Data from 139 respondents from major industries showed that subordinates were more
satisfied with their superiors' supervision through the exercise of integrating,
compromising and obliging styles. On the contrary, subordinates who perceived their
superiors as primarily using dominating and avoiding styles viewed them as incompetent
in supervision and thus lowering their level of satisfaction with supervision. Among the
conflict handling styles, integrating was most correlated with organic structure. The
organic structure was found to be positively correlated with subordinates' satisfaction.
These results implied that organic structure can be a potent force in maintaining
organizational stability. The exercise of dominating style was found to be only marginally
correlated with superior's age. Superior rank in lower hierarchy level was found to have
a negative impact, albeit marginally on the exercise of dominating style. The present
results also seemed to suggest that subordinates tend to be less satisfied with superiors
with wider span of control
