A PROJECT REPORT

ON

THE SOURCE OF MOST CONFLICT

IIS LACK OF COMMUNICATION

Project File

Submitted for partial fulfillment for the award of the degree of

MASTERS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 1 A

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

MISS HARTIKA CHATWAL DHAMANKUR
0961230390

________________________________________________________________

DELHI INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES

GURU GOBIND SINGH INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY
DELHI
(2010—2012)

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 INDEX

TOPIC PAGE NO.

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
2. INTRODUCTION 4
3. CONFLICT 4
4. TYPES OF CONFLICT 5
5. WHY CONFLICT ARISES? 6
6. CONDITIONS CREATING CONFLICT 7
7. POSITIVE ASPECTS OF CONFLICT 7
8. NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF CONFLICT 8
9. SOURCES OF CONFLICT 9
10. REAL LIFE EXAMPLES 10

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First I would like to thank my teacher, Madam Hartika Chatwal for guiding me and
my friends throughout this project. We had some difficulties in doing this task, but
she taught us patiently until we knew what to do. She tried and tried to teach us until
we understand what we supposed to do with the project work.

Not forgotten to my family for providing everything, such as money, to buy anything
that are related to this project work and their advise, which is the most needed for this
project. Internet, books, computers and all that as my source to complete this project.
They also supported me and encouraged me to complete this task so that I will not
procrastinate in doing it.

Last but not least, my friends who were doing this project with me and sharing our
ideas. They were helpful that when we combined and discussed together, we had this
task done. 

DHAMANKUR
0961230390

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“The Source of Most Conflicts Is Lack Of
Communication”

INTRODUCTION

This statement is probably false. A popular myth in organizations is that poor

communication is the primary source of conflicts. And certainly problems in the
communication process do act to retard collaboration, stimulate misunderstandings,
and create conflicts

Conflicts in organizations are frequently structurally derived. For instance, in the

movie making business, conflicts between directors and producers are often due to
different goals .Directors wants to create artistic films, regardless of costs. Producers
want to make financially profitable movies by minimizing costs . When people have
to work together, but are pursuing different goals, conflict arises.

Similarly, increased organizational size, routinization, work specialization and zero

sum reward systems are all examples of structural factors that can lead to conflicts.
Many conflicts attributed to poor communication are , on closer examination, due to
value differences .When mangers incorrectly treats a value based conflict as a
communication problem, the conflict is rarely eliminated Increased communication
efforts are likely to crystallize and reinforce differences.

Lack of communication can be a source of conflict .But managers should first look to
structural or value based explanations because they are more prevalent in
organization.

CONFLICT

Conflict is actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests. A conflict

can be internal (within oneself) to individuals. Conflict as a concept can help explain
many aspects of social life such as social disagreement, conflicts of interests,
and fights between individuals, groups, or organizations .Basically Conflict can be
defined as the process of that begins when one party perceives that another party has
damaged or affected something or is going to affect something of which first party
cares about. This definition encompasses the wide range of conflict that people
experience in an organization-
Incompatibility of goals
Differences over interpretation of facts
Disagreement based on behavioral expectation

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TRANSITION IN CONFLICT THOUGHT

One school of thought ,the traditional view has argued that conflict is bad for
effective functioning and it should be avoided as far as possible while another school
of thought , human relation view argues that conflict is natural and inevitable outcome
in any group, it necessarily need not to be evil, rather it has the potential to to be
positive force and helpful in determining effective and efficient group performance.
The third and the most important school of thought, the interactionist view that
conflict not only can be be positive force in a group but explicitly argue that some
conflict is absolutely necessary for a group to perform effectively and efficiently.

The Traditional View

The traditional view was consistent with the attitudes that prevailed about group
behaviour in the 1930’s and 1940’s.Conflict was seen as a dysfunctional outcome
resulting from poor communication , lack of openness and trust between people , and
the failure of managers to be responsive to the needs and aspirations of their
employees.

The Human relations View

The Human Relations View argued that conflict was a natural occurance in all groups
and organizations . Because conflict was in evitable, the human relations school
advocated acceptance of conflict. Proponents rationalized its existence: it can’t be
eliminated, and there are even times when conflict may benefit a group’s
performance. The human relations view dominated conflict theory from the late
1940’s through the mid 1970’s

The interactionist view

While the human relation view accepted conflict , the interactionist view encourages
conflict on the grounds that a harmonious , peaceful, tranquil, and cooperative group
is prone to becoming static , apathetic and non responsive to needs for change and
innovations.
Specifically conflict can be categorized into mainly three categories, namely:
Task conflict
Process conflict
Relationship conflict

TYPES OF CONFLICT SITUATIONS

Vertical Conflict
It occurs between levels in an organization’s hierarchy of authority.A common
example is conflict between a superior and a subordinate over such things as task
goals, deadlines and performances accomplishments.

Horizontal Conflicts

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It takes place between a person or a group operating at the same level in an
organization. For example: goal incompatibilities , resources scarcities etc.

Line staff Conflict

It occurs when line and staff representatives disagree over issues of substances in their
working relationships.

Role conflict
This situation arises when the communication of task expectations from role set
members proves inadequate or incompatible for the role holder.

Why conflicts arise

In most organizations, conflicts increase as employees assert their demands for an

increased share in organizational rewards, such as position, acknowledgment,
appreciation, monetary benefits and independence. Even management faces conflicts
with many forces from outside the organization, such as government, unions and other
coercive groups which may impose restrictions on managerial activities.

Conflicts emanate from more than one source, and so their true origin may be hard to
identify. Important initiators of conflict situations include:

(i) People disagree. People disagree for a number of reasons

(a) They see things differently because of differences in understanding and

viewpoint. Most of these differences are usually not important. Personality
differences or clashes in emotional needs may cause conflicts. Conflicts arise when
two groups or individuals interacting in the same situation see the situation differently
because of different sets of settings, information pertaining to the universe, awareness,
background, disposition, reason or outlook. In a particular mood, individuals think
and perceive in a certain manner. For example, the half-full glass of one individual
can be half-empty to another. Obviously both individuals convey the same thing, but
they do so differently owing to contrasting perceptions and dispositions.

(b) People have different styles, principles, values, beliefs and slogans which
determine their choices and objectives. When choices contradict, people want
different things and that can create conflict situations. For example, a risk-taking
manager would be in conflict with a risk-minimizing supervisor who believes in firm
control and a well-kept routine.

(c) People have different ideological and philosophical outlooks, as in the case of
different political parties. Their concepts, objectives and ways of reacting to various
situations are different. This often creates conflicts among them.

(d) Conflict situations can arise because people have different status. When
people at higher levels in the organization feel indignant about suggestions for change
put forward from their subordinates or associates, it provokes conflict. By tolerating
and allowing such suggestions, potential conflict can be prevented.

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(e) People have different thinking styles, which encourages them to disagree,
leading to conflict situations. Certain thinking styles may be useful for certain
purposes, but ineffectual or even perilous in other situations

(f) People are supposed to disagree under particular circumstances, such as in

sports. Here conflict is necessary, and even pleasurable.

(ii) People are concerned with fear, force, fairness or funds

(a) Fear relates to imaginary concern about something which might happen in
the future. One may fear setbacks, disgrace, reprisal or hindrances, which can lead to
conflict situations.

(b) Force is a necessary ingredient of any conflict situation. Force may be ethical
or emotional. It could be withdrawal of cooperation or approval. These forces are
instrumental in generating, strengthening and terminating conflicts.

(c) Fairness refers to an individual's sense of what is right and what is not right,
a fundamental factor learnt in early childhood. This sense of fairness determines
the moral values of an individual. People have different moral values and accordingly
appreciate a situation in different ways, creating conflict situations.

(d) Funds or costs can cause conflict, but can also force a conclusion through
acceptable to the conflicting parties. The cost of being in conflict may be measurable
(in money terms) or immeasurable, being expressed in terms of human lives,
suffering, diversion of skilled labour, neglect or loss of morale and self esteem.

Conditions creating conflict situations

There are eight main conditions which could initiate conflict situations in an
organization. These are:

(i) Ambiguous jurisdiction, which occurs when two individuals have responsibilities
which are interdependent but whose work boundaries and role definitions are not
clearly specified.

(ii) Goal incompatibility and conflict of interest refer to accomplishment of

different but mutually conflicting goals by two individuals working together in an
organization. Obstructions in accomplishing goals and lack of clarity on how to do a
job may initiate conflicts. Barriers to goal accomplishment arise when goal attainment
by an individual or group is seen as preventing another party achieving their goal.

(iii). Communication barriers, as difficulties in communicating can cause

misunderstanding, which can then create conflict situations.

(iv) Dependence on one party by another group or individual.

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(v) Differentiation in organization, where, within an organization, sub-units are
made responsible for different, specialized tasks. This creates separation and
introduces differentiation. Conflict situations could arise when actions of sub-units are
not properly coordinated and integrated.

(vi) Association of the parties and specialization. When individuals specialized in

different areas work in a group, they may disagree amongst themselves because they
have different goals, views and methodologies owing to their various backgrounds,
training and experiences.

(vii) Behaviour regulation. Organizations have to have firm regulations for

individual behaviour to ensure protection and safety. Individuals may perceive these
regulations differently, which can cause conflict and negatively affect output.

(viii) Unresolved prior conflicts which remain unsettled over time create anxiety and
stress, which can further intensify existing conflicts. A manager's most important
function is to avoid potential harmful results of conflict by regulating and directing it
into areas beneficial for the organization.

POSITIVE ASPECTS OF CONFLICTS

Traditional management theory considers conflict as inherently bad and harmful and
recommends its suppression. But this view no longer holds good. Conflicts are
inevitable in organization where members have different perceptions , attitudes,
values , etc.Moreover , a conflict is not altogether bad .It has a creative elements as
well .
Conflicts are supposed to seve the following functions:
 Release of Tension. Conflict provides an opportunity to the group members
for releasing tension which might otherwise remain suppressed. The members
get an opportunity to express themselves and obtain some psychological
satisfaction. This leads to reduction of stress among the members involved in
the conflict.
 Creativity. When a group is faced with conflict , its members display
creativity in identifying various alternatives .In the absence of a conflict , they
might get lethargic.
 Stimulation of change. Conflict helps in stimulating the change among
people When they face conflict , they might change their attitudes and be
ready to change themselves to meet the requirement of the new situation.
 Identification of Weaknesses. When a conflict arises , it may help identify
the weaknesses in the system. The management can take steps accordingly to
remove the weakness.
 Group Cohesiveness. The members of a group face the external pressures
unitedly and show greater degree of group loyalty.This increases group
cohesiveness which can be further used by management in attainment of
oganisational goals.

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  Challenge. Conflicts test the ability and capacity of individual and group. It
create challenges for them for which they have to be dynamic and creative.

NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF CONFLICTS

 Resignation of Personnel. Some dynamic personnel may leave the

organization if they fail in the resolution of conflict in their favour.The
organization will be the sufferer in the long run by the loss of key personnel.
 Tensions. Conflict may create high tension among the individuals and group
and a stage may come where it is very difficult for the management to resolve
conflict.
 Discontentment. Conflict is likely to be a source of dissatisfaction to the
losing party which will wait for an opportunity to settle the score with the
winning party .As a result productivity will suffer.
 Creation of Distrust. Conflict may create a climate of suspicion and distrust
among the people in the organization. It may create discord in place of
cooperation .
 Goal displacement. Conflict may distract the attention of the organizational
members from the organizational goals.
 Weakening of Organisation.Conflict may weaken the organization as a
whole if the management is not able to handle them properly.

SOURCES OF CONFLICT:

1. Economic conflict involves competing motives to attain scarce resources. Each

party wants to get the most that it can, and the behavior and emotions of each
party are directed toward maximizing its gain. Union and management conflict
often has as one of its sources the incompatible goals of how to slice up the
“economic pie”.

2. Value conflict involves incompatibility in ways of life, ideologies – the

preferences,
principles and practices that people believe in. International conflict (e.g., the Cold
War)
often has a strong value component, wherein each side asserts the rightness and
superiority of its way of life and its political-economic system.
3. Power conflict occurs when each party wishes to maintain or maximize the amount
of influence that it exerts in the relationship and the social setting. It is impossible for
one party to be stronger without the other being weaker, at least in terms of direct

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influence over each other. Thus, a power struggle ensues which usually ends in a
victory and defeat, or in a “stand-off” with a continuing state of tension. Power
conflicts can occur between individuals, between groups or between nations,
whenever one or both parties choose to take a power approach to the relationship.
Power also enters into all conflict since the parties are attempting to control each
other.
It must be noted that most conflicts are not of a pure type, but involve a mixture of
sources. For example, union-management conflict typically involves economic
competition, but may also take the form of a power struggle and often involves
different ideologies or political values. The more sources that are involved, the more
intense and intractable the conflict usually is.

Another important source of conflict is ineffective communication .

Miscommunication and misunderstanding can create conflict even where there are no
basic incompatibilities. In addition, parties may have different perceptions as to what
are the facts in a situation, and until they share information and clarify their
perceptions, resolution is impossible. Self-centeredness, selective perception,
emotional bias, prejudices, etc., are all forces that lead us to perceive situations very
differently from the other party. Lack of skill in communicating what we really mean
in a clear and respectful fashion often results in confusion, hurt and anger, all of
which simply feed the conflict process. Whether the conflict has objective sources or
is due only to perceptual or communication problems, it is experienced as very real by
the parties involved.

Real life examples

General Motors
For an example of a company that suffered because it had too little functional
conflicts , you don’t have to look further than automobile behemoth General Motors.
Many of GM’s problems, from the late 1960’s to the late 1990’s , can be traced to a
lack of functional conflict. It hired and promoted individuals who were yes man loyal
to GM to the point of never questioning company actions. Managers were ,for the
most part homogenous: conservative white males raised in the Midwestern US who
resisted change-they preferred looking back to past resources rather than forward to
new challenges. They were almost sanctimonious in their belief that what had worked
in the past would continue to work in the future
Moreover, by sheltering executives in the company‘s Detroit offices and encouraging
them to socialize with others inside the GM ranks, the company further insulated
managers from conflicting perspectives.

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Yahoo case

Begun in 1994, by 1999 Yahoo! Had become one of the best known brand name on
the internet. Then the implosion of dot.com stocks hit By the spring of 2001, Yahoo!
Advertising sales were plunging and the company’s stock was down 92% from its
peak.It was at this point that Yahoo!’s most critical problem become exposed:The
company was too insulated void of functional conflict. It couldn’t respond to change.
Managers and staff were too comfortable with each other to challenge the status quo.
This kept new ideas from perlocating upward and held dissent to a minimum. The
source of the proble was the company’s CEO, Tim Koogle. He set the tone of
nonconfrontation. Only when Koogle was replaced in 2001, with a new CEO who
openly challenged the company’s conflict free climate.

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