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Managing conflict: What is conflict?

different interpretation

disagreement b/w groups or individuals.

Pondy describes it as:

Antecedent conditions of conflictual behavior

-resource policy

Individual state of mind Cognitive perception.

Behavior patterns of self.

Conflictual behavior range

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Features:

Incompatibility b/w 2 or more aspects of element-goalsetc.

Indecisive

Series of events with interlocking conflict episodes.

Must be perceived and expressed by parties

Issues involved in conflict:

Facts: way of definingGoals: priorities

Method : procedures

Values: beliefs.

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Approaches for conflict Traditional view:

considered dysfunctional, having adverse effects.

believed to spread disequilibrium .

orgn interest prevails- Henry Fayol. Human relations view:

natural phenomenon

arise due to difference in values and beliefs. Interactionist view:

positive approach, give way to new ideas, drivestowards innovation and change.

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Aspects of conflict

Positive aspect:

--Helps to create dynamic environment.

--Leads to innovation.--Cohesiveness in group

--Competition increases

--Releases frustration

--Scope of improvement

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CONFLICT FUNCTIONA OR

DYSFUNCTIONAL

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CONFLICTS ARE DYSFUNCTIONAL

CONFLICT IS AN INDICATION THAT SITUATION ISTHREATENING, DEVASTATING OR ON A POINT OFBREAKING.

CONFLICTS ARE UNPRODUCTIVE AND DYSFUNCTIONAL.

CONFLICTS CAN DELAY OR PREVENT THE ATTAINMENTOF A GOAL OR FRUSTRATE AN INDIVIDUAL. IN HOSPITALSITUATION

CONFLICT IS INEVITABLE

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CONFLICT ARE FUNCTIONAL

ALL CONFLICTS ARE NOT UNPRODUCTIVE.

CONFLICTS CAN BE USEFUL CONSTRUCTIVE,AND POSITIVE

IN FACT, A RELATIONSHIP WITH FREQUENTCONFLICT MAY BE HEALTHIER THAN ONE

WITH NO OBSERVABLE CONFLICT

CONT.

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CONFLICT CAN PROMOTE INNOVATION,

CREATIVITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW IDEAS,WHICH MAKE ORGANISATIONAL GROWTHPOSSIBLE.

IF IT IS HANDLED WELL, HOWEVER, CONFLICT

CAN BE PRODUCTIVE LEADING TO DEEPERUNDERSTANDING, MUTUAL RESPECT ANDCLOSENESS.

AND THE REALITY IS ALL THE MAJOR REFORMS

AND CHANGES OCCUR AS A CONSEQUENCE OFCONFLICT

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Negative aspects:

--Cost addition- deliberate--Source of disequilibrium-inefficiency

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Types of conflict

Individual level

Group level

Organizational level

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Individual levelconflict

Inter-Individual/Interpersonal

Verticalconflict

Horizontalconflict

Intra-individual

Roleconflict

Goal conflict

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Individual level conflictIntra-individual/Interpersonal:

Goal Conflict

Role conflict- ambiguity, orgn positionInter-Individual:

Vertical conflict

superior-subordinate

resistance by subordinate

leads to inefficiency

resultant- leave orgn.

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Horizontal conflict:

same level ppl: exchange of information.

Causes of Interpersonal conflict:

--nature of people

1. ego states2. value systems

3. socio cultural factors

--situational factors1. Interest conflict

2. role ambiguity

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Group level conflictInto 2 or more people.

1. Intra group (within a group)

when normal tasknew values imported

when extra group role comes into group-comparisons.

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Inter-group (with different groups)

Goal compatibility: mktg & production.Resource sharing common pool of resources.

Task relationship- JIT, dependent on tasks

Absorption of uncertainty-allocation of money

Attitudinal sets- closed communication

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Organizationallevel conflict

Inter-organization

Intra-organization

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Organizational level conflict:

Hierarchical conflict

Line and staff conflict

Functional conflictFormal and informal conflict

T f C fli t S f C fli t M t St t

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Type of Conflict Sources of Conflict Management Strategy1. Intra individual Conflicting goals,

needs, motives

Role Definition

2. Interpersonal Disagreementsantagonism

IPC Skills,TA, Johari-Window, Creative P S,

Assertive Behaviour

3. Inter-group Power, Authority

Status

Participative Mgt.

Team Bldg,Training4. Organizational Hierarchical Conflict

Functional conflict

Institutional Goal

setting

5. Client Hospital Quality of patient careand communication

Community GoalSetting, Public

Relations

Model for diagnosis and management of conflict

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Empowerment and participation:

Dependency on others leads to frustration, needsempowerment.

Empowerment is a process that provides greaterautonomy through sharing of relevant information

and provision of control over factors affecting jobperformance .

Approaches to empowerment:

1. Helping to achieve job mastery.

2. Allowing more control

3. Providing successful role models

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4. Using social reinforcement

5. Emotional support

Characteristics:

Relies on delegation of authority

Flat hierarchyFew managers with wider responsibilities

Employee satisfaction is core value of organization

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ORIGINAL HOFSTEDE FINDINGS

POWER DISTANCE

16 46 54 68 81 104

Austria USA Japan France Mexico Malaysia

UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE

8 46 65 82 92 112

Singapore USA Germany Mexico Japan Greece

INDIVIDUALISM / COLLECTIVISM

6 30 46 67 71 91

Guatemala Mexico Japan Germany France USA

MASCULINITY / FEMININITY

5 43 62 66 69 95

Sweden France USA Germany Mexico Japan

CONFUCIAN DYNAMISM

10 29 31 80 96

Pakistan USA Germany Japan Hong Kong

THE G L O B E FINDINGS

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THE G.L.O.B.E. FINDINGSJAVIDAN & HOUSE (01)

DIMENSION LOW MODERATEHIGH

UNCERTAINTY Russia USA Austria

AVOIDANCE Bolivia Mexico GermanyHungary Israel Denmark

POWER Denmark France Russia

DISTANCE Netherlands England Spain

South Africa Brazil Thailand

INDIVIDUALISM Singapore Hong Kong GreeceCOLLECTIVISM Denmark Egypt Hungary

Japan USA Germany

ASSERTIVENESS Sweden Ireland Spain

(Masculinity?) New Zealand Philippines USA

Switzerland Egypt Greece

HUMANE Germany Hong Kong Indonesia

ORIENTATION France Taiwan Malaysia

(Nurturing?) Spain Sweden Egypt

FUTURE Russia Slovenia Denmark

ORIENTATION Argentina Egypt Canada

(Long-term?) Poland Ireland Netherlands

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Managing change