Andragogy as a Tool to Transform Construction Management Students’ Conflict Management Styles

Abstract

A common reason for Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) failures is that some construction managers struggled to adjust to IPD’s environment. IPD demands collaborative conflict management. The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) indicates that construction management (CM) students’ conflict management styles tend to be non-cooperative. An inability of a CM student to be collaborative may impede their competitiveness. Students in a CM program at Central Washington University (CWU) were exposed to conflict management through andragogical methods. Methods included active learning games and conflict-infused assignments. This study evaluated how conflict management styles evolved. The Avoiding, Compromising, and Collaborating styles showed significant differences.