Conflict Defined

• 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
– That point in an ongoing activity when an interaction
“crosses over” to become an interparty conflict
• Encompasses a wide range of conflicts that people
experience in organizations
– inappropriateness of goals
– Differences over interpretations of facts
– Disagreements based on behavioral expectations

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Transitions in Conflict Thought
• Traditional View of Conflict
– The belief that all conflict is harmful and must be
avoided
– Prevalent view in the 1930s-1940s

• Conflict resulted from:

– Poor communication

– Lack of openness

– Failure to respond to employee needs

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Continued Transitions in Conflict
Thought
Human Relations View of Conflict
The belief that conflict is a natural and expected
outcome in any group
Prevalent from the late 1940s through mid-1970s
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
Current view

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Forms of Interactionist Conflict
Functional Conflict
Conflict that supports the goals of the group and
improves its performance
Dysfunctional Conflict
Conflict that hinders group performance

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Types of Interactionist Conflict
Task Conflict
Conflicts over content and goals of the work
Low-to-moderate levels of this type are FUNCTIONAL
Relationship Conflict
Conflict based on interpersonal relationships
Almost always DYSFUNCTIONAL
Process Conflict
Conflict over how work gets done
Low levels of this type are FUNCTIONAL

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The Conflict Process
• Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
– Communication
• Semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and “noise”
– Structure
• Size and specialization of jobs
• Jurisdictional clarity/ambiguity
• Member/goal incompatibility
• Leadership styles (close or participative)
• Reward systems (win-lose)
• Dependence/interdependence of groups

– Personal Variables
• Differing individual value systems
• Personality types

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Stage II: Cognition and
Personalization
Important stage for two reasons:

1. Conflict is defined
 Perceived Conflict
 Awareness by one or more parties of the existence of

conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise

2. Emotions are expressed that have a strong impact on
the eventual outcome
 Felt Conflict
 Emotional involvement in a conflict creating anxiety,

tenseness, frustration, or hostility

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Stage III: Intentions
• Intentions
– Decisions to act in a given way
– Note: behavior does not always accurate reflect intent
• Dimensions of conflict-handling intentions:
– Cooperativeness
• Attempting to satisfy
the other party’s
concerns
– Assertiveness(forceful personality)
• Attempting to satisfy
one’s own concerns
Exhibit 15-2

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Stage IV: Behavior
Conflict Management
The use of resolution and stimulation techniques to
achieve the desired level of conflict
Conflict-Intensity Continuum

Exhibit 15-3

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Conflict Resolution Techniques
– Problem solving Bringing in outsiders
– Superordinate goals Restructuring the
– Expansion of resources
organization
– Avoidance
Appointing a devil’s
– Smoothing
advocate
– Compromise
– Authoritative command
– Altering the human
variable
– Altering the structural
variables
– Communication Exhibit 15-4

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Stage V: Outcomes
• Functional
– Increased group performance
– Improved quality of
decisions
– Stimulation of creativity and
innovation
– Encouragement of interest
and
– Provision of a medium for
problem-solving
– Creation of an environment
for self-evaluation and
change
• Dysfunctional
– Development of
dissatisfaction
– Reduced group effectiveness
– Retarded communication
– Reduced group cohesiveness
– Infighting among group
members overcomes group
goals
• Creating Functional Conflict
– Reward disagree and punish
conflict avoiders
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Negotiation
Negotiation (Bargaining)
A process in which two or more parties exchange
goods or services and attempt to agree on the
exchange rate for them
Two General Approaches:
Distributive Bargaining
 Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of
resources; a win-lose situation

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Integrative Bargaining
 Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that can
create a win-win solution

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Distributive versus Integrative
Bargaining
Bargaining Distributive Integrative
Characteristic Bargaining Bargaining
Goal Get all the pie you Expand the pie
can
Motivation Win-Lose Win-Win
Focus Positions Interests
Information Sharing Low High
Duration of Relationships Short-Term Long-Term

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Bargaining Tactics and the
Bargaining Zone
Distributive Tactics
Make an aggressive first offer
expose a deadline

Integrative Tactics
Bargain in teams
Put more issues on the table
Don’t compromise

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The Negotiation Process

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Preparation & planning:
what is the nature of conflict?
what`s the history leading upto this negotiation?
who is involved and what are the perceptions of the
conflict?
what do you want from neciation?
what are your goals? And also
 what you thinks other parties goal are?
what are they likely to ask for?
how deep-rooted are theylikely to be in their position?
what might they be willing to settle on?

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Definition of ground rules
Who will do nigotiation?
Where will it take place?
What time constraints,if any,will apply?
To what issues will negotiation be limited?

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Clarification & justification
Bargaining and problem solving
Closure & implementation

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Individual Differences in
Negotiation Effectiveness
Personality Traits
 Extroverts and agreeable people weaker at distributive
negotiation – disagreeable introvert is best
 Intelligence is a weak indicator of effectiveness
Mood and Emotion
 Ability to show anger helps in distributive bargaining
 Positive moods and emotions help integrative bargaining
Gender
 Men and women negotiate the same way, but may
experience different outcomes
 Women and men take on gender stereotypes in negotiations:
tender and tough
 Women are less likely to negotiate

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Third-Party Negotiations
Four Basic Third-Party Roles
Conciliator
 A trusted third party who provides an informal communication
link between the negotiator and the opponent

Consultant
 An impartial third party, skilled in conflict management, who
attempts to facilitate creative problem solving through
communication and analysis

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