CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

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OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter,
you should be able to:

1. Define conflict.
2. Differentiate between the traditional, human
relations, and interactionist views of conflict.
LEARNING

3. Contrast task, relationship, and process

conflict.
4. Describe Constructive vs Destructive conflict
5. Describe the conflict Management Techniques

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 Conflict Defined
– Is a process that begins when one
party perceives that another party
has negatively affected, or is about
to negatively affect, something that
the first party cares about.
• Is that point in an ongoing activity when an
interaction “crosses over” to become an
interparty conflict.
– Encompasses a wide range of
conflicts that people experience in
organizations
• Incompatibility of goals
• Differences over interpretations of facts
• Disagreements based on behavioral
expectations
 Transitions in Conflict Thought

Traditional View of Conflict

The belief that all conflict is harmful and must
be avoided.

Causes:
Causes:
•• Poor
Poorcommunication
communication
•• Lack
Lackofofopenness
openness
•• Failure
Failureto
torespond
respondto
to
employee
employeeneeds
needs

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 Transitions in Conflict Thought (cont’d)

Human Relations View of Conflict

The belief that conflict is a natural and
inevitable outcome in any group.

Interactionist View of Conflict

The belief that conflict is not
only a positive force in a
group but that it is absolutely
necessary for a group to
perform effectively.

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 Types of Conflicts

 Intrapersonal Conflict

 Interpersonal Conflict

 Inter-group Conflict

 Inter-organization Conflict
Intrapersonal Conflict
• conflict within oneself
• result of competing roles and
values
• result of contradiction
• while finding a balance
between personal and
professional life
 Interpersonal Conflict

 conflict between
individuals
 affect the individuals
emotionally
 not compatible
 failure in
communication
 differences in
perception
 difference in status
 Inter-group Conflict

 conflict between groups

 between two
departments of a
company
 prove them to be
superior, gain power and
improve their image
 difference in opinions,
group loyalties and
competition
 diversion of focus from
job priorities
 Inter-organization Conflict

 conflicts between to
organizations

 out of competition

 turn into a cold war

Sources of Conflicts

Organisatio
nal Causes
Interperson
al Causes
Organisational causes of Conflicts
Organisational
changes
Competition
over scarce
resources
Interdependen
ce
Role ambiguity
Differentiation
within the
organisation
Power
differentials
Interpersonal causes of Conflicts
Personality
Clashes
Different values
Threat to status
Contrasting
perceptions
Distrust
Faulty
communication
 Types of Conflict

Task Conflict
Conflicts over content
and goals of the work.

Relationship Conflict
Conflict based on
interpersonal
relationships.
Process Conflict
Conflict over how work gets
done.
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FUNCTIONAL CONFLICTS

 It confrontation
between 2 refers to
ideas,goals and
parties that improve
employees and the
organisations
performance.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF CONFLICTS:
– Increased group performance
– Improved quality of decisions
– Stimulation of creativity and innovation
– Encouragement of interest and curiosity
– Provision of a medium for problem-solving
– Creation of an environment for self-evaluation and change
DYSFUNCTIONAL CONFLICTS
– Development of
discontent
– Reduced group
effectiveness
– Retarded
communication
– Reduced group
cohesiveness
– Infighting among group
members overcomes
group goals
Conflict Management Techniques

Conflict
ConflictResolution
ResolutionTechniques
Techniques
•• Problem
Problemsolving
solving
•• Superordinate
Superordinategoals
goals
•• Expansion
Expansionofofresources
resources
•• Avoidance
Avoidance
•• Smoothing
Smoothing
•• Compromise
Compromise
•• Authoritative
Authoritativecommand
command
Source: Based on S. P. Robbins,
•• Altering
Alteringthe
thehuman
humanvariable
variable
Managing Organizational Conflict:
A Nontraditional Approach (Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall,

•• Altering
Alteringthe
thestructural
structuralvariables
variables
1974), pp. 59–89
 Conflict Management Techniques

Conflict
ConflictStimulation
StimulationTechniques
Techniques
•• Communication
Communication
•• Bringing
Bringingininoutsiders
outsiders
•• Restructuring
Restructuringthe
theorganization
organization
•• Appointing
Appointingaadevil’s
devil’sadvocate
advocate

Source: Based on S. P. Robbins, Managing Organizational Conflict: A Nontraditional

Approach (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1974), pp. 59–89
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 Third-Party Negotiations

Mediator
A neutral third party who facilitates a
negotiated solution by using reasoning,
persuasion, and suggestions for alternatives.

Arbitrator
A third party to a
negotiation who has the
authority to dictate an
agreement.

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 Third-Party Negotiations (cont’d)

Conciliator
A trusted third party who provides an informal
communication link between the negotiator
and the opponent.

Consultant
An impartial third party,
skilled in conflict
management, who
attempts to facilitate
creative problem solving
through communication
and analysis.
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 Conflict management strategies

 Collaboration
 Compromise
 Competition
 Accomodation
 Avoidance
 Conflict-Handling Intention: Competition
 When quick, decisive action is vital (in
emergencies); on important issues.
 Where unpopular actions need implementing (in
cost cutting, enforcing unpopular rules,
discipline).
 On issues vital to the organization’s welfare.
 When you know you’re right.
 Against people who take advantage of
noncompetitive behavior.

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 Conflict-Handling Intention: Collaboration
 To find an integrative solution when both sets of
concerns are too important to be compromised.
 When your objective is to learn.
 To merge insights from people with different
perspectives.
 To gain commitment by incorporating concerns
into a consensus.
 To work through feelings that have interfered
with a relationship.

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 Conflict-Handling Intention: Avoidance
 When an issue is trivial, or more important issues
are pressing.
 When you perceive no chance of satisfying your
concerns.
 When potential disruption outweighs the benefits
of resolution.
 To let people cool down and regain perspective.
 When gathering information supersedes
immediate decision.
 When others can resolve the conflict effectively
 When issues seem tangential or symptomatic of
other issues.
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 Conflict-Handling Intention: Accommodation
 When you find you’re wrong and to allow a better
position to be heard.
 To learn, and to show your reasonableness.
 When issues are more important to others than to
yourself and to satisfy others and maintain
cooperation.
 To build social credits for later issues.
 To minimize loss when outmatched and losing.
 When harmony and stability are especially
important.
 To allow employees to develop by learning from
mistakes.
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 Conflict-Handling Intention: Compromise
 When goals are important but not worth the effort
of potential disruption of more assertive
approaches.
 When opponents with equal power are committed
to mutually exclusive goals.
 To achieve temporary settlements to complex
issues.
 To arrive at expedient solutions under time
pressure.
 As a backup when collaboration or competition is
unsuccessful.

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Style Explanation

 Avoiding Style (-,-)

– If I ignore the problem, it will go away
– If I confront the problem, I may hurt someone’s
feelings
– Why bother… it won’t change anything
 Accommodating (-,+)
– It’s easier to just give in and give them what they
want
– You will be better liked if you just agree
– By letting the other person win this time, you will
win next time… you have to pick your battles.
 Style Explanation

 Compromising Style (-,-)

– It’s only fair because then neither of us get what we want.
– Both parties are on an even playing field
– We can choose to give up something we really don’t need, thereby
winning.
 Competing Style (+,-)
– I’m right and you’re wrong
– There is only one solution
 Collaborating (+,+)
– We can find a solution that works for both of us.
– By asking the other person’s perspective, I can understand them.
– Once we find a common ground, we can work from there.
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.
 Conflict
and Unit
Performance

E X H I B I T 14–9
 Negotiation

Negotiation
A process in which two or more parties
exchange goods or services and attempt to
agree on the exchange rate for them.

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 Bargaining Strategies

Distributive Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed
amount of resources; a win-lose situation.

Integrative Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks one or more
settlements that can create a win-win
solution.

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 Distributive Versus Integrative Bargaining

Bargaining Distributive Integrative

Characteristic Characteristic Characteristic

Available resources Fixed amount of Variable amount of

resources to be divided resources to be divided
Primary motivations I win, you lose I win, you win
Primary interests Opposed to each other Convergent or
congruent
with each other
Focus of relationships Short term Long term

E X H I B I T 14–5
Source: Based on R. J. Lewicki and J. A. Litterer, Negotiation (Homewood, IL: Irwin, 1985), p. 280.
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 Staking Out the Bargaining Zone

E X H I B I T 14–6

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