Does too much or too little task conflict hurt service performance? A multilevel curvilinear model

Purpose The quality of service determines whether service firms can satisfy customers and achieve business quality and sustainability. As contemporary service firms are dependent on both team and employee to serve customers, it is important to investigate how to simultaneously facilitate team service performance (TSP) and employee service performance (ESP). Our aim is to build a multilevel model of the curvilinear effect of task conflict (TC) on TSP and ESP, as well as the moderating effects underlying the above curvilinear relationships. Design/methodology/approach Two-sourced data were obtained from 47 team leaders and 326 employees in Chinese hotels. Multilevel structural equation modeling was utilized for validating the model. Findings The results revealed that TC exerted a curvilinear effect on both TSP and ESP. Ethical climate (EC) and internal knowledge transfer (IKT) served as moderators strengthening the curvilinear nexus between TC and ESP. Originality/value We contribute to the conflict-performance stream in management literature by unmasking the curvilinear effects of TC on both TSP and ESP, and the moderation mechanisms underlying such curvilinear effects.