ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

UNIT 8:CONFLICT
 WHAT IS CONFLICT?
• Common definitions of conflict tend to be associated with
negative features and situations which give rise to
inefficiency, ineffectiveness or dysfunctional consequences.
Traditional view: The traditional view of conflict is that it is
bad for organizations. Conflict is perceived as disruptive
and unnatural, and represents a form of deviant behavior
which should be controlled and changed.
• Clearly, extreme cases of conflict in organizations can have
very upsetting, or even tragic, consequences for some
people and have adverse effects on organizational
performance.
• Conflict situations can give rise to excessive emotional or
physical stress.
 WHAT IS CONFLICT? Cont…

• Conflict is not necessarily a bad thing, however.

Properly managed, it can arguably have potentially
positive outcomes.
• It can be an energizing and vitalizing force in groups
and in the organization.
• Conflict can be seen as a ‘constructive’ force and in
certain circumstances it can be welcomed or even
encouraged.
• For example, it can be seen as an aid to incremental
improvement in organizational design and
functioning, and to the decision-making process.
• Conflict can be an agent for evolution, and for
internal and external change.
 WHAT IS CONFLICT? Cont…
Broad interpretation of conflict: The current view
appears to recognize that conflict can be
interpreted more broadly than in the traditional
view. For example, Townsend sees conflict as a sign
of a healthy organization.
• A good manager doesn’t try to eliminate conflict;
he tries to keep it from wasting the energies of his
people.
• Therefore, If you are the boss and your people fight
you openly when they think you are wrong –that’s
healthy. If your people fight each other openly in
your presence for what they believe in – that’s
healthy.
 WHAT IS CONFLICT? Cont…

The interactionist perspective: This perspective

believes that conflict is a positive force and
necessary for effective performance.
• This approach encourages a minimum level of
conflict within the group in order to encourage
self criticism, change and innovation.
• Conflict, per se, is not necessarily good or bad
but an inevitable feature of organizational life
and should be judged in terms of its effects on
performance. Even if organizations have taken
great care to try and avoid conflict it will still
occur.
 Sources of Conflict

• There are many potential sources of

organizational conflict including the following:
• 1. Differences in perception. We all see things in
different ways.
• We all have our own, unique picture or image of
how we see the real world.
• Differences in perception result in different people
attaching different meanings to the same stimuli.
• As perceptions become a person’s reality, value
judgments can be a potential major source of
conflict
 Sources of Conflict Cont…
• 2. Limited resources: Most organizational
resources are limited, and individuals and
groups have to fight for their share; for
example, at the time of national budget
allocation or when cutbacks have to be made,
conflict tends to occur.
• The greater the limitation of resources, then
usually the greater the potential for conflict. In
an organization with reducing profits or
revenues the potential for conflict is likely to
be intensified.
 Sources of Conflict Cont…

• 3. The nature of work activities: Where the

task of one person is dependent upon the
work of others there is potential for conflict;
for example, if a worker is expected to
complete the assembly of a given number of
components in a week but the person
forwarding the part-assembled components
does not supply a sufficient number on time,
conflict is then likely to occur.
 Sources of Conflict Cont…
• 4. Reward system: If reward and punishment
systems are perceived to be based on keeping up
with performance levels, then the potential for
conflict is even greater.
• If the work of a department is dependent upon the
output of another department a similar situation
could arise, especially if this situation is coupled with
limited resources; for example, where the activities
of a department, whose budget has been reduced
below what is believed necessary to run the
department efficiently, are interdependent with
those of another department, who appear to have
received a more generous budget allocation.
 Sources of Conflict Cont…
• 5. Role conflict: A role is the expected pattern
of behaviors associated with members
occupying a particular position within the
structure of the organization.
• In practice, the manner in which people
actually behave may not be consistent with
their expected pattern of behavior. Problems
of role incompatibility and role ambiguity arise
from inadequate or inappropriate role
definition and can be a significant source of
conflict.
 Strategies for Managing Conflict

• The strategies adopted will vary according to the

nature and sources of conflict outlined above.
• Clarification of goals and objectives. The clarification
and continual refinement of goals and objectives, role
definitions and performance standards will help to
avoid misunderstandings and conflict.
• Focusing attention on superordinate goals, that are
shared by the parties in conflict, may help to defuse
hostility and lead to more cooperative behavior.
• A superordinate goal is a goal of the overall
organization and is more important to the well-being
of the organization and its members than the more
specific goals of the conflicting parties.
 Strategies for Managing Conflict
• Resource distribution: Although it may not
always be possible for managers to increase
their allocated share of resources, they may
be able to use imagination and initiative to
help overcome conflict situations – for
example, making a special case to higher
management; greater flexibility to transfer
funds between budget headings; delaying staff
appointments in one area to provide more
money for another area.
 Strategies for Managing Conflict

• Non-monetary rewards: Where financial

resources are limited, it may be possible to pay
greater attention to non-monetary rewards and
these include the following: job design; more
interesting, challenging or responsible work;
increased delegation or empowerment; flexible
working hours; attendance at courses or
conferences etc.
• Group activities: Attention to the composition
of groups and to factors which affect group
cohesiveness may reduce dysfunctional
conflict.
 Strategies for Managing Conflict

• Leadership and management: A more

participative and supportive style of leadership
and managerial behavior is likely to assist in
conflict management – for example, showing
an attitude of respect and trust; encouraging
personal self development; creating a work
environment in which staff can work co-
operatively together. A participative approach
to leadership and management may also help
to create greater employee commitment.
 Conflict Management Styles

• Conflict management is defined as “the

opportunity to improve situations and
strengthen relationships” there are five ways
to manage conflict:
• Avoidance
• Competition
• Accommodation
• Compromise
• Collaboration
 Conflict Management Styles
• Avoidance occurs when an interaction is
relatively unimportant to either party’s goals, and
the goals are incompatible.
• Because the parties to the conflict are not striving
toward compatible goals and the issues in
question seem unimportant, the parties simply
try to avoid interacting with one another.
• For example, one state agency may simply ignore
another agency’s requests for information. The
requesting agency can then practice its own form
of avoidance by not following up on the requests.
 Conflict Management Styles

• Use Avoidance when-

 The issue is trivial, concentrate on more important
issues
 When neither party has a chance of satisfying its
concerns,
 When disruption cannot be allowed to continue,
 When people need to cool down, more information is
needed to bring about a solution,
 There are hidden agendas and the apparent issue could
mask something more fundamental.
• Accommodation: This occurs when one party sacrifices
its own aims to put the interest of the other party first.
A win-lose solution.
 Conflict Management Styles

• Use Accommodation When:

 One party is partially in the wrong,
 When the issue is much more vital to one party than the other,
 When it is necessary to find a way for one party to retreat with
dignity, and
 When one party needs to be able to learn from its mistakes.
• Competition
• Usually this occurs when one party attempts to overwhelm the
other party using threats or power. The winner is clear and
usually experience gains.
• Establishes the battleground for the next conflict and may cause
worthy competitors to withdraw or leave the organization
• Use Competition when;
 Quick, decisive action is necessary.
 Conflict Management Styles
 When the future popularity of the decision is
unimportant,
 When the matter is essential to organizational
success,
 When one or both of the parties would take
advantage of the others less competitive
behavior.
• Compromise-intermediate amount of assertive
and cooperative behavior in which the person
forsakes some of his or her own aims in return
for satisfaction of others. No winners or losers.
 Conflict Management Styles
• Use Compromise- when
• The parties goals are important but not worth
the disruption that could arise from more
assertive approaches,
• When the parties have equal power and
stalemate is likely,
• When temporary settlements are needed and
when time is short.
 Conflict Management Styles

• Collaboration-Behaviour is assertive and

cooperative in which the person attempts to
achieve his or her own interests, but by
engaging in joint problem- solving with the
other party to identify a solution that benefits
both.
• A research for a win-win solution
 Conflict Management Styles

• Use Collaboration when –

 Time is relatively plentiful,
 when it is vital that both parties learn from
the experience,
 when gaining commitment of both parties to
implementation is vital and,
 when it is necessary to work through feelings
that might give rise to future conflicts.
Thank you