Moon, Browning article proposes dual orientation conflict model
Doctoral alumna Bitt Moon and associate professor Nicholas Browning propose a dual orientation conflict model designed to describe publics’ perceived government conflict management in inter-public conflicts in a recent journal article.
“When publics collide: Developing the dual orientation conflict model in inter-public conflict” was published in a Public Relations Review special issue, “The Contingency Theory of Strategic Conflict Management.” The article examines conflict management, and the researchers found that the proposed four-factor model was reliable and valid across different conflictual problems.
Inter-public conflict has largely been neglected in public relations research, Moon and Browning write. Such conflict may perpetuate prejudice, injustice, inequality and other social ills.
From a PR standpoint, organizations may find it increasingly difficult to operate in the resulting climate of hostility. The article attempts to shift focus from managing direct, organization-public conflict to navigating indirect, inter-public conflict, and therefore broadening conflict management perspectives.
The researchers tested the dual orientation conflict model in the field of government public relations.
The model categorizes four types of conflict orientation: adaptation, in-group adoption, out-group adoption and avoidance. The proposed model, comprised of 16 items, was found to be reliable following an online survey of 2,498 South Korean citizens across different conflictual problems.
The article discusses both theoretical and strategic implications.