Conflict

Conflict is an active disagreement or fight between

people with opposing opinions or principles.
Definition:
Chung “ conflict as the struggle between
incompatible or opposing needs, wishes , ideas or
people. conflict arises when individuals or groups
encounter goals that both parties cannot obtain
satisfactorily
Kolb “ conflict can be a disagreement , the presence
of tension or some other difficulty within or between
two or more parties. Conflict can be public or
private, formal or informal or be approached
rationally or irrationally”.
 Sources-Structural/ external

• Specialized/ specification- little awareness of others

task,
• Interdependence- Blame others.
1. Pooled interdependence- additive task
2. Sequential interdependence- Assembling in
manufacturing units.
3. Reciprocal interdependence- skilled patient care
need x-ray, blood report etc
• Goal differences- many new installations and problem
of servicing
• Authority relationship
• Status inconsistencies
• Jurisdictional ambiguities- unclear responsibilities
 Personal/ internal

• Skills and abilities

• Personalities- working and feelings of
colleagues
• Perceptions- Motivations of what one
wants
• Values and ethics
• Emotions
• Communication barriers
• Cultural differences
 Types
• Intrapersonal: conflicting role taken by the
individual eg: spouse or parent, work/ home.
• Interpersonal; differences in personalities,
perceptions, values and attitudes
• Intergroup: different view points, group
loyalties and competition for resources.
• Inter organizational : organizations pursuing
similar objectives eg; head office and
manufacturing units; government agencies
and organizations
 Functional aspects- constructive
conflict
• Conflicts is necessary because
• Stimulant for change- spot lights problems that
demands attention, forces clarification, finding
better solutions
• Creativity and innovation- atmosphere of open
confrontation, compels people to think different
ideas and test their capacity to learn and develop.
• Group cohesion- specially when it faces threat from
external sources. If cohesion is high, interaction
among members is high and agreement in group
opinion is high; derive more satisfaction from group
activities.
• Avoidance of tension: people can express
tension and frustration which helps in
releasing tension and bring back to
normal situation
• High quality decisions: performance is at
moderate or optimum level as conflict
contributes to organizational performance.
 Dysfunctional

Negative aspects are many and serious: as it can be

destructive force. Conflict may create
• Disequilibrium in organization; it creates problem to
the organization and to the individual as disequilibrium
cannot exit for long
• Stress and Tension : It effects the physical and mental
health < generates anxiety, guilt, frustration and
hostility; a win- lose situation.
• Diversion of energy: constructive activities to
destructive. Long term goals begin to suffer as short
term problems become important
• Hinder group goals and achievement: destroys
working relationships, efficiency and performances
deteriorates .
 Types of conflict
goal conflict
i. Approach-Approach Conflict
• Here the conflict is between two positive goals
that are equally attractive at the same time.
• Typically, this type of conflict is easily solved by
attaining first one goal and then the other.
Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict
• Here the person chooses two negative goals.
• Two types of behavior typically characterize an
organism having an avoidance-avoidance conflict:
(1) vacillation or indecision and
eg- do not like a job/ leaving it may be no job
• Escape can be either actually leaving the conflict
situation or it can be mental escape such as
daydreaming or mental preoccupation with other
thoughts.
iii. Approach-Avoidance Conflict
• Here the person is both attracted to and repelled
by the same goal.
• Eg- Got a job but does not like the place
 Causes of interpersonal conflict
• Nature of persons – Degree to which interaction is
cooperative or conflicting. Following factors are important
• 1. Ego State: Persons way of thinking feeling and behaving
at any particular time. Ego states are not complimentary
thus lead to interpersonal conflicts as others are not
known.
• 2. Value System: It is the personal philosophy which
governs and influences individual reactions. Different
dominant value systems create conflict in the interaction.
It interprets the things and situations differently and reflect
different ways of working and behaving.
• 3. Socio-cultural Factors: Conflicts based on caste, religion,
region and family background.
 Situational Variables
• Conditions under which persons having
differences may heighten the differences and
lead to conflict.
Following are the major situational variables
1. Interest conflict: Basically interest differ and
conflict arises to protect their self interests
2. Role Ambiguity: If interacting roles are not
been clearly specified.
 Inter group Conflict
Conflict among groups arises due to Following
Factors:
1. Incompatible Goals: Goal attainment by one group
may prevent or reduce the level of goal attainment
of one or more groups. For example labour wants
more wages creates reduction in profits.
management wants more profits which means
reduction in wages
2. Resource sharing: when common pool is not
adequate to meet the demand of both the groups.
3. Task Interdependence: When one group exceeds
its authority results in conflicts. One group has
the ability to dictate/different source of
information
4. Absorption of Uncertainty: Uncertainty
absorption by one group is not in accordance
with the expectations of the other groups. Eg.
Marketing department finds the travelling
rules and expenses are not adequate.
5. Attitudinal Sets: Attitude of distrust,
competitiveness secrecy and closed
communications the group will become
hostile.
6. Joint decision making: group may not
progress smoothly if there are leakages and
blockages in the channels of information.
 Conflict Process-Pondy’s Model
It involves Five stages
1. Latent Conflict: Factors exists in the situation which can
become potential force to induce conflict. E.g. Communication
barrier or competition for scarce resources.
2. Perceived Conflict: When one party perceives the other to be
frustrating or thwarting the goals. E.g marketing manager
requires more sales persons and the production manager
requires more mechanists.(within limited resources of the
organisation)
3. Felt Conflict: Emotions such as anxiety, frustration and hostility
are felt conflicts. Eg- when MD calls for meeting of sales and
manufacturers.
4. Manifest Conflict: where conflict becomes visible with open
aggression. Apathy and withdrawal.
5. Conflict resolution: competition, collaboration, compromise,
accommodation and avoidance.
6. Conflict Aftermath: Action-reaction- resolution interplay with
certain consequences, it may be positive, negative, or
dysfunctional depends on how conflict is resolved.
 Conflict Management
1. Establishment of common goals- incentives
capable of motivating.
2. Structural rearrangement
 Reduction in interdependence.
 Exchange of personnel- among interdependent
units.
 Creation of special integrators – to resolve
problems from those influential and well
accepted.
 Reference to superiors authority- to dictate but
cannot be adopted frequently.
 Conflict Resolution
1. Avoiding: Low on both assertiveness and
cooperativeness, postpone addressing it.
Appropriate: 1. when parties are much angry and
need to cool down. 2. Very functional when issue is
trivial. (lose-lose Situation)
2. Accommodating: When other parties goals are met
but relatively unconcerned with getting ones own
way. Willing to sacrifice in the interest of the other.
Accommodating manager may become frustrated
as his own needs are not met. (lose win situation)
3. Competing: High assertion and low cooperation.
Tries to meet ones own goals at the other parties
expense.
Competing strategy may be dangerous as one is
reluctant to admit even when wrong. People are
afraid to disagree. (win lose situation)
4. Compromising: it is intermediate on both the
assertive and cooperative dimensions. each
party tries to give up something to reach a
solution. “give and take” policy. It is a final
negotiation when time is important. When
collaboration fails compromise take place.
5. Collaborating: marked by both high
assertiveness and cooperativeness. It involves
to satisfy the needs of both the parties.
Creating a win-win style. A creative solution
emerges because of joined effort and both gain
from the situation without hurting the other.
 Uses of five Resolution Styles
1. Competing:
• When quick and decisive action is vital.
• On important issues where unpopular action is
implemented. E.g Discipline, cost cutting
• Issues for the welfare of the company which are
right
2. Collaborative:
• To find integrative solutions when concerns are
too important.
• To gain commitment
• To work through feelings that interfere with
relationships
• When objective is to learn
3. Compromising:
• When goals are important, can not be disrupted
by more assertive modes.
• When opponents with equal power are
committed to mutually exclusive goals
• To achieve temporary settlements to complex
issues
4. Avoiding:
• when an issue is trivial or more important issues
are pressing.
• When there is no chance of satisfying the
concern
• When others can resolve the conflict more
effectively.
5. Accommodating:
• when you are wrong and allow a better position
to be heard.
• To show your reasonableness
• To build social credit for later issues.
• To minimize loss
• When harmony and stability are more important
• To allow employs to develop from mistakes
• When issues are more important to others than
yourself.
 Reference
• Prasad L.M ( 2010) Principles and
Practice of Management , Sultan Chand &
sons
• Khanka S.S( 2006) Organizational behavior.
Sultan Chand & sons.