CONFLICT

By :Dr Ipseeta Satpathy, D.Litt

Professor OB & HRM
 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND NEGOTIATION
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.
Traditional view of conflict :
The belief that all conflict is harmful and must be avoided .
Conflict was seen as dysfunctional outcome resulting from poor
communication, a lack of openness and trust between people,
and the failure of managers to be responsive to the needs and
aspirations of their employees.
Human relations view of conflict :
The belief that conflict is a natural and inevitable
outcome in any group.
Interactionist view of conflict :
The belief that conflict is not only a positive force in
a group but that it is absolutely necessary for a
group to perform effectively.
 FUNCTIONAL VERSUS DYSFUNCTIONAL CONFLICT
Functional Conflict :
Conflict that supports the goals of the group and improves its
performance.
Dysfunctional Conflict :
Conflict that hinders group performance.
TYPES OF CONFLICT
Task Conflict :
Conflicts over content and goals of the work.
Relationship Conflict :
Conflict based on interpersonal relationships.
Process Conflict :
Conflict over how work gets done.
 CONFLICT
THE CONFLICT PROCESS
Stage I Stage II
Stage III
Potential opposition or Cognition & Intentions
incompatibility personalization

Antecedent conditions Perceived Conflict handling

conflict •Competing
• Communication •Collaborating
• Structure •Compromising
Felt •Avoiding
• Personal Variables •Accommodating
conflict

Stage V Stage IV
Outcomes Behaviour

Increased group Over Conflict

performance • Party’s Behaviour
• Other’s reaction
Decreased group
performance
 STAGE I : Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
 Communication

Bristo / Myers
Susan Squibb Tim Mc Guire
Good working relation
Susan Chuck
No good working
relationship
 Structure
Charlotte Sales Person (Portland Furniture Mart)

Teri Company Credit Manager (Portland Furniture Mart)

 Personal Variables
Immediate disliking towards a person
  STAGE II : Cognition and Personalization

Perceived Conflict :
Awareness by one or more parties of the existence of conditions that
create opportunities for conflict to rise.
Felt Conflict : Emotional involvement in a conflict creating anxiety,
tenseness, frustration or hostility
This stage is important as conflict issues are identified here.
Salary disagreement Zero sum situ If A’s salary increased means
that amount is less for B.
Salary pool increased Win-Win Situ Both get added pay
STAGE III : Intentions
Five Conflict handling intentions
Competing –A desire to satisfy one’s interests ,
regardless of the impact on the other party to the
conflict.
Collaborating – A situation in which the parties
to a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the
concerns of all parties.
 Avoiding – The desire to withdraw from or
suppress a conflict .
 Accommodating – The willingness of one
party in a conflict to place the opponent’s
interests above his or her own.

 Compromising – A situation in which each

party to a conflict is willing to give us
something .
Dimensions of Conflict-Handling
Intentions
 Conti….
 STAGE IV : Behavior

Statements, actions and reactions

 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
Conflict – Resolution Techniques :
Problem solving Face to face meeting of the conflicting parties for the
purpose of identifying the problem and resolving it
through open discussion
Super ordinate goals Creating a shared goal that cannot be attained
without the cooperation of each of the conflicting
parties
Expansion of resources When a conflict is caused by the scarcity of a
resource – say, money, promotion opportunities,
office space – expansion of the resource can create a
win-win solution.
Avoidance Withdrawal from, or suppression of, the conflict
Compromise Each party to the conflict gives up something of value
Authoritative command Management uses its formal authority to resolve the
conflict and then communicates its desires to the
parties involved
Altering the human variable
Altering the structural variable
Conflict-Stimulation Techniques :
Communication
Bringing in outsiders
Restructuring the organisation
Appointing a devil’s advocate
Using behavioral change techniques such as
human relations training to alter attitudes and
behaviours that cause conflict.
Changing the formal organisation structure
and the interaction patterns of conflicting
parties through job redesign, transfers,
creation of coordinating positions, and the like
Using ambiguous or threatening messages to
increase conflict levels.
Adding employees to a group whose
backgrounds, values, attitudes, or managerial
styles differ from those of present members.
Realigning work groups, altering rules and
regulations, increasing interdependence and
making similar structural changes to disrupt
the status quo.
Designating a critic to purposely argue against
the majority positions held by the group.
STAGE V : Outcomes

 Functional Outcomes

 Constructive – quality of decision improve, creativity

& innovation Ex Yahoo.

 Dysfunctional Outcomes

 Destructive – breeds discontent New York’s law firm

Shea & Gould closed down
NEGOTIATIONS

Prof (Dr) Ipseeta

 NEGOTIATIONS
Negotiation - A process in which two or more parties
exchange goods or services and attempt to agree on the
exchange rate for them.
BARGAINING STRATEGIES
Distributive Bargaining :
Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of
resources : a Win-lose situation.
Integrative Bargaining :
Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that can
create a win-win solution.
 THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS

 Preparation and Planning

BATNA – The best alternative to a negotiated
agreement; the lowest acceptable value to an
individual for a negotiated agreement.
 Definition of Ground Rules who will do the
negotiation ? Where ? When ?
Clarification & justification explaining justifying
your demands.
 Conti……
Bargain And Problem Solving
Essence of the negotiation process is the actual
give and take in trying to hash out an
agreement.
 Closure and Implementation
This is the final set up . Labor-management
negotiation, real estate negotiation or a job offer
for a senior-management position-all these will
require hammering out the specifics in a formal
contract.
 Third Party Negotiations
 Mediator – A neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated
solution by using reasoning, persuasion and suggestions
for alternatives.
 Conciliator – A trusted third party who provides an informal
communication link between the negotiator and the
opponent.
 Arbitrator – A third party to a negotiation who has the
authority to dictate an agreement.
 Consultant – An impartial third party, skilled in conflict
management, who attempts to facilitate creative problem
solving through communication and analysis.