Conflict Management

Professor Craig W Fontaine

Northeastern University
College of Business Administration
 What is Conflict?

Webster’s Definition:
“ Competitive or opposing action of incompatibles;
antagonistic state or action (such as divergent ideas,
interests, or persons).”
 Workplace Definition:

Conflict is a situation in which each

party seeks a position (end result)
perceived to be incompatible with the
wishes of the other.
 Organizational Conflict
• Organizational Conflict
– The discord that arises when goals, interests or values of different
individuals or groups are incompatible and those people block or
thwart each other’s efforts to achieve their objectives.
– Conflict is inevitable given the wide range of goals for the
different stakeholder in the organization.
• Lack of conflict signals that management emphasizes
conformity and stifles innovation.
• Conflict is good for organizational performance although
excessive conflict causes managers to spend too much time
achieving their own ends.
The Effect of Conflict on Organization Performance

Figure 16.1
Sources of Conflict

Figure 16.3
 Types of Conflict

• Interpersonal Conflict
• Conflict between individuals
• Intragroup Conflict
• Conflict within a group or team.
• Intergroup Conflict
• Conflict between two or more teams or groups.
• Interorganizational Conflict
• Conflict that arises across organizations.
 Conflict Management
• Perceptions play a major role in conflicts. People can
perceive conflict along several dimensions:

• Relationship/Task
• Emotional/Intellectual
• Cooperate/Win
or is it….
• Public versus private
• Formal versus informal
• Rational versus non-rational
 Conflict Management

Stage of Conflict:

• Latent Conflict - Conditions are “ripe”

• Perceived Conflict - First differences voiced
• Felt Conflict – Parties feel it – anxious/stress
• Manifest Conflict – Open conflict!
• Conflict aftermath – Conflict over
 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

High
Assertiveness
• •
Concern for Self
•

Low
Assertiveness
• •
Concern for Others
Low Cooperation High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.
 COMPETING

High
Assertiveness
• Competition

Concern for Self

Low
Assertiveness
Concern for Others
Low Cooperation High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.
 Conflict Styles and Strategies

• Control
• Competing –
• Outwit
“My way or the highway.”
• Coerce
• Fight
 Competing
“My Way or the highway.”

When Appropriate: When Inappropriate:

• An emergency is looming.
• The issue is trivial and others
don’t care what happens.
• You’re certain you’re right.
• Policy ruling is needed
• When it is important to get
cooperation from others.
• When the self respect of others
is diminished.
• When used to an excess.
• When individual legal rights
are not protected
 ACCOMODATING

High
Assertiveness
• Competition
Concern for Self

Low • Accommodation
Assertiveness
Concern for Others
Low Cooperation High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.
 Accommodating

Accommodating- • Agreeing
“Whatever you say is okay • Appeasing
with me.” • Flattering
 Accommodating
“Whatever You Say is Okay With Me.”

When Appropriate: When Inappropriate:

• When the issue is not
important to you.
• You realize you are wrong.
• You want to respond to the
desires of another.
• When you are likely to resent
the outcome later.
• When used to gain acceptance.
 AVOIDING

High
Assertiveness
• Competition
Concern for Self

Low
• Avoiding • Accommodation
Assertiveness
Concern for Others
Low Cooperation High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.
 Avoiding

• Denial
• Avoiding-
• Ignoring
“Conflict, What Conflict?”
• Withdrawing
 Avoiding
“Conflict, what conflict?”
When Appropriate: When Inappropriate:
• Passage of time might help
• Hostile environment- • You care about the issue.
emotions are high • Negative feelings may linger
• When issue is trivial (you care about the
• You are powerless or have little relationship).
power, but want to block the • When a decision needs to be
other person made
• Short time and a decision is not
necessary
• Relationship is
insignificant
 COMPROMISING

High
Assertiveness
• Competition
Concern for Self
• Compromise

Low
Assertiveness
• Avoiding • Accommodation
Concern for Others
Low Cooperation High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.
 Compromising

• Compromising – • Bargaining
“Let’s split the • Reducing expectations
difference.” • Provide a little for
everyone
 Compromising
“Let’s Split the Difference.”

When Appropriate: When Inappropriate:

• When finding some • When you cannot live
solution is better than a with the consequences.
stalemate.
• Finding the most creative
• When cooperation is
solution is essential.
important but time and/or
resources are limited.
 COLLABORATING

High
Assertiveness
• Competition • Collaboration

Concern for Self

• Compromise

Low
Assertiveness
• Avoiding • Accommodation
Concern for Others
Low Cooperation High Cooperation

Source: Thomas, K.W. “Conflict and Conflict Management,” In Handbook of Industrial

and Organizational Psychology, ed. M.D. Dunnette. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.
 Collaborating

Collaborating –
Gather information
Look for alternatives
Discussion and disagreement is okay.
•
•
•

“How can we solve the

problem?”
 Collaborating
“How Can We Solve the Problem?”

When Appropriate: When Inappropriate:

• When both the issue and the
relationship are significant.
• When there is a reasonable
expectation of addressing all
concerns and reaching a
mutually acceptable agreement.
• Time is short.
• The issues are not important.
• If either person is not
negotiating in “good faith.”
• When individual legal rights are
not protected
• Power imbalances exist
 Resolution of a Conflict Occurs When:

 The physical well-being of each party is maintained during

negotiations and in the resolution reached.
 Feelings of self-worth of each party are maintained during
the negotiation process and in the resolution reached.
 Each person respects or tolerates the other party as a person
person while understanding that this does not imply
approval of that party’s morals or values.
 All relevant facts and available and technical information are
considered and used by the persons in reaching the resolution.
 The resolution reached was chosen by each party even though
other options were available.
 Conflict Management Strategies

• Functional Conflict Resolution

– Handling conflict by compromise or collaboration between parties.

• Compromise: each party is concerned about their goal
accomplishment and is willing to engage in give-and-take
exchange to reach a reasonable solution.
• Collaboration: parties try to handle the conflict without
making concessions by coming up with a new way to resolve
their differences that leaves them both better off.
– Managers also must address individual sources of conflict.
Conflict Management Strategies (cont’d)
Strategies Focused on Individuals
Increasing awareness of the Can conflict source can be found
source of conflict and corrected?

Increasing diversity awareness Older workers may resent younger

and skills workers, or experience cultural
differences.

Practicing job rotation or Provides a good view of what

temporary assignments others face.

Using permanent transfers and Avoids problem interactions.

dismissals when necessary
Conflict Management Strategies (cont’d)
Strategies Focused on The Whole Organization
Changing the structure of the Shifting from a functional
organization structure to a product structure as
the organization increases in size.

Increasing the levels of Using cross-functional teams to

integration in the organization resolve conflicts between
departments.

Changing the organization’s Taking steps to change

culture dysfunctional norms and values to
reduce conflict and refocus the
organization on effective goals.

Altering the source of the If conflict is due to overlapping

conflict authority, managers can fix the
problem at the source.
 Negotiation Strategies for
Integrative Bargaining
Strategies
Emphasizing superordinate goals that both parties agree on .

Focusing on the problems and issues at hand, and not personalizing

the negotiations.

Focusing on interests not demands by understanding why the other

party wants a specific need satisfied in the negotiations.

Creating new options for joint gain by focusing on new interests to

allow new ideas to come forth

Focusing on what is fair opens up room in the negotiations for both

parties to come to a mutual agreement about the best solution to a
problem.