The Impacts of Program Goal Ambiguity on Inter-team Integrative Conflict Management during IT Program Implementation: Theory of Controversy

Program management is suited to reduce ambiguity, which is when large numbers of possible solutions and stakeholders present no clear path to defined business goals. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of program goal ambiguity on inter-team integrative conflict management during IT program implementation. Specifically, we probe the moderating role of goal ambiguity on the relationships among goal interdependence, integrative conflict management and program performance achievement. Based on the results with 120 IT programs, our findings confirm goal interdependence has positive influence on integrative conflict management, which in turn to influence program performance achievement positively and goal ambiguity has significant moderating effects.