2014 International Conference on Management Science & Engineering (21th)
August 17-19, 2014 Helsinki, Finland
Research on the Influence of the Team Conflict to Team Performance of
High-tech Enterprises
GAO Yu-hong1，LI Ping1，ZHANG Shao-bin2，CHEN Jing-qi1
1 School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, P.R.China
2 China Mobile Group Heilongjiang Company Limited, Harbin 150028, P.R.China
Abstract: In the background of economic
globalization, the market competition becomes
increasingly fierce. More and more high-tech enterprises
begin to update organization and management model and
use the type of team work. Due to the different
backgrounds of team members, team conflicts have
become a major problem puzzling the enterprises. Based
on this, the study regards high-tech enterprises as
research object and builds the theoretical model of Team
Conflict and Team Performance relationship, using the
SPSS17.0 software of correlation analysis, factor
analysis and regression analysis statistical analysis to
validate the model assumptions. The results find the
negative effects of relationship conflict on team
performance and that task conflict had different degrees
of effects on team performance and that team trust play
an intermediary role in the relationship between conflict
and team performance.
Keywords: high-tech enterprises, team conflict (task
conflict, relationship conflict), team task, team
performance
1 Introduction
High-tech enterprises are an important part of a
country's economy, and affect the promotion of its
comprehensive national strength and the stability of its
international status. Under the background of increasing
business competition, high-tech enterprises have used the
type of team work to meet changing market demands and
won the sustainable competitive advantage, adapting to
the market, management, technology and other aspects of
the complication and internationalization. As one of
major business organizational conflicts, team conflicts
have been become one of the many problems plaguing
the high-tech enterprises.
Team conflicts, as one of major business
organizational conflicts, cannot be avoided in the course
of operation of entrepreneurial team. In the process of
team work, team conflicts can lead to many people at
work significantly lower contribution to the company.
Supported by the Science Foundation of Ministry of Education
of China(10YJC630122)
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978-1-4799-5376-9/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE
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Therefore, it is necessary to study how team conflicts
affect enterprise performance. As with general
organization, high-tech enterprise goals, expectations,
values, behavior in the process, the different Suggestions,
tend to lead to conflict. The own uniqueness of high-tech
enterprise, on the one hand, requires better collaboration
between team members, on the other hand, requires team
members to develop creative achievements in the
shortest time because of continual upgrading of product
technology, which has increased the time pressure of
team members. It is because of the own uniqueness of
high-tech enterprises team that decides higher
requirements for the team members of mutual trust,
which is of great significance to study team internal
conflict. So this article regarding high-tech enterprise
team as the object to study team conflict has high
external validity and strong promotion degrees.
2 Literature review and hypothesis
2.1 Literature review
Guetzkow and Gyr (1954) divided team conflict
into affective conflict and substantive conflict. [1]
Through the study of corporate executives, Amason
(1996) found that team conflict was mainly divided into
cognitive conflict and affective conflict [2]. Pinkley
（1990）divided team conflict into intelligent conflict
and emotional conflict[3]. On the basis of study of two
dimension team, Jehn (1997) found another team conflict
called process conflict [4]. As to the impact on the team
performance, Amason & Sapienza (1997) found
that different levels of team conflicts have different
impacts on team performance [5]. In the research of the
relationship between task conflict and team performance,
the previous studies found that there was a positive
relationship task conflict and team performance, with
active management on the task conflict and there was a
negative relationship task conflict and team performance,
with negative management on the task conflict
(Bourgeois, 1985; Eisenhardt & Schoonhoven, 1990;
Shah & Jehn, 1993; Jehn, 1995) [6-9]. Amason (1994)
showed the task conflict in the team could increase the
quality of group decision making, with a positive
relationship on team innovation at the same time [10]. The
study of the relationship between team task and team
conflict by De Dreu&Weingart（2003）showed that there
was a certain degree of inhibition on team
effectiveness[11]. Jehn (1995), the Shah & Jehn (1993)
found relationship conflict have an negative impact on
team performance and member satisfaction and future
cooperation willingness [8-9]. On the thorough analysis of
team conflict and team performance, Jehn (1995) found
relationship conflicts had negative effects on team
performance [9]. Porter and Lilly (1996) found that
conflict can affect trust [12]. By this time, team conflict
may not only directly influence team performance, but
also indirectly affect the team performance through some
intermediate variables. Jones and George (1998) found
that relationship conflict was often associated with
negative emotions, which often caused the loss of trust
[13]
. Xiang Cai and Feng Shi (2011) believed that
relationship conflict was due to the individual and
between individuals existing certain differences in
personality, or temperament and the emergence of
relationship conflicts would affect the ability of the team
members' innovation into full play [14]. As to the study of
the impact of trust on performance, Xiuwen Zhao and
Mengsha Yuan (2011) found that trust can positively
affect the team performance [15]. Therefore, we believe
that team trust plays an intermediary role in the process
of the impact of team conflict on team performance.
2.2 Theoretical model and hypothesis
Based on McGrath (1964) "input - process - output"
team operation model, "modified" team operation model
was put forward by Cohen & Bailley (1997) further. On
the basis of "input - process - output" team operation
model, "modified" team operation model defined all
aspects of the input, process and output once more [17].
On this basis, this paper constructs the theoretical model
of this study and analyses the impact of team conflict on
team performance. The team conflict is divided into
relationship conflict and task conflict. Based on the
analysis of the main impacts of conflict on team
performance team, the study explored the intermediary
role that trust played in it.
Relationship Conflict
Task Conflict Team
Team Conflict
Trust Performance
High Degree Task
Conflict
Low Degree Task
Conflict
Fig.1 The relationship between team conflict and team
performance theory model
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As to the relationship between team conflict and
team performance, existing research has experienced two
stages. The traditional view is that team conflict would
lead to adverse effect and be avoided, when team conflict
tends to some struggle. The researchers realize the
functional side of team conflict, which is that team
conflict has not only a negative impact on group
performance and promotion role, but also may produce
adverse effect. Scholars have introduced various types of
conflicts into the study of the relationship between team
conflict and team performance. Shah & Jehn (1993) and
Jehn (1995) found that relationship conflict had not only
a negative impact on team performance, but also on
member satisfaction, future cooperation and other
various aspects [18-19]. As for task conflict, the former
researches have involved what kinds of impacts of
different levels of task conflict on team performance,
founding that a moderate amount of task conflict can
improve the function of team performance [19]. Therefore,
under the framework of team operation model, so we
make the following hypothesis.
H1: Relationship conflict has a significant
negative impact on team performance.
H2a: Low degree of task conflict can improve the
team performance.
H2b: High degree of task conflict is detrimental
to team performance.
In the study of team trust, Mayer (1995) found that
the increase of trust can enhance the cooperation
willingness among team members, as a result of more
knowledge sharing and positive impact on team
performance [20]. Kurt Dirks t. (2000) took the NCAA
basketball team as the research object to explore the
relationship between trust and performance, finding that
team trust can significantly improve team performance
[21]
. Mayerh and Mark b. Gavint (2005) found that there
was a significant positive relationship between trust and
performance [22]. Chungang Lang and Youmin Xi (2007)
found that the team trust have significant positive effects
on team decision performance [23]. Robson and Katsikeas
found that the trust of strategic partners has a positive
effect on alliance performance [24].
However, Whetten (1998) pointed out that the study
not only focused on the control factors but also needed to
analyze intermediary factors [25]. That is to say, the study
not only understands when conflicts affect team
performance, but also introduce intermediary role to
Team analyze why this kind of impact generates. Among the
existing research on team trust, team trust can be used as
intermediary variable for research (Tao Qing, Ling Ling,
Yan Yan, 2012; RongHui Pang, Jianbiao Li, 2011)[26-27].
Roger c. Existing studies have found that how team
conflict affects team performance is still a vacancy. So
we make the following hypothesis.
H3: Team trust plays an intermediary role in the
process of the impact of relationship conflict on team
performance.
H4a: Team trust plays an intermediary role in
the process of the impact of high degree of task
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conflict on team performance. and relationship conflict as independent variables. From
H4b: Team trust plays an intermediary role in the regression results of Tab. 1, the standard regression
the process of the impact of low degree of task conflict coefficient of relationship between conflict and team
on team performance. performance is 0.186, passing the test of significance.
The relationship conflict has a significant negative
3 Research methods impact on team performance and H1 is proven.

3.1 Research design Tab.1 The regression analysis results of relationship conflict
on team performance
The subject of this study includes the following
three variables, team conflict, and team trust and team Team Performance
Independent Variable
β Sig.
performance. Among them, the team trust is intermediary
Education Background 0.058 0.375
variable and team conflict includes task conflict and
Work Seniority 0.110 0.111
relationship conflict. The control variable of this study is
Team Size -0.094 0.165
education, working years, and team size.
Relationship conflict -0.186** 0.006
This study has carried a questionnaire survey among 2
R 0.052
the industries such as IT, communications, electronics
F Value 3.056 0.018
and other industries of high-tech enterprises according to
the Chinese context. The main research object is different Note: ** p<0.05,* p<0.1.
levels of team members, including the ordinary
employees and first-line managers, as well as a few (2) The influence of task conflict on team
middle managers in the enterprises.250questionnaires performance
were distributed, recycling 243, a response rate of 97.2%. Taken task conflict as independent variable, the
This study used a five-point Likert scale, using SPSS17.0 study analyses the effect of task conflict on team
analysis. performance. The results are shown in Tab.2.

Tab.2 The regression analysis results of task conflict on

3.2 The reliability and validity analyses team performance
The Cronbach’s α of task conflict and team
Team Performance
performance and team trust in the recycling Variable
questionnaire is greater than 0.7. KMO and Bartlett ball β Sig.
test results are all significant (sig = 0.000), so factor Education Background 0.074 0.269
analysis can be carried out. Work Seniority -0.104 0.128
Confirmatory factor analysis was carried out on the Team Size 0.079 0.249
questionnaire data with the use of SPSS17.0 and it can be Task Conflict 0.068 0. 311
seen that relationship conflict factor loading value of R2 0.023
0.637 ~ 0.871, and task conflict factor loading value of F Value 1.333 0.258
0.856 ~ 0.92 and the team trust factor loading value of
0.89 ~ 0.916, and the team's performance factor loading The regression results show that the study doesn’t
value of 0.713 ~ 0.921. The results show that all item pass the significance test (β=0.068, sig=0.311, p=0.1). The
loading values are greater than 0.5, indicating the overall regression equation F value is 1.333 and the
questionnaire scale has good validity. overall regression equation is not significant (sig=0.258).
Although the overall task conflict has no significant
3.3 Measurement method impact on team performance, the results of analysis
This research will be mainly analyzed the shows that there is a positive trend.
relationship between team conflict and team performance In order to analyze the impact of task conflict on
of high-tech enterprises, studying the inner running team performance further, this study is analyzed
mechanism. Using SPSS17.0 software, the research will according to the high degree of task conflict and low
measure the relationship between team conflict and team degree of task conflict of these two dimensions. Quartile
performance measure theory model through the method is adopted in the study to clear the high level and
correlation analysis, and factor analysis and regression low level of task conflict, the score of the task conflict
analysis. variables in the top 25% is defined as a high degree of
task conflict (scored between 3.667 and 5), the score of
4 Empirical research the task conflict variables in the bottom 25% of the
sample is defined as a low degree of task conflict (scored
4.1 The influence of team conflict on team between 0 and 2.667), the quarterback Tab.3 as shown
performance below.
(1) The impact of relationship conflict on team Multivariate regression analysis is used in this study
performance respectively for the two types of sample group, and the
The study carries multiple regression analysis result shows that the regression equation is significant.
regarding team performance as the dependent variable Low level of task conflict and team performance was

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0.489 (sig. =0.0001), passing the test of significance.， Tab.5 The analysis results of intermediary role of team trust
and the standard regression coefficient of high level of Variable Model 1a Model 2b Model 3a
task conflict and team performance was -0.32 (sig. Control Variable
=0.002, ρ＝0.05), passing the test of significance. This Education Background 0.058 0.111* 0.052
shows that when the level of task conflict is lower, task Work Seniority -0.094 0.050 -0.097
conflict has a significant positive effect on team Team Size 0.11 0.169** 0.1
**
performance, and when the degree of task conflict is Relationship Conflict -0.186 -0.269** -0.171**
higher, the task conflict has a significant negative Team Trust 0.054**
2
influence on team performance. H2a and H2b are Adj-R 0.052 0.105 0.055
supported. F Value 3.056** 6.525** 2.562**
Note: ** p<0.05,* p<0.1.
Tab.3 Task conflict quartile
Percentile Point Critical Point Value The dependent variable in the Modela refers to team
25 2.667
performance, and in Modelb refers to team trust.
(2) The mediating role of team trust between task
50 3.333
conflict and team performance
75 3.667 When analyzing the impact of task conflict on team
performance, the study finds no significant impact on
Tab.4 The regression analysis results of low degree of task team performance on the whole. However when dividing
conflict and high degree of task conflict on team team conflict into high and low two dimensions of task
performance
conflict, study finds that a high degree of task conflict
Team Performance
has a significant negative influence on team performance
Variable β Sig. β Sig. and low degree of task conflict can improve team
Education Background 0.072 0.594 0.033 0.751 performance. Due to the whole effect of task conflict on
Work Seniority -0.022 0.871 -0.270** 0.011 team performance effectiveness is not significant,
Team Size 0.391** 0.007 0.278** 0.011
showing that the main effect of task conflict on team
Low Degree Conflict 0.489** 0.001 performance does not exist. However, MacKinnon (2002)
High Degree Conflict -0.320** 0.002 suggested that the method is to directly test "from
2
R 0.353 0.234 independent variable to the intermediary variable
F Value 5.180** 0.002 6.040** 0.000 relationship" and "from intervening variable to the
Note: ** p<0.05,* p<0.1. dependent variable relationship" [28]. According to the
MacKinnon (2002), the research is necessary to study the
4.2 The mediating role analysis of team trust role team trust playing between task conflict and team
(1) The mediating role of team trust between performance deeply. In order to analyze the impact of
relationship conflict and team performance task conflict on team trust, the study makes a regression,
In order to test the role of team trust between defining team trust as dependent variable and task
relationship conflict and team performance, the study conflict as independent variable. The results are shown in
carried three regressions. In the model, “a” represents Tab.6, showing that task conflict on team trust is
that team performance is dependent variable, and “b” significant (sig=0.063, p=0.1).
represents that team trust is dependent variable.
The regression results are as follows. The model 1 Tab.6 The regression analysis results of Task conflict on
shows that under the level of the significance value of team trust
0.05, relationship conflict has a significant negative Team Trust
influence on team performance（β=-0. 186, p<0.05）. The Variable
β Sig.
model 2 shows that under the level of significance value Education Background 0.109 0.101
of 0.05, the relationship between team conflict and team Work Seniority 0.032 0.635
trust has significant negative effects（β=-0. 269, p<0.05）. Team Size 0.120* 0.076
In model 3, after adding team trust variables into the Task Conflict -0.123* 0.063
model 1, the regression coefficient of relationship R2 0.05
between relationship conflict and team performance F Value 2.939** 0.021
(β=-0.171, p<0.05), which indicates that team trust plays ** *
Note: p<0.05, p<0.1.
a mediating role in the relationship between relationship
conflict and team performance. To find out the influence of task conflict on team
From the analysis result, relationship conflict has a trust whether is affected by the degree of task conflict,
remarkable negative impact on team trust. At the same the study is divided into high and low degree of two
time, after adding team trust as an intervening variable, dimensions. The regression results as shown in
the impact of relationship conflict on team performance Tab.7. When task conflict is divided into two levels, the
is smaller proving team trust as the mediating role of effects of task conflict on team trust are not significant,
existence. H3 is supported. so H4a and H4b are not supported.

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Tab.7 The regression analysis results of high and low degree
of task conflict on team trust
Team Trust
Variable
Model 1 Model 2
Education Background 0.006 0.318*
Work Seniority 0.06 -0.1
Team Size 0.025 0.144
Low Degree Task Conflict -0.125
High Degree Task Conflict -0.012
R2 0.024 0.151
F Value 0.237 3.504**
Note: ** p<0.05,* p<0.1.
5 Discussion and conclusion
According to data analysis, the study finds that with
the increase of team relationship conflict in high-tech
enterprises, team performance has a negative change, the
same as what Jehn (1995) did [9]. Different from the
single impact of relationship conflict on team
performance, different degrees of task conflict have
different impacts on team performance. When the level
of task conflict is low, task conflict has a positive impact
on team performance, and the level of task conflict is
high, task conflict has a negative impact on team
performance , the same as Jones（1998）did[29]. The study
found that in the process of relationship conflict impact
on team performance, team trust has played a part of the
role of mediation, which means team trust be the
mediating role among the impact of relationship conflict
on team performance. However, the mediating role does
not exist in the relationship between task team and team
performance.
Team work has become more and more important in
high-tech enterprise innovation and been adopted by
many enterprises, becoming a key system of the
enterprise to build its competitive advantage. How to
effectively deal with the relationship between team
conflict and team performance is directly related to the
long-term survival and development of the enterprise.
This article, through the research of high-tech enterprise
relationship conflict, task conflict and team performance,
draws the following conclusions. Relationship conflicts
have negative effects on group performance, against the
promotion of enterprise's overall competitive advantage.
In the future team management, we should be to
minimize team relationship conflict. Lower lever of task
conflict can motivate the team and produce a higher team
performance. With the increase of the degree of task
conflict, the conflict will affect the mood of team
members, making the employees not satisfied with each
other, and lowering the team performance. Team trust
plays a mediating role between relationship conflict and
team performance. Relationship conflict can reduce team
trust, causing lower team performance. However, the
team trust does not play the role of mediation in the
process of the impacts of task conflict and team
performance. By influencing the team trust, task conflict
affects team performance. Therefore, team managers in
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the management team should build a lower degree of
task conflict and avoid high degree of trust.
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