Ma, ZZ (Ma, Zhenzhong); Lee, Y (Lee, Yender); Yu, KH (Yu, Kuo-Hsun) Ten years of conflict management studies: themes, concepts and relationships INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, 19 (3): 234-248 2008

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: maz at uwindsor.ca 

Author(s): Ma, ZZ (Ma, Zhenzhong); Lee, Y (Lee, Yender); Yu, KH (Yu, Kuo-
Hsun) 

Title: Ten years of conflict management studies: themes, concepts and 
relationships 

Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, 19 (3): 234-248 2008 

Language: English 

Document Type: Article 

Author Keywords: conflict management; research; curriculum development; 
knowledge sharing 

Keywords Plus: HANDLING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT; AUTHOR COCITATION; PEER 
CONFLICT; PERFORMANCE; RESOLUTION; DIVERSITY; STYLES 

Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to map the intellectual 
structure of conflict management studies and to investigate the key 
themes, concepts, and their relationships of conflict management 
literature in the past decade.

Design/methodology/approach - Citation and co-citation analysis and social 
network analysis were used to trace the development path of conflict 
management research. The data were collected by searching the SSCI 
databases, based on 556 journal articles which were published between 1997 
and 2006, and their cited references were analyzed and profiled.

Findings - The paper shows that conflict management literature focuses on 
three key themes: workplace conflict and conflict management styles, 
cultural differences in conflict management, and conflict management in 
practice. In addition, research on group conflict and work performance has 
gained momentum in recent years.

Originality/value - The intellectual structure of conflict management 
literature has received little attention in spite that a large number of 
studies have been done on conflict management. This paper will expose 
researchers to a new way of profiling key themes and their relationships 
in conflict management area, which will help academia and practitioners 
understand better contemporary conflict management studies. 

Addresses: Univ Windsor, Odette Sch Business, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; 
Chang Jung Christian Univ, Grad Sch Business & Operat Management, Tainan, 
Taiwan 

Reprint Address: Ma, ZZ, Univ Windsor, Odette Sch Business, Windsor, ON 
N9B 3P4, Canada. 

E-mail Address: maz at uwindsor.ca 

Cited Reference Count: 39 

Times Cited: 0 

Publisher: EMERALD GROUP PUBLISHING LIMITED 

Publisher Address: HOWARD HOUSE, WAGON LANE, BINGLEY BD16 1WA, W 
YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND 

ISSN: 1044-4068 

DOI: 10.1108/10444060810875796 

29-char Source Abbrev.: INT J CONFL MANAGEMENT 

ISO Source Abbrev.: Int. J. Confl. Manage. 

Source Item Page Count: 15 

Subject Category: Communication; Management 

ISI Document Delivery No.: 339BP 

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