MANAGING CONFLICTS

Intra
Interpersonal
Intergroup
Organizational

1
 Definition
 Is the condition of objective incompatibility
between goals or between values (Intra-individual
conflict)
 Is the behaviour of someone deliberately interfering
with another’s goal achievement or another’s
emotional experience in terms of hostility
(Interpersonal)
 “ 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.” (Organizational)

2
 Levels of conflict in OB: INTRAINDIVIDUAL
Within individual there are usually
 A number of competing drives/ needs and roles
expressed in a variety of ways
 Many types of barriers can occur between the
drive and the goal
 Both positive and negative aspects attached to
desired goals.
 All these complicate the human adaptation
process and often result in conflict.
 Intra-individual forms of conflict are
analyzed in terms of the frustration model,
goals and roles.
3
Frustration Model: occurs when a motivated drive is blocked
before reaching a desired goal. The barrier may be either overt
(outward or physical) or covert (inward or mental socio-
psychological).
GOAL CONFLICT
Approach-approach conflict
An individual motivated to approach two or more positive but
mutually exclusively goals
Approach –avoidance conflict
the individual is motivated to approach a goal & at the same time
avoid it. - The single goal contains both positive and negative
characteristics for the individual.
Avoidance – Avoidance conflict - where the individual is motivated
to avoid two or more negative but mutually exclusive goals.
Usually resolved easily.
4
 Role Conflict
 Many play multiplicity of roles simultaneously –
parent/worker or manager/ coach/ clerk/ team leader.
 Three types of Role conflict
 the person and the role – conflict between person’s
personality & the expectations of a role. E.g production
worker & member of the union - to head the production
team; .
 Intra-role conflict – created by contradictory expectations of a
given role : team leader - autocratic or democratic?
 Inter-role conflict – results from differing requirements of two
or more roles that must be played at the same time. E.g. work
roles and non-work roles conflict (to accept the transfer and go
or choose to remain with the family)

5
Sources of Interpersonal Conflict
 Personal differences – unique background, upbringing,
cultural or family traditions and socialization process;
 Information deficiency – communication breakdown;
unlike personal differences, once corrected, there is little
resentment
 Role incompatibility – draws from both intra individual
and intergroup conflict;
 Interdependent tasks - production and marketing –
production cut cost & keep inventories low; sales increase
revenues through increased sales & therefore makes
delivery promises to customers - incompatible with the
low inventory levels maintained by production man.
 This role incompatibility has to be resolved by higher-
level management.
 Environment stress – resource crunch; down sizing and
therefore loss of people, or competitive pressure –
producing more with less resource or people.
6