Title: Effects of cognitive diversity on relationship conflict, agreement-seeking behaviour and decision quality: a study of Chinese management teams

Authors: Satyanarayana Parayitam; Bradley J. Olson; Yongjian Bao

Addresses: Department of Management and Marketing, Charlton College of Business, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA. ' Faculty of Management, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1K 3M4, Canada. ' Faculty of Management, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1K 3M4, Canada

Abstract: This study investigates (a) the effects of cognitive diversity on agreement seeking behaviour and relationship conflict, and (b) effects of agreement-seeking behaviour and relationship conflict on decision quality. Using structured survey instrument, this paper gathered data from 252 senior executives from mainland China and analysed the data using the regression techniques to test the hypotheses. The results support that cognitive diversity is positively related to relationship conflict and negatively related to agreement-seeking behaviour. The results also support the hypotheses that agreement-seeking behaviour is positively related to decision quality and relationship conflict is negatively related to decision quality. Though the study is related to Chinese executives, the findings from the study that cognitive diversity enhances interpersonal conflict and discourages agreement-seeking behaviour contribute to the strategic decision-making literature.

Keywords: agreement-seeking behaviour; cognitive diversity; relationship conflict; decision quality; management teams; senior executives; regression techniques; interpersonal conflict; Chinese culture; Chinese management; China.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCCM.2012.046031

International Journal of Chinese Culture and Management, 2012 Vol.3 No.2, pp.174 - 187

Received: 27 Jul 2011
Accepted: 10 Jan 2012
Published online: 17 Dec 2014 *

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