More communication is not always better? The interplay between effective communication and interpersonal conflict in influencing satisfaction

•This paper captures the interplay between both task and relationship conflict and effective communication on satisfaction.•Effective communication weakens the negative effect of relationship conflict on satisfaction.•The higher level of task conflict combined with higher level of effective communication can be destructive on satisfaction.•The higher level of task conflict combined with lower level of effective communication can be constructive on satisfaction.

Effective communication on a personal level plays an important role in developing a long-term buyer–seller relationship, but the process of interpersonal communication may be conflictual. Drawing on the interaction approach, the present study investigates the interplay between effective communication and interpersonal conflict in influencing satisfaction and argues that a high level of effective communication not only diminishes the negative impact of relationship conflict on satisfaction, but also suppresses the positive impact of task conflict on satisfaction. Surveying data from 298 procurement professionals revealed that as the level of effective communication increases, the negative impacts of relationship conflict on satisfaction decrease, but the positive impacts of task conflict on satisfaction also decrease. Therefore, effective communication is found to be beneficial for improving purchasers' perceived satisfaction, but the timing of the task conflict, along with the low levels of relationship conflict, is a critical factor to affect the efficiency of effective communication.