Conflict Management in Construction: Insights from Emerging Countries

By Dr Suhair Mereish. 

Conflict is inevitable in construction.

In any construction project, owners and contractors, or contractors and their subcontractors, must align their resources within agreed schedules and budgets. Yet each party operates with its own commercial interests, and it is precisely this divergence of priorities that creates the conditions for conflict. Thus, conflicts can range from straightforward disagreements over contractual obligations to far more charged dynamics, including hostility, anger, and entrenched negative attitudes between parties.  

Evidence indicates that unmanaged conflict can have significant organisational consequences. In the absence of effective conflict resolution skills, productivity declines, team functioning suffers, and progress towards organisational goals may be impeded, all of which ultimately undermine overall organisational performance. This makes effective conflict management between owners and contractors not a nice-to-have, but a genuine business imperative.  

This article explores the conflict management styles adopted by employees working in construction projects in emerging countries and presents recommendations that Business Psychologists can apply in practice. 

Mapping Conflict Styles in Construction Projects  

One of the most widely recognised frameworks for understanding how individuals respond to conflict is the Dual Concern Model (Pruitt and Rubin, 1986), which underpins Thomas and Kilmann's (1976) five conflict management styles. The model proposes that an individual’s response to conflict is shaped by two competing orientations: concern for one's own outcomes and concern for the outcomes of the other party. Where these two dimensions intersect, five distinct styles emerge: 

1. Avoiding (low concern for both) 
2. Competing (high self-concern, low concern for others) 
3. Accommodating (low self-concern, high concern for others) 
4. Compromising (moderate concern for both) 
5. Collaborating (high concern for both)

In the context of construction projects – where contractual obligations, tight margins, and interdependent relationships create a particularly high-stakes environment – research consistently points to collaborating as the most effective style. This style encourages parties to surface underlying interests and work toward solutions that satisfy both sides.  

In contrast, a competing style promotes a win-lose dynamic that, while appearing decisive in the short term, risks escalating disputes, eroding trust, and undermining the working relationships that project success depends on.  

Importantly, the evidence regarding an avoiding style is mixed. Although avoidance is often regarded less favourably, Tabassi et al. (2019) found that it can positively influence team coordination and the performance of multicultural project teams. This suggests that the effectiveness of avoiding conflict management behaviours may be contingent on contextual and cultural factors. 

Cultural Dimensions in the Construction Industry   

A significant factor confronting organisations in sustaining effective work performance is the management of interpersonal conflicts stemming from cultural differences. Hofstede's (1980) cultural dimensions framework remains one of the most influential tools for understanding how national culture shapes behaviour in the workplace. The framework identifies six key dimensions along which cultures differ:  

1. Power distance (the extent to which unequal power distribution is accepted) 
2. Individualism versus collectivism (the degree to which people prioritise personal versus group goals) 
3. Uncertainty avoidance (tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty) 
4. Masculinity versus femininity (preference for competitiveness and achievement versus cooperation and quality of life) 
5. Long-term versus short-term orientation (focus on future rewards versus immediate results and tradition) 
6. Indulgence versus restraint (the extent to which societies allow free gratification of desires versus social regulation) 

Among these dimensions, cross-cultural research in construction suggests that individualism–collectivism and power distance are particularly influential in shaping interpersonal dynamics and conflict-related behaviours in the workplace. These dimensions help explain how individuals perceive authority, interpret social roles, and navigate interpersonal relationships within organisational structures. 

Conflict Management Style in Construction: Emerging Countries  

Much research on conflict management styles in the construction industry over the last decade has been conducted in emerging countries across Asia and Africa. Examples include China, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, and Ghana. These countries can be characterised by relatively high levels of collectivism and power distance in organisational settings. 

These cultural characteristics tend to manifest in workplace conflict through a strong emphasis on group harmony, relationship preservation, and respect for hierarchical authority. As a result, conflict is less likely to be expressed through direct confrontation and more likely to be managed through approaches that prioritise accommodation and cooperation. Within construction project environments – where coordination across multiple stakeholders is essential – these culturally shaped tendencies play a key role in determining how conflict is surfaced, negotiated, and resolved. 

Construction Industry Interventions 

1. Cross-Cultural Capacity Building  

In emerging economies across Asia and Africa, where construction projects are often characterised by high power distance and collectivist cultural norms, cross-cultural capacity building can be a valuable organisational intervention.  

In such contexts, employees may be less likely to challenge authority or raise concerns, while maintaining group harmony may be prioritised over direct conflict resolution. These tendencies can hinder the early identification and management of project-related tensions. Organisations should therefore foster a collaborative culture that encourages constructive dialogue across hierarchical levels. To be effective, capacity-building initiatives should move beyond generic conflict-management training and be tailored to the cultural, relational, and hierarchical dynamics of the local organisational context. 

2. Conflict Early Warning Systems 

In construction project environments, conflict rarely emerges without warning, yet organisations often lack the mechanisms needed to identify and address early signs before disputes escalate. A conflict early warning system (EWS) is a proactive organisational intervention that establishes formal processes for monitoring, identifying, and responding to emerging tensions. Al Khalifa (2024) advocates an approach that combines the early detection of conflict triggers, structured communication processes, and contractual mechanisms designed to address potential sources of dispute before they intensify.  

By shifting conflict management from a reactive activity to a core project capability embedded throughout the project lifecycle, EWS can help organisations identify tensions earlier and strengthen stakeholder relationships. This can minimise the impact of conflict on project performance, particularly in high power distance and collectivist environments, where employees may be less likely to raise concerns directly. 

Conclusion  

Conflict in construction projects is both inevitable and manageable. By understanding how cultural dimensions shape conflict behaviours, and by investing in culturally informed interventions such as cross-cultural capacity building and early warning systems, organisations are better positioned to resolve disputes constructively, protect working relationships, and safeguard overall project performance. 

For ABP Members:

• Browse more practitioner-authored articles.
• Browse all ABP webinar recordings.

Not a member? We invite you to join us at The Association for Business Psychology!

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  

Al Khalifa, A. (2025). Proactive Conflict Detection and Management in the Construction Industry: Integrating Multifaceted Approaches for Dispute Prevention. Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction, 17(4). https://doi.org/10.1061/JLADAH.LADR-1263 

Alsaedi, A., & Jumaan, I. (2025). The Determinants of Conflict Management Styles; A Systematic Review. Journal of Reproducible Research, 2, 236-249. 

Gan, X., Jia, J., Le, Y., Liu, T., & Xue, Y. (2025). Mitigating the aftermath of relationship conflict between the owners and contractors: a contract enforcement approach. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 32(8), 4949-4968. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-02-2024-0208 

Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture's consequences: International differences in work-related values. Sage Publications. 

Pruitt, D. G., & Rubin, J. Z. (1986). Social conflict: Escalation, stalemate, and settlement. Random House. 

Tabassi, A. A., Abdullah, A., & Bryde, D. J. (2019). Conflict management, team coordination, and performance within multicultural temporary projects: Evidence from the construction industry. Project Management Journal, 50(1), 101-114. https://doi.org/10.1177/8756972818818257 

Thomas, K. W., & Kilmann, R. H. (1976). Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. Group & Organization Studies, 1, 249-251. https://doi.org/10.1177/105960117600100214 

Wong, A., Wei, L., Wang, X., & Tjosvold, D. (2018). Collectivist values for constructive conflict management in international joint venture effectiveness. International Journal of Conflict Management, 29(1), 126-143. doi: 10.1108/IJCMA-08-2017-0071