Conflict Defined

• A process that begins when one party perceives that

another party has negatively affected, or is about to
negatively affect, something that the first party cares
about
– That point in an ongoing activity when an interaction
“crosses over” to become an interparty conflict
• Encompasses a wide range of conflicts that people
experience in organizations
– inappropriateness of goals
– Differences over interpretations of facts
– Disagreements based on behavioral expectations

15-1
Transitions in Conflict Thought
• Traditional View of Conflict
– The belief that all conflict is harmful and must be
avoided
– Prevalent view in the 1930s-1940s

• Conflict resulted from:

– Poor communication

– Lack of openness

– Failure to respond to employee needs

15-2
Continued Transitions in Conflict
Thought
Human Relations View of Conflict
The belief that conflict is a natural and expected
outcome in any group
Prevalent from the late 1940s through mid-1970s
Interactionist View of Conflict
The belief that conflict is not only a positive force in a
group but that it is absolutely necessary for a group to
perform effectively
Current view

15-3
Forms of Interactionist Conflict
Functional Conflict
Conflict that supports the goals of the group and
improves its performance
Dysfunctional Conflict
Conflict that hinders group performance

15-4
Types of Interactionist Conflict
Task Conflict
Conflicts over content and goals of the work
Low-to-moderate levels of this type are FUNCTIONAL
Relationship Conflict
Conflict based on interpersonal relationships
Almost always DYSFUNCTIONAL
Process Conflict
Conflict over how work gets done
Low levels of this type are FUNCTIONAL

15-5
The Conflict Process
• Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
– Communication
• Semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and “noise”
– Structure
• Size and specialization of jobs
• Jurisdictional clarity/ambiguity
• Member/goal incompatibility
• Leadership styles (close or participative)
• Reward systems (win-lose)
• Dependence/interdependence of groups

– Personal Variables
• Differing individual value systems
• Personality types

15-6
15-7
Stage II: Cognition and
Personalization
Important stage for two reasons:

1. Conflict is defined
 Perceived Conflict
 Awareness by one or more parties of the existence of

conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise

2. Emotions are expressed that have a strong impact on
the eventual outcome
 Felt Conflict
 Emotional involvement in a conflict creating anxiety,

tenseness, frustration, or hostility

15-8
Stage III: Intentions
• Intentions
– Decisions to act in a given way
– Note: behavior does not always accurate reflect intent
• Dimensions of conflict-handling intentions:
– Cooperativeness
• Attempting to satisfy
the other party’s
concerns
– Assertiveness(forceful personality)
• Attempting to satisfy
one’s own concerns
Exhibit 15-2

15-9
15-10
Stage IV: Behavior
Conflict Management
The use of resolution and stimulation techniques to
achieve the desired level of conflict
Conflict-Intensity Continuum

Exhibit 15-3

15-11
15-12
Conflict Resolution Techniques
– Problem solving Bringing in outsiders
– Superordinate goals Restructuring the
– Expansion of resources
organization
– Avoidance
Appointing a devil’s
– Smoothing
advocate
– Compromise
– Authoritative command
– Altering the human
variable
– Altering the structural
variables
– Communication Exhibit 15-4

15-13
Stage V: Outcomes
• Functional • Dysfunctional
– Increased group performance – Development of
– Improved quality of
dissatisfaction
decisions – Reduced group effectiveness
– Stimulation of creativity and – Retarded communication
innovation
– Reduced group cohesiveness
– Encouragement of interest
and – Infighting among group
members overcomes group
– Provision of a medium for goals
problem-solving
• Creating Functional Conflict
– Creation of an environment
for self-evaluation and – Reward disagree and punish
change conflict avoiders

15-14
Negotiation
Negotiation (Bargaining)
A process in which two or more parties exchange
goods or services and attempt to agree on the
exchange rate for them
Two General Approaches:
Distributive Bargaining
 Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of
resources; a win-lose situation

15-15
Integrative Bargaining
 Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that can
create a win-win solution

15-16
Distributive versus Integrative
Bargaining
Bargaining Distributive Integrative
Characteristic Bargaining Bargaining
Goal Get all the pie you Expand the pie
can
Motivation Win-Lose Win-Win
Focus Positions Interests
Information Sharing Low High
Duration of Relationships Short-Term Long-Term

15-17
Bargaining Tactics and the
Bargaining Zone
Distributive Tactics
Make an aggressive first offer
expose a deadline

Integrative Tactics
Bargain in teams
Put more issues on the table
Don’t compromise

15-18
15-19
The Negotiation Process

15-20
Preparation & planning:
what is the nature of conflict?
what`s the history leading upto this negotiation?
who is involved and what are the perceptions of the
conflict?
what do you want from neciation?
what are your goals? And also
 what you thinks other parties goal are?
what are they likely to ask for?
how deep-rooted are theylikely to be in their position?
what might they be willing to settle on?

15-21
Definition of ground rules
Who will do nigotiation?
Where will it take place?
What time constraints,if any,will apply?
To what issues will negotiation be limited?

15-22
Clarification & justification
Bargaining and problem solving
Closure & implementation

15-23
Individual Differences in
Negotiation Effectiveness
Personality Traits
 Extroverts and agreeable people weaker at distributive
negotiation – disagreeable introvert is best
 Intelligence is a weak indicator of effectiveness
Mood and Emotion
 Ability to show anger helps in distributive bargaining
 Positive moods and emotions help integrative bargaining
Gender
 Men and women negotiate the same way, but may
experience different outcomes
 Women and men take on gender stereotypes in negotiations:
tender and tough
 Women are less likely to negotiate

15-24
Third-Party Negotiations
Four Basic Third-Party Roles
Conciliator
 A trusted third party who provides an informal communication
link between the negotiator and the opponent

Consultant
 An impartial third party, skilled in conflict management, who
attempts to facilitate creative problem solving through
communication and analysis

15-25
15-26