Week 5 reading list1. pmbok, chapter 9, section 9.3 and 9.42

1. Week 5 Reading List
1. PMBOK, Chapter 9, Section 9.3 and 9.4
2. Managing Conflict
http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/an-introduction-to-
group-communication/s12-managing-conflict.html
3. Conflict Management
https://www.praxisframework.org/knowledge/conflict-
management
4. A-E-I-O-U Model of Managing Conflict
http://www.annmehl.com/a-e-i-o-u-model-of-managing-conflict/
5. Small Group Dynamics
http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/a-primer-on-
communication-studies/s13-03-small-group-dynamics.html
6. Conflict Management and Negotiation
http://ezproxy.umgc.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.ezpr
oxy.umgc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3273100051&v=2.1&u=
umd_umuc&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=69be1ce87d3651018c3
899b26771d754
7. Conflict Styles
http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/reference/behavioralsc
iences/n496.xml
8. Conflict Styles of Men and Women at Six Organization
Levels
http://ezproxy.umgc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.e
zproxy.umgc.edu/docview/199045299?acco untid=14580
9. Conflict Management/ Resolution
http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/reference/behavioralsc
iences/n493.xml
10. Group Cohesiveness
http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/reference/socialpsycho
logy/n237.xml
11. Group Cohesiveness
http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/reference/leadership/n

2. 137.xml
12. Groupthink
http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/reference/leadership/n
143.xml
13. Groupthink
http://sk.sagepub.com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/reference/communicati
ontheory/n169.xml
14. Group Conflict
http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/a-primer-on-
communication-studies/s13-03-small-group-dynamics.html
15. Managing Conflict
http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/an-introduction-to-
group-communication/s12-managing-conflict.html
16. Conflict and Group Communication
http://ezproxy.umgc.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.ezpr
oxy.umgc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3402900117&v=2.1&u=
umd_umuc&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=15fbbe74ec9cdb2ee52
03b01e8f186dd
Group Conflict and Conflict Management
Week 5 readings focus on understanding and managing group
conflict.
Conflict can be defined as "an expressed struggle between
interdependent parties over goals which they perceive as
incompatible or resources which they perceive to be
insufficient" (Hocker & Wilmot, 2001). Another author,
Rothwell (2004), defines conflict as “the expressed struggle of

3. interconnected parties who perceive incompatible goals and
interference from each other in attaining those goals” (p. 286).
This week's readings and discussions have you examine the
notion of destructive versus constructive conflict, styles of
conflict (collaborating, accommodating, compromising,
avoiding, and competing), and potential cultural influences.
You need to understand all of these topics thoroughly and be
able to use them in the remaining weeks of the course.
Conflict can be positive (constructive) and can help the group
achieve it's goals without harming the relationships between the
members of the group. Destructive conflict, on the other hand,
is negative and not only harms the relationships between
group members, but also challenges the group's effectiveness
toward reaching the group goal(s).
The collaboration conflict style is usually the most productive
at resolving conflict, because it can meet both individual
(relationships) and group (task) goals. However, it requires
good communication skills and the time and effort of group
members.
Certain situations might require the use of different conflict
styles, and an effective group leader will understand when it is
appropriate to use a particular approach, and how to do it.
Conflict often arises in virtual groups. What factors might
contribute to this conflict? Anonymity? Asynchronous
communication? Lack of nonverbal cues? Other? Have you
observed conflict in any virtual group? How are you planning to
manage conflict within your current PMAN team?
The PMBOK Guide includes conflict management as one of the
tools & techniques under "Develop Team" (Section 9.4) and
“Manage Team Team” (Section 9.5). One of the responsibili ties
of the project manager is to develop the project team and create
an environment that ensures project success. Developing a high
performing project team by "using open and effective
communications" and "managing conflicts in a constructive
manner" (PMI, 2017, p. 336).
Additionally, other interpersonal skills used in

4. developing/managing project teams include:
· Negotiation
· Leadership
· Providing challenging assignments, and
· Recognition for high performance
Methods for reducing the amount of conflict on projects include
the use of:
· Team ground rules
· Group norms
· Role definition, and
· Communication planning
Be sure your team incorporates some or all of the above
methods to prevent or resolve conflict in your team’s GCCM
Plan.
Selecting an appropriate conflict style(s) and sound project
management practices are important in reducing conflict,
but sometimes additional conflict management strategies are
needed to resolve conflict. Conflict resolution approaches might
include using one or more of the following:
· A-E-I-O-U (Wisinski, 1993)
· Negotiation
· Mediation
· Arbitration
Using the readings, and a search of these approaches, will help
you better understand when and how to use each of these
strategies to resolve conflict. Your team should incorporate
appropriate conflict management strategies into your GCCM
Plan.
Destructive conflict can damage the cohesiveness of a group.
A cohesive group of committed, interactive, supportive,
productive, and satisfied members is important to the group
achieving its goals. Consider the following to ensure your group
remains a cohesive one:
· Establish a group identity and traditions
· Emphasize teamwork
· Recognize and reward contributions

5. · Respect group members
Which of these methods can be used by your virtual PMAN 638
team to improve group cohesion and, therefore, member
satisfaction? In your team’s meeting this week, discuss how you
have used and/or could use these strategies to strengthen your
group’s cohesiveness. Should any of them be included in your
GCCM Plan?
While it is important to have a cohesive group, you do not want
members to feel so pressured to conform that they succumb
to groupthink. Groupthink decisions avoid conflict, but are not
the best possible decisions the group could make.
When making group decisions or problem-solving, you should
actively think about ways to prevent groupthink. Here are a few
suggestions found in the weekly readings.
· Have more than one group member work on the same problem
independently (individual brainstorming)
· Ask questions, offer reasons for positions, and demand
justifications
· Follow a formal decision-making procedure that encourages
differing points of view and discussion of ideas
· Discuss potential negative consequences of any decision
· Before finalizing, give members a second chance to express
doubts
Week 5 Discussion
For this week’s discussions, post your responses to the 3
questions below.
1. What are some of the possible benefits of group conflict?
2. What are some of the possible consequences of destructive
conflict? Explain.
3. Give a personal, professional, or even a public example of
group conflict that has not already been described by another
classmate. Explain an approach to conflict management from
the assigned readings that was, or could have been, used to
resolve it, and explain why this conflict management approach

6. worked.
Provide support for your responses based on the readings from
Week 5. Post at least two responses to your classmates in this
conference.