Conflict management.

What is Conflicts?
Conflicts is a process in which an
efforts is purposefully made by one
person or a unit to block another that
results in frustrating the attainment
of others goals or furthering of his or
her interests.

Changing view of conflicts

1.The traditional view.(Classical Approach.
This approach view conflicts as a an
organizational abnormality, potential
dangerous process)
2.The Human Relations View(Behavioral
Approach.Conflits is natural and inevitable
outcome in any group,Conflits is harmful and
avoided).
3.The Interactional View(The Modern
View.Encourges conflicts on the grounds that
a harmonious co-operative group is prone to
become static, apathetic and non-responsive
to needs for change and innovation).

Constructive and Destructive

conflict or Functional and
Dysfunctional Conflicts.

Consequences of positive conflicts:a)Major Stimulant for change

b)Groupthink is avoided
c)Conflicts fosters creativity and
Innovation.(helps to test individual and
their capacity).
d)Cohension and satisfaction.
e)A minimum level of conflicts is optional.

Consequences of Negative
Conflicts.

A)Conflicts Create stress in people(feelings of anxiety,guilt,frustration and

hostility).
B)Diversion of energy:-Time diverted for conflicts more than organizational
goals)
C)Instability and chaos.(whole organization system is out of balance).
The conflicts Process. The conflicts process can be seen as comparing five
stages:1)Potential Opposition or Incompatibility(Creates opportunities for
conflict to arise).
A)Communication
B)Structure
C)Personal Variables.
2.Cognition and Personalization(The potential for conflicts or
incompatibility becomes actualized).
3.Intentions.(Decision to act in a given way in a conflict episode).
1.Competing-Assertive and Uncooperative person seek to satisfy own
interest. 2.Collaborating-Assertive and co-operative.3.Avoiding-Unassertive
and Uncooperative.4.Accommodating-Unasserative and
cooperative.5.Compromising-Midrange on both assertiveness and
cooperativeness.(both the parties satisfaction is incomplete).
4.Behavior.(conflicts become visible). This stage includes the
statements, actions and reactions made by the conflicting parties
5.Outcomes.(Outcome may be functional or constructive).

Level of Conflicts
1)Intra Individual Conflicts:-It is internal to the person and
is probably the most difficult type of conflicts to analyze.
A)Goal Conflicts
B)Role Conflicts
2)Interpersonal Conflicts:-The dynamics to understand
inter-personal conflicts is Johari window.
A)A person knows about him/herself and knows about
the others-Open Self.
B)The person does not know about the other(Hidden
self)
C)The person does not know about him/herself(Blind
self)
D)Undiscovered Self.

3.Intergroup Conflicts
4.Structural Conflicts:-This type of conflicts is
caused because individuals working in an
organisation are always under pressure.
a)Hierarchical Conflicts:-Management and
workers
b)Functional Conflicts:-functional
department.
c)Line-staff Conflicts
d)Formal informal conflicts.

Causes of conflicts within

Organisation.
1.Breakdown in communication
2.Poor teamwork.
3.Imprecise definition of goals
4.Complicated relationship between functions
and sections
5.Autocratic management Style
6.Personality difference among employees
7.Severe reduction in organizational
resources
8.Different perspective and views.

Management of conflicts
1.Open communication.
2.Explaining Logic
3.Search for facts/Data
4.Considering Criticism
5.Clich Forming
6.Legal Steps.

Strategies for conflicts

Resolution.

1.Conflict stimulation Techniques.

2.Conflicts Resolution Techniques.
A)Feldman and Arnolds Technique:1.Avoidance:-The strategy to keep the
conflicts from surfacing at all.
2.Diffussion:deactive the conflicts and
cool off the emotions.
3.Containment:-some conflict is allowed to
surface.
4.Conformtation:-directly confront each
other

Other Techniques
1.Dominance through position:-opponents are forced
to flee and give up the fight.
2.Appeals Procedures:-In this method people in
disagreement ask their higher authority for help.
3.Liasion Group/Integrators
4.Memebers Rotation:-People are exchanged between
departments.
5.Reduce Interdependence
6.Superordinate Goals
7.Indentifying a Common Enemy:-fight against a
common enemy.
8.Joint Negotiating committees
9.Increasing the flow of Information through the
organisation.

 10.Better Co-ordination of Activities

11.Classification of roles and
responsibilities of those in dispute:-S.P
Robbins has summarized the following
conflicts resolution techniques: 1.Problem solving
2.Superordinate goals
3.Expansion of resources
4.Avoidance:-Suppression of conflicts.
5.Smoothing:-Playing down of difference

 6.Compromise
7.Authoritative command:Management uses formal authority.
8.Altering the human variables
9.Altering the structural variables