Abstract

The current study aims to test the relationship between the social capital conduits and the effectiveness of work groups through the mediated role of conflict for a sample of 642 faculty members in the colleges of Al-Qadisiya University Distributed in (75) scientific departments. The social capital conduits variable includes two types: closure and bridging. The variable of group effectiveness has dealt with two dimensions: group performance and group viability. For conflict, as a mediator variable, includes two types: task conflict and relationship conflict. The main hypotheses of the study revolve around the basic idea that a group that has a balanced configuration of social capital conduits (bridges and closures) will have a low level of relationship conflict and task conflict, and will therefore be more effective than other groups lacking such configuration. The study adopted the sociometric approach in the collection of social capital data and the psychometric approach in the collection of the data for the other variables, by using an available measurements from the previous studies. Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple regression analysis, cluster Analysis and nonlinear regression analysis were used to test our hypotheses. The study findings showed the validity of hypotheses. According to these findings, a set of conclusions were formulated. Among the important conclusions, that the most effective scientific departments are those which have a balanced configuration of conduits: closure and bridges, compared to other departments which do not have it. In light of the study conclusions, a number of recommendations are introduced.

DOI:10.52113/6/2018-8-2/8-37