CONFLICT AND

COLLABORATION

INTRODUCTION

All of us experienced various types of conflicts, but we fail to recognize various conflicts in an organization. Conflicts can be a serious problem in an organization. A better understanding of the important areas of conflict will help managers to use the people in effective manner to achieve organizational goals.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Meaning of conflict Definition of conflict Sources of organizational conflict Types of conflict Negotiation Conflict management strategies Approaches of conflict management Collaboration

MEANING OF CONFLICT

Conflict is a perceived difference of values between to or more parties that results in mutual opposition

Definitions of conflict

According to gray and starke “conflict is a behavior by a person or group that is purposely designed to inhibit the attainment of goals by another person or group”

According to R W Woodman “conflict is any situation in which incompatible goals, attitudes, emotions, lead to disagreement or opposition between two or more parties”

SOURCES OF CONFLICT

SOURCES OF ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT

Line and staff competitionorganization-individual disagreementsOverlapping responsibilitiesFunctional interdependencePersonality clashesDisagreement over goalsBottlenecks in the flow of work

Line and staff competition

Conflict in most organizations persists between line and staff because it is virtually impossible to define precisely the responsibility and authority relationships between two.

Organization-individual disagreements

The conflict between the

organization and individual centres around the individuals failure to fulfill the organization’s expectations regarding the productivity or compliance with rules.

Overlapping responsibilities

Organizations constantly make changes in external environment, adoption of new policies, expansion or contraction. As a result it is impossible to establish job responsibilities once and for all. Thus the stage is set for conflict.

Functional interdependence

Conflicts between an organization’s functional units, such as sales, accounting and manufacturing . Departments are separated on the basis of function, they cannot work as completely autonomous units.

Personality clashes

Individual differences in personal qualities like values, attitudes, abilities, traits are often the reasons of conflict

Disagreement over goals

•Conflict among manager is often caused by the fact that there is poor agreement over goals.

Bottlenecks in the flow of work

Line supervisors in manufacturing must meet production deadlines, but they are dependent upon production schedules, warehousing shipping for effective performance. A bottleneck at any point may prevent them from being effective and also a chance for interpersonal conflict.

Types of conflict

Types of Conflict

• Interpersonal Conflict– Conflict between individuals due to differences in

their goals or values.

• Intra group Conflict– Conflict within a

group or team.

Types of Conflict

• Intergroup Conflict– Conflict between two or more teams, groups or

departments.– Managers play a key role in resolution of this

conflict

• Inter organizational Conflict– Conflict that arises across organizations.

Organizational Conflict

• Organizational Conflict– The discord that arises when goals, interests or

values of different individuals or groups are incompatible and those people block or thwart each other’s efforts to achieve their objectives.

Organizational Conflict

• Organizational Conflict– Conflict is inevitable given the wide range of goals

for the different stakeholder in the organization.

Intra Individual conflict

This conflict is internal to the person and is most probably difficult type of conflict to analyze.

The goals of organizational life are in direct conflict with the individual goals of workers causing them to be frustrated and threatened.

Intra organizational conflict

Horizontal conflictVertical hierarchical

conflictLine and staff conflict

Horizontal conflict

It refers to the conflicts between employees or departments at the same hierarchical level in an organization.

The sources of conflict between departments consists of pressures towards sub-optimization.

Departments are functionally interdependent, breakdowns in the performance of one department may cause conflicts.

Vertical hierarchical conflict

Conflict between any levels of organization

Occurs usually in superior subordinate relations

3 reasons for vertical conflicts

Inadequate communication between levelsDifferences of interests between position

holders occupying different status in the organizational hierarchy

A distinct lack of shared perceptions and attitudes among members.

Line and staff conflictThe splitting of various functions into

hierarchical and non-hierarchical levelsCreation of low status and high status

positions creates a discrepancy between expected and actual authority leading to frustration to all the parties involved

The Effect of Conflict on Organization Performance

Negotiation

• Negotiation– Parties to a conflict try to come up with a

solution acceptable to themselves by considering various alternative ways to allocate resources to each other

Steps in negotiation•Preparation•Discussion

Preparation

Set realistic goals and the bargaining zone

Access the adversarytactics

Discussion

Give the mike to the other partyYour sales pitchClarification and justificationFrequency and size of proposals

Third-party Negotiators

• Mediators – facilitates negotiations but no authority to

impose a solution

• Arbitrator – can impose what he thinks is a fair solution to a

conflict that both parties are obligated to abide by

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Conflict Management

• Conflict handled properly through collaboration allows us to confront conflict positively and constructively, and provides for a resolution that is not only successful, but also effective. This method ensures the conflict will end with a true win-win resolution!

What This Means

•Managing conflict means you need to develop several styles and decide which is valuable at any given point of conflict

Conflict Management Strategies

• Functional Conflict Resolution– Handling conflict by compromise or collaboration

between parties.

Conflict Management Strategies

• Compromise– each party is concerned about their goal

accomplishment and is willing to engage in give-and-take exchange to reach a reasonable solution.

• Collaboration– parties try to handle the conflict without making

concessions by coming up with a new way to resolve their differences that leaves them both better off.

Conflict Management Strategies

• Accommodation – one party simply gives in to the other party

• Avoidance – two parties try to ignore the problem and do

nothing to resolve the disagreement

Conflict Management Strategies

• Competition – each party tries to maximize its own gain and has

little interest in understanding the other’s position

Strategies Focused on Individuals

• Increasing awareness of the sources of conflict

• Increasing diversity awareness and skills• Practicing job rotation• Using permanent transfers or dismissals

when necessary

Strategies Focused on the Whole Organization

• Changing an organization’s structure or culture

• Altering the source of conflict

Conflict ContinuumI win, you lose (competition—A)

I lose or give in (accommodate—B)We both get something

(compromise—C) We both

“win”(collaborate—D)A B C D

Tips for Managing Workplace Conflict

• Build good relationships before conflict occurs• Do not let small problems escalate; deal with them

as they arise• Respect differences• Listen to others’ perspectives on the conflict

situation• Acknowledge feelings before focussing on facts• Focus on solving problems, not changing people• If you can’t resolve the problem, turn to someone

who can help• Remember to adapt your style to the situation and

persons involved

Approaches to conflict management

CollaborationPower playbargaining

collaborationIt is the result of a constructive rethinking on

the part of people involved in a conflictThey began to share information openly,

attempt to listen, develop empathy, depersonalize the issue, gather relevant information, consider available alternatives and put an end to theproblem.

Power play

Higher level managers establish rules and procedures to contain the conflict to an acceptable level

Some form of power intervention comes in

Bargaining

The opposing parties exchange offers and concessions directly or through representatives

The two parties are aware that each is trying to influence the other, and the agreement is a function of the power they bring to the situation and their bargaining skill

collaboration

It helps individuals to respect each other in the work place

It allows people to see the brighter side of people closely

Through collaboration they can generate alternative solutions

They get feedback from colleagues immediately

collaboration

Members can work more productively , generating as many ideas as possible

All people, additionally, get a chance to participate in organizational activities and test their capabilities

collaborationFacilitate the process by using a mediator to:

• Understand each participant’s perspective through a pre-counseling session.

• Set ground rules for improved communication.

• Coach participants through the counseling.

• Equalize power.

• Help participants plan for future interaction.

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