DEFINITION

Conflict is a state of opposition,

disagreement or incompatibility
between two or more people or
groups of people
Conflict in organization

Constructive conflict:
1) It can introduce different solution to
problems
2) Power relationships can be defines more
clearly
3) It may encourage creativity and the testing of
ideas.
4) It focuses attention on individual
contribution.
5) It brings emotion out into the open
6) It can release hostile feelings
 Destructive conflict
1) it may distract attention from the task
it can polarise views and affect judgment
2) objectives may be subverted in favour of
secondary goals.
3) It encourages defensive or spoiling
behaviour, damaging co-ordination and co
operation
4) it may result in disintegration of the group
5) looser may go into denial, look for
scapegoats or withdraw from further
participation.
 Conflict within group:
1) members close ranks, submerge their
differences, loyalty and conformity are
demanded.
2) The climate changes from informal and
sociable to work and task oriented,
individual needs are subordinated to
achievement.
3) leadership moves from democratic to
autocratic.
the group tends to become more structured
and organised.
Conflict between groups

1. The opposing group begins to be

perceived as the enemy
2. Perception is distorted, presenting as
idealised picture of us and a negative
stereotype of them.
3. Inter group communication decreases.
Conflict between departments
1. Operative goal incompatibility
2. Differentiation
3. Task inter-dependence
4. Scarcity of resource
5. Power distribution
6. Uncertainity
7. Reward system
 Managerial response to conflict

• In management conflict often the

problem will be firstly to deal with
symptoms, by reducing conflict
behavior, and then deal with the
causes of the conflict by encouraging
co-operative attitudes.
 Symptoms to conflict
1) Hostility between groups.
2) Frustration at inability to make progress
with tasks
3) Development of factions around
individuals
4) Blocking or ignoring of communication.
5) Reluctance to take responsibility for
problems.
 Responses to conflict:

1) Denial / withdrawal
2) Separation / accommodation
3) Dominance
4) Compromise
5) Integration/collaboration
Co-operative behavior
1) Integration devices:joint problem solving team, force people to
work together encouraging co-operative attitudes.
2) Consultants: consultants act as a catalyst for improving
communication.
3) Job rotation: personnel are swapped between conflicting parties.
4) Super-ordinate goals: senior manager set goals which require
the conflicting departments to co-operate in a meaningful way.
5) Inter group training: people from conflicting department can be
sent on joint training courses to break down barriers and
encourage communication
6) Organizational adjustments: improved procedures and
structural and workflow changes can have effect
7) The issues can be attacked and minimise by analysing them into
components that can be dealt with separately and innovatively
 Thus conflict
introduces different
solutions to
problems