Defining task conflict in the construction industry: a contextual exploration

The purpose of this study was to define task conflict in the construction industry through thematic analysis of existing definitions derived from broader organisational and management context, aiming to guide the development of more strategic frameworks and task conflict management strategies for construction project teams. A qualitative literature analysis approach that integrates thematic analysis was used in the study to address the research aim. From 31 definitions, four main themes were identified to conduct thematic analysis, which facilitated the identification of three core themes to define task conflict in the construction industry. The study developed a context-specific conceptualisation for task conflict in the construction industry which allows construction professionals to identify potential disagreements and leverage constructive debates on construction project tasks to be performed. This study bridged a significant gap by defining task conflict in the construction industry which was ignored by previous studies. Because previous studies in the construction industry defined task conflicts based on the general definitions from organisational settings. Therefore, this definition provides a foundation for developing desirable conflict management strategies and frameworks specific to complex construction projects.