Conflict Management

Muhammmad Riaz Khan

PhD Scholar (Org . Psyc/ Bhv), MS (HR) Gold
Medalist, AICCI-USA , Member SHRM, Member
IACM
riaz.ciitattock@gmail.com
+92 345 91 98 388
raqi148.weebly.com

Conflict
An interactive process manifested in
incompatibility,
disagreement,
or
dissonance
within or between
social entities
(i.e. individual, group,
organization).

Conflict occurs when one or (two) social entity (ies):

is required to engage in an activity that is dissimilar

with his or

her needs or interests.

Holds behavioral preferences, the satisfaction of

which is
incompatible with another persons
implementation of his
or her
preferences

Wants some mutually desirable resource that is in

short
supply,
such that the wants of everyone
may
not be
satisfied fully

Possesses attitudes, values, skills, and goals that are

salient in
directing ones behavior but that are
perceived to be exclusive
of the attitudes,
values, skills, and goals held by the other(s)

Has partially exclusive behavioral preferences

regarding joint
actions; and

is interdependent in the performance of functions or

activities.

Why Workplace
Conflict??
Workplace conflict may be because of

scarce and insufficient resources; such as time,

status or budgets:

because of values; such as political preferences,

religious beliefs, deep rooted moral values:

because of insights, facts, perceptions, world

views and may be because of any possible
combination of these issues

Types of Conflict
1. Relationship Conflict
2. Task Conflict
3. Conflict of Interest
4. Conflict of Values

Relationship Conflict
This occurs when two interacting social
entities, while trying to solve a problem
together, become aware that their feelings
and emotions regarding some or all the
issues are incompatible.
Also named as

Psychological conflict
Relationship conflict
Emotional conflict
Interpersonal conflict

Task Conflict
This occurs when two or more
organ-izational members disagree
on their task or content issues.
Task conflict
Cognitive conflict
Issue conflict

Conflict of Interest
This type of conflict occurs when each party,
sharing the same understanding of the
situation, prefers a different and Some
-what incompatible solution to a problem
involving either a distribution of scarce
resources between them or a decision to
share the work of solving it
The argument of managers A and B for the
same General Managers job exemplifies a
conflict of interest.

Conflict of Values
This occurs when two social entities
differ in their values or ideologies
on certain issues
Ideological conflict
The ideological disagreement of
supervisors A and B on the question of
compensatory hiring is an example of
value conflict.

Levels of Conflict
Intrapersonal Conflict
- Within ones personality

Interpersonal Conflict
- Among persons

Intra-group Conflict
- With in group

Inter-group Conflict
- Among persons

Intrapersonal Conflict
This type of conflict is also known as
intra-individual
or
intra-psychic
conflict.
It occurs when an organizational
member is required to perform
certain tasks and roles that do not
match his or her expertise, interests,
goals, and values.

Interpersonal Conflict
This is also known as dyadic conflict.
It refers to conflict between two or
more organizational members of the
same or different hierarchical levels
or units.
The studies on superiorsubordinate
conflict relate to this type of conflict.

Intra-group Conflict
This is also known as intradepartmental
conflict.
It refers to conflict among members of a
group or between two or more
subgroups within a group in connection
with its goals, tasks, procedures, and so
on. Such a conflict may also occur as a
result of incompatibilities or
disagreements between some or all the
members of a group and its leader(s).

Inter-group Conflict
This is also known as interdepartmental
conflict. It refers to conflict between two or
more units or groups within an organization.
Conflicts between line and staff, production
and marketing, and headquarters and field
staffs are examples of this type of conflict.
On special type of inte-rgroup conflict is
between labor and management.

Main Researchers
Dr. Dean Tjosvold

Dr. Afzal Rahim

400+ Research Articles

Book Chapters

Management Department
Professor of Management
Lingnan University Western Kentucky University
Tuen Mun, Hong Kong
Bowling Green, KY
Fax: (852) 2467-0982
email: tjosvold@ln.edu.hk
Two Books
Book Chapters, 200+ Researches

Phone/Fax: 270-782-2898/2601
email: mgt2000@aol.com