Leader Power, Conflict Handling Styles, and Subordinate Compliance: A Study on Information Technology Professionals in Turkey

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of leaders’ power bases and styles of handling conflict on subordinate behavioral and attitudinal compliance. Convenience sampling was used, and 353 information technology (IT) professionals in Turkey participated in the survey. The outcomes revealed that leaders’ cooperative and dominating conflict management styles (CMSs), “expert and referent power”, and legitimate power positively influence subordinates’ behavioral compliance. In addition, “expert and referent power” and legitimate power positively affect attitudinal compliance, while avoiding and dominating CMSs negatively influence it. Overall, the results partially support the influence of leader power bases and styles of handling conflict on subordinate compliance. This study contributes to the literature by investigating the listed variables with a sample of IT professionals employed in various industries in Turkey. Organizations can utilize the study results to increase leadership effectiveness and to deliver better management of IT human capital.