Collaborative systems for the management of resource conflicts

As the economy and the business environment becomes more diverse and competitive, conflicts over scarce resources are sharpening. In addition, computer networks and advanced telecommunication allow individuals to connect with one another and work with social problems. In this paper we investigate whether collaborative technology facilitate effective management of resource conflicts? Our assumption is that attributions individuals make about others in their group will differ depending on the mode of communication. We therefore predict different outcomes related to the management of resource conflicts depending on motivational orientation and attributions that individuals draw as a result of the medium used for negotiation of resource conflicts. This project consists of 2 studies. Due to space limitations we present only the first study in this research-in-progress report.