SBenegaL

Category: Conflict

  • Ineffective Conflict Management Techniques

    In the last byte, we began our discussion on conflict management strategies and techniques that could be adopted. In today’s byte, we discuss briefly about ineffective techniques. 

    We begin with listing these ineffective techniques and what they indicate:
    1. Nonaction – doing nothing in hopes that a conflict will disappear
    2. Secrecy – attempting to hide a conflict or an issue that has the potential to create conflict
    3. Administrative Orbiting – delaying action on a conflict by buying time
    4. Due process nonaction – A procedure set up to address conflict that is so costly, time consuming, or personally risky that no one will use it.
    5. Character Assassination – An attempt to label or discredit an opponent.
    Of the above, is has been noticed that nonaction is not a good technique, and that conflicts don’t go away, but the people involved react with frustration. Similarly, administrative orbiting could also lead to frustration and resentment. Secrecy on the other hand could be seen as leading towards political activity by employees who hope to uncover the secret. Character assassination could backfire and make the individual who uses it appear dishonest and cruel.

  • Conflict Management Strategies

    In the last byte, we looked at the withdrawal response as defensive
    mechanism. In today’s byte, begin our discussion on conflict management
    strategies and techniques. 
    To understand let’s begin with two situations to understand the discussion:
    Situation 1: Two departments of an organization let’s assume an insurance
    company – sales department and claims team. If these two departments are in
    conflict with each other over a budget allocation, the claims manager could ask
    for a cut in sales training staff, while the sales department could look for a
    cut in the claims personnel. In such a conflict situation which emerges to be
    dysfunctional it is the organization that looses overall.
    Situation 2: The two departments choose to have a functional approach and
    eventually decide to cut a minimum number of members in each of the departments
    and this could prove to be a better situation for an organization.
    Situation 1 is indicative of a competitive approach to conflict management
    while the second situation is indicative of cooperative approach. The
    competitive approach is based on the assumption of a win-lose situation and
    could include the following – a dishonest communication, mistrust, and a rigid
    position. The cooperative approach is based on the possibility of a win-win situational
    and includes openness, honest communication, trust and most importantly a
    belief that whole might be much greater than the sum of parts.

  • Withdrawal Defense Mechanisms

    In the last byte, we looked at compromise class of defense mechanisms. In today’s byte, we look at withdrawal as a means of defense in case of conflict. 

    The following table we summarize the various withdrawal defense mechanisms

  • Compromise Defense Mechanisms

    In the last byte, we looked the aggressive defense mechanisms. In today’s byte, we look at the Compromise defense mechanisms. 

    The following table summarizes the various defense mechanisms.


  • Aggressive Defense Mechanisms

    In the last byte, we looked at the power relation in organizations and the interventions that could be considered. In today’s byte, we look at the aggressive mechanisms that act as a defense mechanism.

    Conflicts often arise within the context of a performance appraisal session. People do not react well to negative feedback – when individuals are frustrated, as they commonly are in interpersonal conflicts – they respond through many classes of defense mechanism. 

    The first of this class of reactions is the aggressive defense mechanisms. The following table provides an overview of the same.

  • Forms of Organizational Conflicts

    In the last byte, we looked at how globalization has begun affecting conflicts in organizations. In today’s byte, we look at the various forms of conflict in an organization.
     
    We could group conflicts into the following forms:
    • Interorganizational Conflicts – this refers to conflicts that occur between two or more organizations
    • Intergroup Conflicts – this refers to conflicts that occur between groups or teams in an organization
    • Intragroup Conflict – this refers to conflicts that occur within groups or teams
    • Interpersonal Conflict – this refers to conflict that occurs between two or more individuals
    • Intrapersonal Conflict – this refers to the conflict that occurs within an individual
    • Interrole Conflict – this refers to the conflict a person experiences amongst the multiple roles in his or her life
    • Intrarole Conflict – this refers to the conflict that occurs within a single role, such as when a person receives conflicting messages from role senders about how to perform a certain role
    • Person-role Conflict – this refers to conflicts when an individual is expected to perform behaviors in a certain role that conflict with his or her personal values

  • Conflict in the context of global organizations

    In the last byte, we looked at some of the structure issues that could give raise to conflicts. In today’s byte, we look at how conflict is influenced by the increasing globalization.

    Many Multi-National companies employ people from different ethnic and cultural groups. This gives rise to vast differences amongst individuals and increases the potential for conflict.
     
    Individualism means that people believe that their individual interests take priority over society’s interest. Collectivism on the other hand that people put the good of group first. Given the cultural contexts, individualism/collectivism could lead to have a lot of influence conflict in managerial context.
     
    Power Distance across cultures is another source of conflict in the era of globalization. The source of conflicts in case of power distance would result from the way one respect people in higher levels of power.
     
    How people perceive the uncertainty and how they attempt to avoid uncertainty is another source of conflict in the scenario of globalization. Some cultures handle uncertainty better than others.
     
    Time orientation is another dimension that could lead to conflicts when working with people across different cultures. Chinese are generally having a long term orientation, while the US and Russian countries have a short term orientation.
    We next look at the various forms of organizational conflicts.

  • Conflict – Structural & Personal Causes

    In the last byte, we discussed about the how managers could identify between functional and dysfunctional conflicts. In today’s byte, we begin our discussion on the cause of conflict.

    The sources of conflict could be classified into 2 categories:
    1. Structural – these stem from the nature of the organization and the way work is organized
    2. Personal – these arise from the differences amongst individuals

    Following diagram is a quick summary of some of the causes of organizational conflicts –
     

  • Dysfunctional and Functional Conflict

    In the last byte, we looked at the positive and negative consequences of conflict. In today’s byte, we discuss about functional and dysfunctional conflict.

    We claimed looking at the consequences that functional conflict should be encouraged and dysfunctional conflict has to be discouraged. The challenge really is distinguishing between dysfunctional and functional conflict.

    • Functional Conflict – is a healthy, constructive disagreement between two or more people
    • Dysfunctional Conflict – is an unhealthy, destructive disagreement between two or more people.
    Functional conflicts can produce new ideas, learning and growth among individuals. By developing a constructive conflict, individuals develop a better awareness of themselves and others.
     
    The awareness doesn’t just limit itself to individuals, it could help teams develop an improved working relationship – by working through disagreement two parties feel they have accomplished something together.
     
    Functional conflicts can lead to innovation and positive change for the organization too – i.e. functional conflicts tend to encourage creativity among individuals, this positive form of conflict can translate into increased productivity.

  • Conflict – Consequences

    In the last byte, we began our discussion on conflicts. We also mentioned that not all conflicts are bad! Following is a summary of the consequences of conflict:

    Given the consequences of conflict detailed about, the key to conflict management is really to stimulate functional behavior and resolve dysfunctional behavior. We shall discuss these in greater detail in the next byte.