Management and Organizational

Behavior
Conflict : Process of Conflict and
Types of Conflict

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 Conflict Defined
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.

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 What is conflict?
Conflict is disagreement between two or more
parties, such as individuals, groups,
departments, organizations or countries, who
perceive that they have incompatible
concerns

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 Why do conflicts arise?
Several reasons
Incompatible goals
Differences in the interpretation of facts
Negative feelings
Variations in values and Philosophies
Disputes over shared success

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 Functional Vs.
Dysfunctional Conflict
Functional: improves group
performance
Dysfunctional: hinders group
performance
Assessing Focus of Conflict:
Task work content and goals
Relationship interpersonal
Process how the work is done

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 Desired Conflict Levels

Source of Level of Conflict

Conflict Low Moderate High
Task Functional Dysfunctional
Relationship Dysfunctional
Process Functional Dysfunctional
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The Conflict Process

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 Stage I: Potential Opposition or
Incompatibility
Communication
Barriers Exist,
Too Much or Too Little
Semantic difficulties,
misunderstandings, and noise
Structure
Size and specialization of jobs
Jurisdictional clarity/ambiguity
Member/goal incompatibility
Leadership styles (close or
participative)
Reward systems (win-lose)
Dependence/interdependence of
groups
Personal Variables
Differing individual value systems
Personality types

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Stage II: Cognition and Personalization
Perceived Conflict Felt Conflict
Awareness by one or more Emotional involvement in a
parties of the existence of conflict creating anxiety,
conditions that create tenseness, frustration, or
opportunities for conflict to hostility.
arise.

Conflict Definition

Negative Emotions Positive Feelings

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 Stage III: Intentions
The decision to act in a given way
Inferred (often erroneous) intentions
may cause greater conflict

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 Stage III: Intentions (contd)
Competing
A desire to satisfy ones interests, regardless of the
impact on the other party to the conflict.

Collaborating
A situation in which the parties to a conflict each
desire to satisfy fully the concerns of all parties.

Avoiding
The desire to withdraw from or suppress a conflict.

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 Stage III: Intentions (contd)
Accommodating
The willingness of one party in a conflict to place the
opponents interests above his or her own.

Compromising
A situation in which each party to a conflict is
willing to give up something.

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 Stage IV: Behavior
Where conflict becomes visible
Usually overt attempts to implement each
partys intentions
May become an inadvertent stimulus due to
miscalculations or unskilled enactments
Functional Conflicts: confined to lower range of continuum
subtle, indirect, and highly controlled
Dysfunctional Conflicts: upper range highly destructive
activities such as strikes and riots

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 Stage V: Outcomes
Functional:
Improves decision quality
Stimulates creativity and innovation
Encourages interest and curiosity
Problems are aired
Accepts change and self-evaluation
Dysfunctional:
Group is less effective
Cohesiveness and communications are reduced
Leads to the destruction of the group

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Conflict Resolution Techniques
Problem solving Bringing in outsiders
Superordinate goals Restructuring the
Expansion of resources organization
Avoidance
Appointing a devils
Smoothing
advocate
Compromise
Authoritative command
Altering the human
variable
Altering the structural
variables
Communication
Exhibit 15-4

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 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 organizations welfare.
When you know youre 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 youre 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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 Keep in Mind
Conflict is an inherent part of organizational
life: probably necessary for optimal
organizational function
Task conflict is the most constructive
Most effective negotiators use both types of
bargaining and know the appropriate tactics

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