To answer this question, a group of researchers recently conducted two studies to examine whether the power structure of a team – whether it was more hierarchical or egalitarian – influenced its internal response to conflict with another team. They found that if a team had a more hierarchical power structure (i.e. where there are clear differences in authority), feuds with other teams frequently led to more conflict within the team. For teams with more egalitarian power structures (i.e. where authority is shared), feuds with other teams did not increase internal conflict; in fact, the first study artificially created fully egalitarian teams and found that these teams experienced a decrease in internal conflict. Moreover, the findings indicate that teams with more internal conflict do not perform as well as teams with less internal conflict.
Given these findings, the researchers propose organizing teams around a more egalitarian power structure in settings where conflicts among teams is likely, such as during difficult economic times when teams often compete for shrinking resources, and they suggest taking measures to decrease conflict between teams in the first place. For practitioners, the findings also illustrate the importance of being mindful of the internal and external context in which teams operate. Rather than seeing conflicts between teams as isolated incidents, it may be helpful to examine how they impact their internal conditions.
Van Bunderen, L., Greer, L. L., & Van Knippenberg, D. (2018). When interteam conflict spirals into intrateam power struggles: the pivotal role of team power structures. Academy of Management Journal, 61(3), 1100 – 1130.