Grievance Resolution: Perceived Goal Interdependence and Interaction Patterns

A study identifying behaviors and perceptions of the individuals involved that affect grievance resolutions is presented. Based on conflict research, the study proposes that cooperative goals promote the direct, open-minded consideration of opposing views which leads to quality solutions efficiently developed. Management and union representatives in 2 large Western Canadian forest product companies were interviewed about grievances they had handled that were and were not settled within their committee. They first described in detail a recent, significant grievance and then answered specific questions to code the incident. Structural-equation results and the analysis of the qualitative data suggest that cooperative goals induce the open-minded discussion of diverse views, which in turn results in high-quality, integrative solutions. However, with competitive goals, managers and employees interacted close-mindedly and were unable to agree upon integrative solutions efficiently. If replicated, the framework developed can help structure interdependence and guide skill training in grievance handling.