CONFLICT MANAGEMENT The Psychology of conflict and conflict ...

330 OLSON-BUCHANAN AND BOSWELL
Lewin’s (1987) study raised a number of questions about the use of ODR
systems in nonunion organizations. It was the first of a number of studies
that examined the consequences of employees using ODR systems in
nonunion and union organizations (Klaas & DeNisi, 1989; Lewin & Peterson,
1988). It also marked a shift from considering primarily system-level
effectiveness measures to individual-level measures.
reCent theoretiCal aPProaChes anD eMPiriCal
DeveloPMents on oDr systeMs
Theoretical Developments
The growth of ODR systems in practice, particularly in the nonunion
setting, coincides with emerging theoretical and empirical research
involving organizational, process, and individual measures of ODR system
effectiveness. A great deal of this research still draws from the two
classic theoretical approaches of due process and the exit-voice-loyalty
model. A third theoretical approach, systems of complementary work
practices, has also emerged. Next, we will describe these three main theoretical
approaches as they are currently applied.
Due Process and Procedural Justice. The due process approach of the
1970s and 1980s has evolved into what is known as the procedural justice
literature today. Procedural justice concerns one’s belief that the formal
process or rules used to make decisions are fair (Leventhal, Karuza, & Fry,
1980). Procedural justice has a long history in the conflict and dispute resolution
literature. Indeed, as previously noted, a well-recognized purpose
for implementing ODR systems is to ensure fairness. While one goal of
an ODR system may be to promote fairness by simply providing an outlet
for employees to voice discontent, the system of procedures used to remedy
the discontent can vary, thus impacting justice perceptions. In turn,
procedural justice perceptions (or “due process”) have been linked to the
overall evaluation of the ODR system (e.g., Fryxell & Gordon, 1989) and
thus serve as a key determinant of ODR system usage and effectiveness.
Various factors have been linked to justice perceptions (further discussed
in regards to ODR effectiveness in the following section), yet an important
development in the literature is the role of offering a range of ODR
alternatives. More specifically, through offering a range of ODR options,
employees are afforded procedural choice to resolve conflict, thereby
enhancing control as well as opportunities for redress. The premise is that
not all disputes can be handled equally well by a single procedure, supporting
the need for a multioption approach (Dibble, 1997). The research
and practice of multioption systems specifically are discussed more in the
following section.