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The Role of Leadership in the Management of Conflict and Knowledge Sharing in the Research Groups of a Spanish Public University

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Abstract

This paper analyses how academics perceive their group leaders’ behaviour in managing the scientific activities of their research group and, particularly, how the leader’s style (task- or relationship-oriented) enhances knowledge sharing, both directly and indirectly through its influence on conflict. An empirical research study was carried out by surveying 211 academics belonging to research groups in a Spanish university, using simultaneous equation models. The results provide evidence that both leadership styles have a positive and significant direct influence on knowledge sharing, as well as an indirect effect by reducing the negative influence of task and relationship conflict.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support received from the Ministry of Education and Science [ECO2010-201139 ECON].

Funding

This study was funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Spain (grant number ECO2010-201139 ECON).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento Economía y Dirección de Empresas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

    José L. Ballesteros-Rodríguez & Petra De Saá-Pérez

  2. Departamento Economía Financiera y Contabilidad, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

    Nieves L. Díaz-Díaz & Inmaculada Aguiar-Díaz

Authors
  1. José L. Ballesteros-Rodríguez
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  2. Nieves L. Díaz-Díaz
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  3. Inmaculada Aguiar-Díaz
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  4. Petra De Saá-Pérez
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Correspondence to José L. Ballesteros-Rodríguez.

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Ballesteros-Rodríguez, J.L., Díaz-Díaz, N.L., Aguiar-Díaz, I. et al. The Role of Leadership in the Management of Conflict and Knowledge Sharing in the Research Groups of a Spanish Public University. Public Organiz Rev 20, 421–436 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-019-00451-7

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