Effect of Social Identity on Megaproject Managers’ Conflict Management Styles

Abstract

The complexity of megaprojects and their nested organizational structure contribute to the constant occurrence of project conflicts. The dual identity of project managers brings about two distinct modes of identification: team identification and project identification. These identification patterns may influence the project manager’s behavioral preferences and, consequently, impact the effectiveness of conflict management. In this study, we drew upon social identity theory to analyze project managers’ behavioral motivations and decision making. Based on extant evidence and our survey data, herein, we assess and elaborate on the effects of different identification patterns on project managers’ conflict management style preferences. Our results indicate that unilateral identification tends to result in dysfunctional conflict management styles, while dual identity encourages project managers to consider an integrating style cohesively. Furthermore, a compromising style may serve as a complementary strategy. By establishing the psychological foundation of organizational behavior in megaprojects, our study furnishes valuable insights for project conflict management.