conflict process arises when the goals, interests or values of different individuals or groups are incompatible and those

individuals
or groups block or thwart one another’s attempts to achieve their objective. Conflict Process shows how conflict works within the
organization.
We can identify the stages that a conflict born and grows in an organization. In this post, we will look at the stages of a conflict
covering the birth, rise, and ending in it.
5 Stages Conflict Process are;

1. Potential Opposition or Incompatibility.

2. Cognition and Personalization.
3. Intentions.
4. Behavior.
5. Outcomes.

Conflict Process consists of five stages that show how conflict begins, grows, and unfolds among individuals or groups with different
goals, interests or values of the organization.
stage 1: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
The first step in the conflict process is the presence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to develop. These cause or
create opportunities for organizational conflict to rise.
They need not lead directly to conflict, but one of these conditions is necessary if the conflict is to surface.
For simplicity’s sake, these conditions have been condensed into three general categories.

1. Communication,
2. Structure, and
3. Personal Variables.

These 3 conditions cause conflict are explained;

1. Communications
Different words connotations, jargon insufficient exchange of information and noise in the communication channel are all antecedent
conditions to conflict.
Too much communication, as well as too little communication, can lay the foundation for conflict.
2. Structure
In this context, the term structure is used to include variables such as size, the degree of specialization in the tasks assigned to
group members, jurisdictional clarity, members/goal compatibility, leadership styles, reward systems and the degree of dependence
between groups.
The size and specialization act as forces to stimulate conflict. The larger the group and the more specialized its activities, the
greater the likelihood of conflict. Tenure and conflict have been found to be inversely related.
The potential for conflicts tends to be greatest when group members are younger and when turnover is high.
In defining where responsibility for action lies; the greater the ambiguity is the greater the potential for conflict to the surface. Such
Jurisdictional ambiguity increases inter-group fighting for control or resources and territory.
3. Personal Variables
Certain personality types- for example, individuals who are highly authoritarian and dogmatic- lead to potential conflict. Another
reason for the conflict is the difference in value systems.
Value differences are the best explanations of diverse issues such as prejudice disagreements over one’s contribution to the group
and rewards one deserves.
Stage 2: Cognition and Personalization
Conflict must be perceived by the parties to it whether or not the conflict exists is a perception issue, the second step of the Conflict
Process.
If no one is aware of a conflict, then it is generally agreed that no conflict exists. Because conflict is perceived does not mean that is
personalized.
For example;
A may be aware that B and A are in serious disagreements but it may not make A tense or nations and it may have no effect
whatsoever on A’s affection towards B.
It is the felt level when individuals become emotionally involved that parties experience anxiety, tension or hostility.
Stage-2 is the place in the process where the parties decide what the conflict is about and emotions play a major role in shaping
perception.
Stage 3: Intentions
Intentions are decisions to act in a given way, intentions intervene between people’s perception and emotions and their overt
behavior.
Using two dimensions cooperativeness (the degree to which one party attempts to satisfy the other party’s concerns) and
assertiveness (the degree to which one party attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns) five conflict-handling intentions can be
identified.
Stage 4: Behavior
This is a stage where conflict becomes visible. The behavior stage includes the statements, actions, and reactions made by the
conflicting parties.
These conflict behaviors are usually overt attempt to implement each party’s intentions.
When most people think of conflict situations, they tend to focus on Stage 4.
Why?
Because this is a stage Where conflict becomes visible. The behavior stage includes the statements, actions, and reactions made
by the conflicting parties;
These conflict behaviors are usually overt attempt to implement each party’s intentions. But these behaviors have a stimulus quality
that is separate from intentions.
As a result of miscalculations or unskilled enactments, overt behaviors sometimes deviate from original intentions.
It helps to think of stage 4 as a dynamic process of interaction.
Stage 5: Outcomes
The action-reaction interplay between the conflicting parties results in consequences.
These outcomes may be functional in that the conflict results in an improvement in the group’s performance, or dysfunctional in that
it hinders group performance.
Conflict is constructive when it improves the quality of decisions stimulates creativity and innovations encourage interest and
curiosity among group members provide the medium through which problems can be aired and tensions released and foster an
environment of self-evaluation and change.
Conflict is dysfunctional when uncontrolled opposition breeds discontent, which acts to dissolve common ties and eventually leads
to the destruction of the group.
Among the more undesirable consequences are a retarding of communication, reductions in group cohesiveness and subordination
of group goals to the primacy of infighting between members.
Mc Donald’s example

KARACHI: Husi Food Co, the meat processor which has been shut down in China for mixing and repacking
expired chicken meat and beef with new expiry dates, had been supplying meat until recently to a multinational
food chain in Pakistan.

Gam Corporation Private Limited and Siza Foods Private Limited have imported McDonald’s patent chicken products like
McNuggets and McCrispy Burger Patty in Pakistan from Husi Foods Company Ltd China, and the Customs record (Pakistan
Revenue Automation Limited) shows that their latest imports were over 41 tonnes of chicken products in May and over 71 tonnes in
June this year.

The consigners’ names in the official document were Husi Food Co. Ltd, Xiadian Town, Dachang Hui Aut and the names of
importers were Gam Corporation and Siza Foods.

Jamil A. Mughal, director marketing and development of McDonald’s Pakistan, insists that the food chain “does not receive any
products from the factory in question that is Husi Shanghai. We have never imported these products from Husi Food Shanghai.”

Talking to Dawn on Tuesday, he said, “Our products come only from Husi Beijing factory which has been cleared by FDA and it does
not have any issues whatsoever. Further, we also import chicken products from Mac Food Malaysia. We have been changing source
of imports at different times.”

However, confusion prevails as Shanghai Husi Food Co, a unit of US-based OSI Group Inc, which is at the centre of a food safety
scandal, does exist but a visit to OSI Group’s website does not show a listing for Beijing Husi Food Co.

Mughal said customers expected the highest quality from the company, which was dedicated to providing them with that. “We
always follow the highest food safety practices and we demand all our suppliers to do the same.”

He said: “All of our meat products are 100 per cent certified Halal and are sourced only from internationally accredited and trusted
suppliers. Our Halal certificates are featured prominently in our restaurants.”

McDonald’s Pakistan, he said, was fully owned and operated by the locals. Business decisions were taken within the country and
revenues were also reinvested here. The first McDonald’s restaurant was opened in Lahore in 1998 and ever since the company has
been an active player in the food sector.

“We are operating 31 restaurants in major cities of the country,” he said.

A television footage recorded in China clearly showed workers flouting hygiene standards and using expired products. After which
Chinese authorities closed down the processing plant.

The federal and provincial governments in Pakistan do not have any mechanism to test the imported meat for health standards.

Food and health experts regret that the customs authorities lack facility to verify the quality of imported meat products. Moreover,
Pakistani customs rely on supplier certification instead of independent certification based on physical inspection or random
checking.
They pointed out that no country other than Pakistan allows food products import without first physically verifying the production
facilities to ensure quality.