EASING CONFLICT AT WORK

NameCollege

Sources of conflict

• It is important to identify and understand the

sources of conflict at the job

– Interpersonal

– Organizational

– Conflict related to change

– Outside factors

How conflict originates

• Officials have identified three sources

– Economic (money)

– Value

– Power

• Most conflict is a mix of these types

• Better understanding may help with improved resolution

Resource conflict

• Many firms have limited resources to allocate among

groups

• These teams may fight with each other for who among

them is most deserving of funds

• Collaborative approaches are ideal for helping to resolve

conflict

Organizational conflict

• Teams may compete with each other in an organization

• Much of the source may have to do with ineffective communication

• All members should be made to feel important to the goals of the firm

• Each individual should be valued in the organization

How to solve intergroup conflicts

• Intergroup conflicts

– May occur within racial or ethnic groups on any team

– These groups may pit themselves against one another for valuable recognition

and resources

• Many organizations have developed ways to manage these issues

• Poor communication among groups may be at the heart of all the strife in

the workplace

Solving intergroup conflict, cont.

• Different methods of conflict resolution have been identified

– Win-lose approach

– Lose-lose approach

• Both of these above are destructive to a company and its employees

– Win-win approach

• Clearly superior

• Selecting the nest option will take excellent communication and positive

patience to reach a resolution

References• Blake, R.R., Shepard, H.A., & Mouton, J. S. (1964) Managing intergroup conflict in

industry. Houston, Texas: Gulf, 1964.• Cormick, G., Dale, N., Emond, P., Sigurdson, S.G. & Stuart, B.D. (1996) Building

consensus for asustainable future: Putting principles into practice. Ottawa: National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, 1996.

• Deutsch, M. and Coleman, P. (eds.). (2000) The handbook of conflict resolution: Theory and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000.

• Fink, C.F. (1968) Some conceptual difficulties in the theory of social conflict. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 1968, 12(4), 412-460.

• Fisher, R.J. (1990) The social psychology of intergroup and international conflict resolution. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1990.

• Katz, D. (1965) Nationalism and strategies of international conflict resolution. In H.C. Kelman (ed.), International behavior: A social psychological analysis. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1965, pp. 356-390.

• Mack, R.W. & Snyder, R.C. (1957) The analysis of social conflict – Toward an overview and synthesis. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 1957, 1, 212-248.