Conflict Management



Conflict Management

Introduction

Before 90's, most of the organizational literature presumed conflicts to be counterproductive and theorists hardly suggested any constructive edge of the conflicts for the organization under specific circumstances but the empirical studies were still lacking. Organizational conflicts become more visible when the firms got experimented by the decentralized structures and workers are given more responsibilities and independency in decision making (Dumaine & Nohria, 1991).

The changes indicate that conflicts may arise between the individuals and between the groups in the organization (Janssen, Van de Vliert & Veenstra, 1999). Diversity is increasing in the organizational workforce as people from different educational and cultural backgrounds, minorities and women are entering the workforce that inevitably leads to various kinds of organizational conflicts as compared to the workforces that are homogenous. (Fiol, 1994 and William & O 'Reilly, 1998). Recent empirical researches focus on the potential benefits of the conflicts instead of its negative effects.

Discussion

Conflict is inevitable and is natural when two or more p[arties come in contact with each other to attain their objectives. Relationships become incompatible and inconsistent when two individuals or parties desire a similar resource within the organizational structure.

Conflict is broadly defined as the perceived incompatibilities or change in thoughts, ideas or views among the individuals, groups, teams or parties involved. This definition of conflict encompasses a broader view that allows us to examine the conflict debate circumstances and its surroundings. In a study (Pruitt & Kim, 2004) define conflict as a perceived divergence of the thoughts, beliefs and interests that reflects the incompatibility in the current or previous aspirations of the parties involved.

Types of conflicts

Role conflict

Conflicts arise from the prescribed roles and responsibilities assigned to the workforce. Role ambiguity can be reason that results into role conflict.

Resource conflict

A source of conflict stemming from the scarcity of the resource for which the interest groups compete to attain their respective objectives.

Interpersonal Conflict

This type of conflict is also known as dyadic conflict. It exists between the two individuals from the same or may be different hierarchical units or levels. This type of conflict can profoundly affect the performance of the organization. (Baranyi, S., Beaudet, P., & Locher, U. 2011).

Intergroup conflict

Another name to this conflict is interdepartmental conflict that exists between the two groups or subgroups or two or more departments for instance conflict between marketing and production departments. (Bruce Russett, 2011)

Intragroup conflict

This is also known by the name of intradepartmental conflict. It refers to the conflict among the members of the same group or between the subgroups within a group

Sources & Causes of Conflict

Conflict can be classified on the basis of its sources and the prevailing situations. It may also be classified on the basis of the levels in the organizational structure (individual, group etc.) or the level of the hierarchy where the conflict actually takes place(Katz, 1960). In an organizational structure conflict may arise from different sources such as goals, values, tasks, scarce resources and so on. It is appropriate to classify resources in order to choose and ...