MANAGEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT.pptx

MANAGEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT.pptx

1. CHAPTER FIVE: MANAGEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT

2. 5.1 Definition and Nature of Conflict Conflict is a process in which one party perceives that his/her interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party . Two parties says different opinions. Conflict is a basic fact of life in groups and organizations. It is an inevitable feature of present-day organizations . Organizations contain people with divergent personalities, perceptions, values and characters . Those people are assigned to jobs that have contrasting characteristics, impart unequal degrees of status and frequently foster competition. Organization contains views and that must compete for scarce resources they need to achieve their goal.

3. 5.2. Types of conflict Conflict may be classified on the basis of its sources consequence Levels (individual, group, etc.)

4. 1. According to Sources of Conflict The classification of conflict is often made on the basis of the antecedent conditions that lead to conflict. Affective Conflict : This occurs when two interacting social entities, become aware that their feelings and emotions regarding some or all the issues are incompatible. Substantive Conflict: This occurs when two or more organizational members disagree on their task or content issues. Conflict of Interest: This is defined as an inconsistency between two parties in their preferences for the allocation of a scarce resource . Conflict of Values: This occurs when two social entities differ in their values or ideologies on certain issue. Goal Conflict: This occurs when a preferred outcome or an end-state of two social entities is inconsistent.

5. 2. According to level On this basis conflict may be classified as intrapersonal, interpersonal, intra-group, intergroup.

6. I. Intra-personal conflict Intra-personal conflicts arise within individuals due to frustration, goals, and roles. Types of intrapersonal conflict There are three types of intrapersonal conflict. Following is a discussion of these three types: A. Approach–approach conflict=both positive alternatives B. Avoidance–avoidance conflict=Both negative alternatives C. Approach–avoidance conflict = positive and negative alternatives

7. II. Inter-personal conflict: occurs between two individuals or between an individual and a group. III. Intra-group conflict: is the conflicts that occur between group members. IV. Inter-group conflict : occurs between two or more groups in an organization - work groups, social groups, etc.

8. 3. According to Consequences of Conflict Conflict outcomes may be either functional dysfunctional A. Functional outcomes Generally, conflict is constructive when it: Stimulates creativity and innovation, improves the quality of decisions, encourages interest among group members, provides the medium through which problems can aired and tensions released, Fosters environment of self-evaluation and change.

9. B. Dysfunctional outcomes: Uncontrolled opposition breeds discontent , which acts to dissolve commonalities , and eventually leads to the destruction of the group. Among the more undesirable consequence are: Reduction in group cohesiveness Delay in decision making which need to be done urgently Hostility and aggression development, Decrease employee satisfaction, Increase employee turnover, Increases inefficiencies of work units.

10. 5.3. Nature of conflict in an organization 5.3.1 Perspectives on conflict Three perspectives: traditional view. human relations view, interactionist view.

11. 1. The Traditional/ Unitarist View The early approach to conflict assumed that conflict was bad. Conflict, then, was to be avoided. 2. The Human Relations/Pluralist View argued that conflict was a natural occurrence in all groups and organizations. the human relations school advocated acceptance of conflict.. 3. The Interactionist / Radicalist View the interactionist approach encourages conflict on the grounds

12. 5.4 Cause of Conflict in Organizations Descriptions of some of the most common organizational causes of conflict may be: 1. Competition for resources 2. Task interdependence 3. Jurisdictional ambiguity 4. Status struggles: 5. Organizational Change 6. Personality Clashes 7. Differences in Value Sets 8. Perceptual Differences 9. Work Flow Relationship

13. 5.5 The conflict process – stages of conflict The conflict process can be thought of as progressing through five stages: potential opposition, cognition and personalization, intention, behavior, outcomes.

14. Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility The first step in the conflict process is the presence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise. They need not lead directly to conflict, but one of these conditions is necessary if conflict is to arise. three general categories: communication, structure, and personal variables.

15. Stage II: Cognition and Personalization The antecedent conditions can lead to conflict only when one or more of the parties are affected by, and cognizant of, the conflict. However, because a conflict is perceived does not mean it is personalized. You may be aware that you and a co-worker are in disagreement. It is at the level where conflict is felt , when individuals become emotionally involved, that parties experience anxiety, tension, frustration, or hostility. Perceived conflict: is Awareness by one or more parties of the existence of conditions that create opportunity for conflict to arise. Felt conflict: Emotional involvement in a conflict that creates anxiety, tenseness, frustration, or hostility.

16. Stage III: Intentions Intentions intervene between people’s perceptions and emotions and their overt behavior. They are decisions to act in a given way. Using two dimensions cooperativeness (the degree to which one party attempts to satisfy the other party’s concerns) and assertiveness (the degree to which one party attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns) we can identify five conflict-handling intentions: avoiding (unassertive and uncooperative), accommodating (unassertive and cooperative), compromising (midrange on both assertiveness and cooperativeness) competing (assertive and uncooperative), and collaborating (assertive and cooperative),

17. Avoidance The avoiding style is uncooperative and unassertive . People exhibiting this style seek to avoid conflict altogether by denying that it is there. Accommodation The accommodating style is cooperative and unassertive . In this style, the person gives in to what the other side wants, even if it means giving up one’s personal goals. Compromise is a middle-ground style , in which individuals have some desire to express their own concerns and get their way but still respect the other person’s goals. In a compromise, each person sacrifices something valuable to them. Competition People exhibiting a competing style want to reach their goal or get their solution adopted regardless of what others say or how they feel. Collaboration The collaborating style is high on both assertiveness and cooperation. The objective is to find a win–win solution.

18. Stage IV: Behavior when a member engages in action that frustrates the attainment of another's goals or prevents the furthering of the other's interests. Overt conflict covers a full range of behaviors, from subtle, indirect, and highly controlled forms of interference to direct, aggressive, violent, and uncontrolled struggle. Stage IV is also where most conflict-handling behaviors are initiated. Stage V: Outcomes The interplay between the overt conflict behavior and conflict-handling behaviors results in consequences. Functional Outcomes Dysfunctional Outcomes

19. 5.6 Conflict Management Strategies A viable strategy for conflict management begins with an analysis of the conflict situation strategy options. A) Analysis of Conflict Situation Managers can analyze a conflict situation by identifying the following: Conflicting parties : The conflict may arise between individuals, groups, or departments. Source of conflict: The conflict may arise from factors such as differences in value sets, perception differences, scarcity of resources, workflow relationship , etc. Analyzing this requires trying to view each situation through the eyes of the parties involved. Severity of conflict: The situation may be at a stage where the manager must deal with it immediately; or the conflict may be at a moderate level of intensity. If the goals of the workgroup are threatened or sabotage is occurring, the manager must take action immediately. If individuals or groups are simply in disagreement, a less immediate response is required.

20. B) Conflict Resolution Conflict Resolution Techniques Problem solving: Interested parties confront the issue and cooperatively identify the problem, generate and weigh alternate solutions and select a solution. Super ordinate goal : It’s a technique used to create a shared goal that cannot be attained without the cooperation of each of the conflicting parties. Expansion of Resources: When a conflict is caused by the scarcity of a resource – say, funding, Promotions, and desirable work or working conditions, etc- the expansion of resource can create a win-win Situation. Unfortunately, it is often not possible in practice.

21. Avoidance: This strategy calls for a party to withdraw or ignore the conflict. The manager passively withdraws or ignores the problem. Smoothing: an obliging person neglects his/her own concern to satisfy the concern of the other party. This strategy involves playing down differences while emphasizing commonalties Compromise: In this strategy, the parties‟ reach a mutually acceptable solution in which each gets only part of what he or she wanted. Altering the Human Variable : This strategy calls for using the behavioral change techniques such as human resources training to alter attitudes and behaviors that cause conflict. Altering the Structural Variable : Conflict is resolved through changing the formal organizational Structure and the interaction patterns of conflicting parties through job redesign, transfers, and the like…

22. Authoritative Command / Impose a Solution: Finally, if all fails, it may be necessary to impose a solution. Resolving conflict through negotiation or third-party intervention : Although the conflict handling styles just discussed can be used for all types of conflict, they primarily targets interpersonal conflict. Briefly, there are three types of third- party interventions. Consultation- this is the process where mandated representatives of group in a conflict situation meet together in order to resolve their differences and to reach agreement. Mediation -A trusted third party facilitates the negotiating process and suggests alternatives. Arbitration : The arbitrator is delegated the authority to render a judgment or otherwise resolve the dispute.

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