conflict at work

8/3/2019 Conflict at Work

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Conflict at WorkBY: JUL AKBAR L. JAMIRI



CONFLICT

– is defined as any situation in

which incompatible goals,

attitudes, emotions, or behaviorlead to disagreement or opposition

between two or more parties.



A. Types of Conflict

Functional Conflict- is a healthy,

constructive disagreement between two

or more people.

Dysfunctional Conflict- is an

unhealthy, destructive disagreement

between two or more people.



CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICT

POSITIVECONSEQUENCES

NEGATIVECONSEQUENCES

>Leads to new ideas

Stimulates creativity

Motivates change

Promotes organizational vitality

Helps individuals and groups

establish identities

Serves as a safety value to indicateproblems

Diverts energy from work

Threatens psychological well-being

Wastes resources

Creates a negative climate

Breaks down group cohesion

Can increase hostility and aggressivebehaviors



B. Causes of Conflict in

Organizations

I. Structural Factors 1. Specialization-when jobs are highly

specialized, employees become experts at certain

tasks.

2. Interdependence-work that isinterdependent requires groups or individuals to

depend on one another to accomplish goals.

3. Common Resources-any time multipleparties must share resources, there is potential for

conflict.

4. Goal Differences- when work groups

have different goals, these goals may be

incompatible.



5. Authority Relationships- the nature of atraditional boss-employee relationship brings to mind

a vision of a hierarchy or of a boss who is superiorto the employee.

6. Status Inconsistencies-someorganizations have a strong status difference

between management and non-management workers.

7. Jurisdictional Ambiguities-unclear

lines of responsibility within an organization.



II. Personal Factors

1. Skills and Abilities-the work force iscomposed of individuals with varying levels of skills

and ability.

2. Personalities-individuals do not leave theirpersonalities at the doorstep when they enter the

workplace.

3. Perceptions-differences in perception canalso lead to conflict.



4. Values and Ethics-differences

in values and ethics can be sources ofdisagreement.

5. Emotions- the moods of others can be a source

of conflict in the workplace.

6. Communication Barriers- communication

barriers such as physical separation and language cancreate distortions in messages, and these can lead to

conflict.



III. Globalization and Conflict

IV. Forms of Conflict in Organizations

1. Interorganizational Conflict-conflictthat occurs between two or more organizations

2. Intergroup Conflict- conflict occurs

between groups or teams

3. Interpersonal Conflict- conflict

between two or more people

4. Intrapersonal Conflict- conflict

occurs within an individuala. Interrole Conflict- occurs when

a person experiences conflict among the

multiple roles in his/her life



b. Intrarole Conflict- is a conflict within a

single role

c. Person-role conflict- occurs when an

individual in a particular role is expected

to perform behaviors that clash with his or

her values.



Defense Mechanisms

Aggressive Mechanisms-are aimed at attacking

the source of the conflict.Fixation- an aggressive mechanism in

which an individual keeps up a dysfunctional

behavior that obviously will not solve the

conflict.Displacement- an aggressive mechanism in

which an individual directs his or her anger

toward someone who is not the source of the

conflict

Negativism- an aggressive mechanism in

which a person responds with pessimism to any

attempt at solving a problem.



Compromise Mechanisms- used by individuals to

make the best of a conflict situation.

Compensation- occurs when an individual

tries to make up for an inadequacy by putting

increased energy into another activity.

Identification- occurs when one

individual patterns his or her behavior after

another’s.

Rationalization- is trying one’s

behavior by constructing false reasons for

it.



Withdrawal Mechanisms- are exhibited when

frustrated individuals try to flee from a

conflict using either physical or

psychological means.

Flight – a withdrawal mechanism that

entails physically escaping a conflict.

Conversion - a withdrawal mechanism in

which emotional conflicts that are expressed

in physical symptoms.

Fantasy – a withdrawal mechanism thatprovides an escape from a conflict through

daydreaming.



Conflict Management Strategies and Techniques

Win-Lose versus Win-Win Strategies

STRATEGY DEPARTMENT A DEPARTMENT B ORGANIZATION

Competitive

Cooperative

LoseLoseWinWin

LoseWinLoseWin

LoseLoseLoseWin



Ineffective Techniques: 1. Nonaction-is doing nothing in hopes that

the conflict will disappear.

2. Secrecy- or trying to keep a conflict out

of view of most people, only creates suspicion.

3. Administrative Orbiting-is delaying

action on a conflict by buying time, usually by

telling the individuals involved that the problem isbeing worked on or that the boss is still thinking

about the issue.

4. Due process nonaction-is a procedure

set up to address conflicts that is so costly, time-consuming, or personally risky that no one will use

it.

5. Character Assasination- is an attempt to

label or discredit an opponent.



Effective Techniques: 1. Super ordinate Goals-an organizational

goal that is more important to both parties in a

conflict than their individual or group goals.2. Expanding Resources- if the conflict’s

source is common or scarce resources, providing more

resources is a solution.

3. Changing Personnel- Sometimes a conflictis prolonged and severe, and efforts at resolution

fail. In such cases, it may be appropriate to change

personnel.

4. Changing Structure- another way to

resolve a conflict is to change the structure of the

organization.

5. Confronting and Negotiating- some

conflicts require confrontation and negotiation

between the parties.



V. Conflict Management Styles

1. Avoiding-is a deliberate decision to take

no action on a conflict or to stay out of a conflictsituation.

2. Accomodating-a style which you areconcerned that the other party’s goals be met but

relatively unconcerned with getting your own way.

3. Competing- is a style that is very

assertive and uncooperative.

4. Compromising- is intermediate in both

assertiveness and cooperativeness, because each party

must give up something to reach a solution to the

conflict.

5.Collaborating- a win-win style that is

high on both assertiveness and cooperativeness.



Thank You!

Mabuhay!...

conflict at work

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