low assertiveness and low cooperativeness.
- Accommodating – characterised by low assertiveness and high cooperativeness.
Conflict in Jordanian Organisations
Hofstede (1991) defined culture as the shared mental frameworks that shape how groups of people think, behave and distinguish one group from another. These patterns influence the institutions within a society. Notably, culture does not mean that everyone in a society behaves in the same way, as individual differences within countries can be large, yet broad cultural trends remain meaningful. Country-level scores are useful as most individuals tend to be strongly influenced by social norms.
Jordan is a collectivist society where individuals prioritise group goals, follow group norms, and invest in maintaining strong interpersonal relationships. Moreover, teams show care and cooperation and are less competitive than individualistic societies. Employees prefer to resolve problems through discussion, and workplaces function like extended families. Employment, promotion, and management decisions often reflect in-group considerations and focus on supporting the group as a whole. This culture is often characterised by a strong emphasis on maintaining social harmony, which can encourage prioritising others’ needs and avoiding conflict.
Previous studies indicate that Jordanians tend to use the collaborating style, followed by the compromising and avoiding styles. This pattern is consistent with a wider study of participants from 16 Middle Eastern countries, in which collaboration and avoidance similarly emerged as the most preferred conflict management approaches.
Conflict Resolution Interventions
1. Mindfulness for Constructive Conflict
Mindfulness refers to a moment-to-moment awareness cultivated through intentional attention to the present experience, with a non-judgmental, accepting attitude. This technique moves beyond traditional conflict management interventions and enables individuals to recognise thoughts and emotions and connect with their transient nature. It helps individuals observe incidents without impulsively reacting. By encouraging reflective rather than automatic responses, mindfulness supports more constructive approaches to conflict. Research suggests that it enhances constructive conflict management by improving collaboration and minimising avoidance in the workplace. It has also been associated with lower levels of dysfunctional conflict behaviours, including aggression, retaliation, and social sabotage, while promoting prosocial attitudes, empathy, and compassion toward both oneself and others.
Consequently, implementing workplace-adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction training for employees in Jordan may help staff better manage pressure and respond more effectively to workplace challenges. This intervention can be particularly suitable in collectivist workplace contexts, where preserving group harmony and interpersonal relationships is highly valued. By strengthening self-regulation, empathy, and collaboration, mindfulness may promote more constructive conflict management without relying solely on direct confrontation.
2. Cultivating Assertive Listening Skills
Coaching employees to cultivate assertive listening skills is another valuable intervention for de-escalating workplace conflict. Assertive listening extends beyond simply hearing a message; it involves accurately receiving the message and responding appropriately to the relational and emotional context in which it is delivered. In conflict situations, it functions as an advanced listening strategy, particularly where the speaker’s emotional response is directed towards the listener. Crucially, it acknowledges the listener’s role within the interpersonal dynamic.
One useful formulation is the “I–You–Me” structure (e.g., “My sense is that you are feeling angry with me”), which signals both understanding and accountability. The inclusion of “Me” indicates that the listener recognises and accepts their role in shaping the speaker’s emotional response. By explicitly acknowledging the listener’s part in the exchange, this approach can help move the interaction towards resolution. Accordingly, assertive communication supports conflict management by enabling individuals to express themselves honestly while respecting the perspectives and rights of others. When used effectively, such listening practices can strengthen trust, reduce misunderstanding, and support wellbeing. Overall, this intervention may be particularly suited to the Jordanian context, where communication is often influenced by emotional expressiveness and ambiguity, as well as cultural norms surrounding respect, the avoidance of embarrassment, and the preservation of face.
Conclusion
Conflict is an inevitable feature of workplace relationships, shaped by both individual and cultural differences. The Thomas–Kilmann Instrument (TKI) provides a useful framework for understanding five conflict management styles: competing, collaborating, compromising, accommodating, and avoiding. Conflict is culturally shaped, and in Jordan’s collectivist context, collaboration, compromise, and avoidance are more prevalent. Bridging the gap between theory and practice, mindfulness and assertive listening offer culturally sensitive interventions to support de-escalation and create healthier working relationships.
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About the Author
Dr. Suhair Mereish is a Senior Lecturer in Organisational Psychology at the University of Westminster and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy in London, UK. Her research explores individual differences, social identity, and national culture with a focus on Jordan’s collectivist society. In addition to her academic work, she brings industry experience as a Recruitment Officer in a telecommunications company in Jordan, and volunteers with the North London Mental Health Trust (NLFT), supporting trauma-informed projects. Suhair Mereish is also an award recipient from the International Conference on Organisational Psychology in New York.
References
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