Institute of Management Studies

Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore (M.P.)

M.B.A. (MARKETING MANAGEMENT)

2 YEARS (2021-23) - 1ST SEM
SECTION – “B”

SUBJECT :-

TOPIC :-

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Shradha Ma`am Sharad Kumar Rathore

Shaikh Naquib Usmani

 Write up !!!
Meaning of conflict
A 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.

This definition is purposely broad. It describes that point

in any ongoing activity when an interaction ‘crosses over’ to become an interparty
disagreement. It encompasses the wide range of conflicts that people experience
in organizations – incompatibility of goals, differences over interpretations of
facts, disagreements based on behavioural expectations and the like. Finally, our
definition is flexible enough to cover the full range of conflict levels – from overt
and violent acts to subtle forms of disagreement.

Characteristics of Conflict
1. Conflict is a Process:
Conflict occurs in ‘layers’. First layer is always misunderstanding.
The other layers are differences of values, differences of viewpoint, differences
of interest, and interpersonal differences. It is also called a process because it
begins with one party perceiving the other to oppose or negatively affect its
interests and ends with competing, collaborating, compromising or avoiding.

2. Conflict is Inevitable:
Conflict exists everywhere. No two persons are the same. Hence
they may have individual differences. And the differences may be because of
values or otherwise, lead to conflict. Although inevitable, conflict can be
minimized, diverted and/or resolved. Conflict develops because we are dealing
with people’s lives, jobs, children, pride, self-concept, ego and sense of mission.
Conflict is inevitable and often good, for example, good teams always go through
a “form, storm, norm and perform” period.

3. Conflict is a Normal Part of Life:

Individuals, groups, and organisations have unlimited needs
and different values but limited resources. Thus, this incompatibility is bound to
lead to conflicts. The conflict is not a problem, but if it is poorly managed then it
becomes a problem.
4. Perception:
It must be perceived by the parties to it, otherwise it does not exist. In
interpersonal interaction, perception is more important than reality. What we
perceive and think affects our behaviour, attitudes, and communication.

5. Opposition:
One party to the conflict must be perceiving or doing something the
other party does not like or want.

6. Interdependence and Interaction:

There must be some kind of real or perceived interdependence.
Without interdependence there can be no interaction. Conflict occurs only when
some kind of interaction takes place.

7. Everyone is inflicted with Conflict:

Conflict may occur within an individual, between two or more
individuals, groups or between organisations.

8. Conflict is not Unidimensional:

It comes into different ways in accordance with degree of
seriousness and capacity. At times, it may improve even a difficult situation.

The interactionist view of conflict

The interactionist view of conflict encourages conflict on the grounds that a
harmonious, peaceful, tranquil and cooperative group is prone to becoming static,
apathetic and nonresponsive to needs for change and innovation.3 The major
contribution of the interactionist view, therefore, is encouraging group leaders to
maintain an ongoing minimum level of conflict – enough to keep the group viable,
self-critical and creative.
The interactionist view does not propose that all conflicts are good. Rather, some
conflicts support the goals of the group and improve its performance; these are
functional conflict, constructive, forms of conflict. In addition, there are conflicts
that hinder group performance; these are dysfunctional conflict, or destructive,
forms of conflict. What differentiates functional from dysfunctional conflict? To
a large degree, this depends on the type of conflict and the locus of conflict.
Various types of conflicts

1. Task conflict
Conflict over content and goals of the work.

2. Relationship conflict
Conflict based on interpersonal relationships.

3. process conflict
Conflict over how work gets done.

4. Dyadic conflict
Conflict that occurs between two people.

5. Intragroup conflict
Conflict that occurs within a group or team.

6. Intergroup conflict
Conflict between different groups or teams.

Conflict process
A process that has five stages: potential opposition or
incompatibility, cognition and personalization, intentions, behaviour and
outcomes.
Stage 1: 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
surface. For simplicity’s sake, these conditions (which we can also look at as
causes or sources of conflict) have been condensed into three general categories:
communication, structure and personal variable.

• Communication. Conflict can arise from semantic issues,

misunderstanding, or noise in the communication channel that hasn’t
been clarified. For instance, your new manager, Steve, is leading a
project and you’re on the team. Steve is vague about the team’s goals,
and when you get to work on your part of the project, Steve shows up
half the way through to tell you you’re doing it wrong. This is conflict
caused by communication.

• Structure. Conflict can arise based on the structure of a group of

people who have to work together. For instance, let’s say you sell
cars, and your co-worker has to approve the credit of all the people
who purchase a vehicle from you. If your co-worker doesn’t approve
your customers, then he is standing between you and your
commission, your good performance review, and your paycheck. This
is a structure that invites conflict.
 • Personal variables. Conflict can arise if two people who work
together just don’t care for each other. Perhaps you work with a man
and you find him untrustworthy. Comments he’s made, the way he
laughs, the way he talks about his wife and family, all of it just rubs
you the wrong way. That’s personal variable, ripe to cause a conflict.

Stage 2: Cognition and personalization

conflict must be perceived by the parties to it whether or not
conflict exists is a perception issue. If no one is aware of a conflict, then it is
generally agreed that no conflict exists. Because conflict is perceives does not
mean that is personalized. For e.g. ” A may be aware that B and A are in serious
disagreements but it may not make A tense or nations and it may have no effect
whatsoever on A’s affection towards B” It is the felt level , when individuals
become emotionally involved that parties experience anxiety , tension or hostility.
Stage two is the place in the process where the parties decide what the conflict is
about and emotions plays a major role in shaping perception.

Perceived conflict
Awareness by one or more parties of the existence of conditions that create
opportunities for conflict to arise.

Felt conflict
Emotional involvement in a conflict that creates anxiety, tenseness, frustration or
hostility.

Stage 3: Intentions
Intentions are decisions to act in a given way intentions intervene
between people’s perception and emotions and their overt behaviour.
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)- five conflict handling
intentions can be identified.

1) Competing: when one person seeks to satisfy his or her own interests
regardless of the impact on the other parties to the conflict, he is competing.
2) Collaborating: A situation in which the parties to a conflict each desire to
satisfy fully the concerns of all the parties. In collaborating, the intention o the
parties are to solve the problem by clarifying differences rather than by
accommodating various points of view.

3) Avoiding: a person may recognize that a conflict exists and want to withdraw
from it or suppress it. Avoiding included trying to just ignore a conflict and
avoiding others with whom you disagree.

4) Accommodating: The willingness of one partying a conflict top lace the

opponent’s interest above his or her own.

5) Compromising: A situation in which each party to a conflict is wiling to give

up something.

Intentions provide general guidelines for parties in a conflict situation. They

define each party’s purpose. Yet people intention is not fixed. During the course
of conflict, they might change because of reconceptualization or because of an
emotional reaction to the behaviour of other party.

Stage 4: Behaviour

This is a stage where conflict becomes visible. The behaviour stage

includes the statements, actions and reactions made by the conflicting parties.
These conflict behaviours are usually overt attempt to implement each party’s
intentions.

Stage 5: Outcomes

The action reaction interplay between the conflicting parties result in

consequences. These outcomes may be functional in that the conflict results in an
improvement in the group’s performance, or dysfunctional in that it hinders group
performance.
Conflict is constructive when it improves the quality of decisions simulates
creativity and innovations encourages interest and curiosity among group
members provides the medium through which problems can be aired and tensions
released and fosters an environment of self evaluation and change
Conflict is dysfunctional when uncontrolled opposition breeds discontent, which
acts to dissolve common ties and eventually leads to the destruction of the group.
Among the more undesirable consequences are a retarding of communication,
reductions in group cohesiveness and subordination of group goals to the primacy
of infighting between members.

Causes/ Reasons/Sources of Conflicts:

Conflicts may be caused by any one or more of the following reasons:
Cognitive(Recognition and Understanding) & Dissonance(Difference of
opinion):
It is a conflict between convergent (ability to narrow the number of possible
solutions to a problem by applying logic and knowledge) and divergent thinking
(thinking outwards instead of inward).

Status
Status is a state, condition, or situation. When there is a need for status and a
“wrong” person is promoted.

Incongruence
A party is required to engage in an activity that is incongruent with his or her
needs or interests.

Incompatibility
A party holds behavioural preferences like attitudes, values, skills, goals, and
perceptions, the satisfaction of which is incompatible with another person’s
implementation of his or her preferences. Economics: Insufficient remuneration
to employees.
Stress
Conflicts from stress from external sources; i.e., functional or dysfunctional
situations.

Poor or Inadequate Organisational Structure and Lack of Teamwork.

Seeking Power
Often a conflict for power struggle takes place when everyone wants to be a leader
and nobody wants to be a follower.

Weak Leadership
Conflict is bound to result if someone of less stature leads a more qualified and
experienced worker.

Arbitrary interpretation and application of rules and policies: Lack of

transparency and openness creates dissatisfaction among the affected people.

Differing viewpoints among colleagues about each other:

In case of joint action two parties may have partially
exclusive behavioural preferences.

Managerial Actions

Poor communication (employees being not informed of new decisions,

programmes etc., not involved in decision making, and rumor mongering
allowed); insufficient resources (Disagreement on allotment of work, stress from
inadequate financial, equipment, facilities, and other resources and privileges);
absence of personal chemistry between managers and employees (both sides
having rigidity, dislike for absence of self- traits); lack of clarity in roles and
responsibilities, arbitrariness in employees’ performance appraisal; weak
leadership, and inconsistent, too-strong, or uninformed leadership (lack of
openness, buck-passing with little follow-through, lingering on issues, first-line
managers failing to understand their subordinates’ jobs). All these factors cause
dissatisfaction.

Conflict management
Conflict management is the process of limiting the negative aspects
of conflict while increasing the positive aspects of conflict. The aim of conflict
management is to enhance learning and group outcomes, including effectiveness
or performance in an organizational setting.
Tips for managing conflicts
1. avoid feelings or perception that imply the other person is wrong or needs to
change.

2. communicate a desire to work together to explore a problem or seek a solution.

3. exhibits behaviour that is spontaneous and destruction fees.

4. identifies with another team member`s problem, shares feelings, and accepts
the team member`s reaction.

5. treat other team members with respect and trust.

6. investigates issues rather ten taking sides on them.

A manager should take following actions to minimize conflicts:

1. Regular Review of Job Descriptions:

With the pace of change the job description must also change. But this
will be possible only when the job descriptions are regularly reviewed.

2. Establish Rapport and build Relationship with all of Your Subordinates:

For it, meet them at regular intervals; ask them about their
achievements, problems, and challenges.

3. Regular Reports:
A manager must get progress report about his subordinates regularly,
indicating achievements, current needs and future scenario.

4. Training:
Every manager needs to be provided training in interpersonal
communication, conflict management, and delegation of authority.

5. Mutual Development of Procedures:

For routine tasks, the procedures should be developed keeping in
mind the inputs received from employees. If possible, encourage them to write.
Such written procedures should be distributed to all concerned. If the need be,
concerned employees be trained in those procedures.
6. Holding Regular Meetings:
The managers need to hold regular management meetings to inform
subordinates about new initiatives to be taken and the progress of current
programmes.

7. Anonymous Suggestion Box:

Consider such a box in which employees can provide suggestions.

Conclusion
Individual should understand their own personal triggers to better deal with
conflict situation in the work place.

Group member should think about other group members early on to identify
privately thus individual and behaviours that may push their buttons.

Thank you!!!