How Generational Differences Interplay with Interpersonal Conflict and Management Styles used by Employees of Market Connect Inc.

Abstract

Today's workplace is inhabited by four distinctly different generations―Veterans, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Nexters The blending of generations in the workplace has now become a norm and a reality due to changes in lifestyle, technology, knowledge base, and life expectancy. One positive outcome of this generational mixing is creativity. However, generational blending can also cause tension in the workplace. The differing outlook and experiences of generations can disrupt positive creative synergy, and consequently lead to generational conflict. One type of organization that requires diversity of people and ideas is an advertising agency. In addition to its diversified nature, communication and interaction in advertising agencies are more intensive, and therefore can lead more possibly to interpersonal conflicts. Thus, the primary goal of this study is to determine how generational differences interplay with interpersonal conflict and management styles used by employees of Market Connect Inc, a local small-scale advertising agency. The Age Stratification Theory, Thomas' Process Model of Conflict, and Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Management Styles provided the theoretical, conceptual, and operational frameworks of the study. A descriptive-correlational research method was applied to explore the relations of generations to interpersonal conflict and conflict management styles. Survey questionnaires were given to the population of Market Connect Inc, and interview questionnaires were handed out to selected employees belonging to each generation present at the agency. The quantitative survey instruments' results were measured using the sum and mode technique. Correlation between generations and conflict styles was obtained through the ETA statistics, while the correlation. between age and conflict styles was obtained through Pearson correlation. Answers to the qualitative interview questionnaire were studied and were used to answer the study's subproblems. Results revealed that generational difference is not a contributing factor to interpersonal conflict. Personality and attitude difference, rather, were factors to interpersonal conflict in Market Connect Inc. Though the study showed that each generation has a dominant style of managing conflict, generation has a minimal effect and/or relation to conflict management style. Age, rather, showed to have a more reliable and positive correlation with conflict management styles. The results of this study illustrate that generational differences are not necessary factors to interpersonal conflict, and minimally affects the style of conflict management used by an individual. Age, regardless of which generational group it falls under, however, showed to have a more reliable positive correlation to conflict management styles.