Professional Documents
Culture Documents
16
1
10
Conflicts
& Chapter 10
Politics
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 (predictable) given the
wide range of goals for the different
stakeholder in the organization.
17-2
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Effect of Conflict on Organization
Performance
17-5
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Types of Conflict
Intergroup Conflict
Conflict between two or more teams or groups.
Managers play a key role in resolution of this
conflict
Interorganizational Conflict
Conflict that arises across organisations.
17-6
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Sources of Conflict
17-8
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(2) Overlapping Authority
Overlapping Authority
Two or more managers claim authority for
the same activities (tasks) which leads to
conflict between the managers and workers.
17-9
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(3) Different Evaluation or Reward
Systems
Different Evaluation or Reward Systems
A group is rewarded for achieving a
17-10
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
(4) Task Interdependencies
The way in which interdependent groups,
teams, or departments are evaluated and
rewarded can be another source of conflict.
17-11
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(5) Scarce Resources
Definition:
Managers can come into conflict
over the allocation of scare
resources.
17-12
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
(6) Status Inconsistencies
Definition:
Some individuals and groups
have a higher organizational
status than others, leading to
conflict with lower status groups.
17-13
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Strategies Focused on Individuals
Increasing awareness of the sources of
conflict
Increasing diversity awareness and
skills
Practicing job rotation or temporary
assignments
Using permanent transfers or
dismissals when necessary
17-14
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Strategies Focused on the Whole
Organization
Changing an
organization’s
structure or culture
17-15
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Conflict management strategy
Compromise
17-16
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Conflict management strategy
Collaboration
parties try to satisfy their goals without
making concessions by coming up with a
new way to resolve their differences that
leaves them both better off.
17-17
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Conflict management strategy
Accommodation
one party simply gives in to the other party
Avoidance
two parties try to ignore the problem and do
nothing to resolve the disagreement
17-18
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Conflict management strategy
Competition
17-19
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Organizational Politics
Organizational Politics
The activities managers engage in to increase their
power and use it to achieve their goals or
overcome resistance or opposition.
17-20
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Importance of Organizational
Politics
Politics
Can be viewed negatively when managers
act in self-interested ways for their own
benefit.
Is also a positive force that can bring about
needed change when political activity
allows a manager to gain support for
needed changes that will advance the
organization.
17-21
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Political
Strategies
for
Increasing
Power
17-22
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Political Strategies for Gaining and
Maintaining Power
Strategies
Controlling Uncertainty Reduce uncertainty for others in the firm
17-24
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Strategies for Exercising Power
Strategies
Relying on Objective Providing impartial information causes
Information others to feel the manager’s course of
action is correct.