By definition: The interaction of interdependent people who perceive opposition of goals, aims, and values and who see the other party as potentially interfering with the realization of those goals.
- Incompatible goals - most central to org conflict and can stem from a variety of reasons.
- Interdependent - Incompatibility is not an issue until interdependent behaviors become a problem.
- Interaction - conflict involves the expression of incompatibility, not just the existence of it, and this is done through communication.
Levels of Organizational Conflict
- Interpersonal - among members
- Intergroup - among departments or teams
- Interorganizational - among orgs
Phases of Org Conflict
- Latent Conflict - conditions are ripe due to interdependence and incompatibility.
- Perceived Conflict - when one or more parties believes that incompatibility and interdependence exist.
- Felt Conflict - both parties begin to formulate strategies about how to deal with conflict and outcomes that would or would not be acceptable.
- Manifest Conflict - The strategies and goals are worked through
- Conflict Aftermath - short and long term aftermat exist.
Managing Organization Conflict
Conflict Styles:
- Descriptive W/W
- Avoidance L/L
- Accommodating L/W
- Competition W/L
- Collaboration W
- It downplays the fact that people can change their tactics when in conflict with others.
- This s just a two-dimensional model that excludes outside factors
- It doesn't address nonverbal and non-rational communication that occurs in escalated conflict.
- By looking at the person only, the org setting gets ignored.
New Directions in Conflict Management
Conflict message style is now factoring into the study of conflict management in terms of perception and style.
Politeness and formality impacts the process.
Bargaining and Negotiation
- Bargaining is often a formal activity where disputants settle conflicts about scarce resources or policy disagreements.
- Often involves individuals who serve as representatives for the parties in the dispute.
- Often used to settle intergroup or inter organizational conflicts.
Integrative bargaining - Both sides are trying to maximize gains, both parties win.
Third Party Conflict Resolution
Sometimes a difficult conflict can't be settled between two parties, requiring someone else to be brought in to mediate or arbitrate the proceedings. In orgs this is usually the manager.
Managerial Conflict Resolution - the conflict resolution style depends on the nature of the conflict and how much control the manager has over the proceedings.
Sometimes it's best to bring in an objective outside party.
- Mediator - helps facilitate the conflict but has no decision power. They can initiate recommendations, clarify misunderstandings, set agendas for resolutions, and regulate the tone of the exchange.
- Arbitrator - makes decisions that ae binding based on the proposals and arguments of the parties involved.
Factors Influencing the Process:
Personal - gender, personality, character, play a big part in how we deal with conflict.
Relational - roles and relationships also impact resolution;
- Power - where one falls on the hierarchy will dictate what type of style one will use, one is more competitive with those down, but more accommodating with those higher.
- Co-orientation - how much parties see the conflict the same way
Conflict as an Exchange
A feminine approach
