Conflict arises from incompatible goals, interests or behaviors between interdependent parties. It can be functional in spurring innovation, or dysfunctional in hindering performance. There are multiple levels of conflict from latent tensions to active disagreements. Conflict evolves through stages from potential issues to outcomes, and can be managed constructively through stimulating productive task conflicts, using interest-based negotiation or third-party mediation to resolve disputes, and reducing negative relationship conflicts. The key is managing the level and type of conflict for optimal group performance and outcomes.

1. OVERVIEW
Modelsof
Conflict
Concept
Clarification
Causes and
Consequences
Conflict
Solutions
UNIT II DR.G.MANOJ

2. 0
1
Concept
Definition
and
Clarification
0
1
Definitions
Past and Present Views of Conflict
Levels of Conflict

3. “As managers we spend
about 21% of our time
dealing with conflict.”
• Conflict is an inevitable part of our lives
• Conflict management skills predict
managerial success and interpersonal
effectiveness
Importance of Conflict Management Skills

4. Conflict Defined
3
 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 (Robbins & Judge, 2013)
– 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
– Incompatibility of goals
– Differences over interpretations of facts
– Disagreements based on behavioral expectations

5. Conflict Defined
 Organizational Conflict
• The discord that arises when goals, interests or values of
different individuals or groups are incompatible and those
people block or thwart each other’s efforts to achieve their
objectives. Jones and George (2013)
 Four Critical Elements
• “Conflict is a felt struggle between two or more
interdependent individuals over perceived incompatible
differences in beliefs, values, and goals, or over differences in
desires for esteem, control, and connectedness” Wilmot and Hocker
(201)
4

6. Conflict Defined
5
 All definitions agree that conflict needs to be recognised
by at least two parties before it exists.
 Common to most definitions is the idea that conflict is a
perception and key ingredients for the conflict process
are opposition or incompatibility or differences and
some form of interaction.
 However, differences alone do not create conflict. It is
the expression of those differences in the way people
behave with each other that results in conflict. Thus,
another core aspect of conflict is the concept of
interdependence.

7. Views of Conflict
6

8. Past and Present Perspectives of Conflict
 Traditional View of Conflict
– The belief that all conflict is harmful and
must be avoided
– Prevalent view in the 1930s-1940s
7
 Conflict resulted from:
– Poor communication
– Lack of openness
– Failure to respond to employee needs

9. Past and Present Perspectives of Conflict
 Human Relations View of
Conflict
– The belief that conflict is a
natural and inevitable outcome in
any group
– Prevalent from the late 1940s
through mid-1970s
8

10. Past and Present Perspectives of Conflict
 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
– Constructive conflict occurs when people
focus their discussion on the issue while
showing respect for people with other points
of view.
– Relationship conflict focuses on people,
rather than the issues, as the source of
conflict and is most of the time
dysfunctional since it hinders group
performance and doesn’t lead to any
beneficial solution
9

11. 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
10

12. Types of Interactionist Conflict
11
 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

13. Levels of Conflict
12

14. Levels of Conflict
13

15. Summary – Definitions and Clarification
14
 Conflict arises when individuals are not able to choose among the available
alternative courses of action.
 Conflict between two individuals implies that they have conflicting perceptions,
values, attitudes and goals.
 Conflict is a dynamic process as it indicates a series of events. Each conflict is made
of a series of interlocking conflict episodes.
 Conflict must be perceived by the parties. If no one is aware of the conflict, then it
is generally agreed that no conflict exists.
 Conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome in any group and that need not to be
an evil, but rather, with the potential to be a positive force in determining group
performance.
 Conflict can be a positive force in a group and that is also absolutely necessary for
a group to perform effectively.
 Optimal organisational performance requires a moderate level of conflict.
 The task of management is to manage the level of conflict and its resolution for
optimal organisational performance.
 Conflict between groups is inevitable in the workplace. This conflict may be
positive or negative, depending on its impact on the organisation’s goal
achievement.

16. 0
1
Causes and
Consequences0
2
Sources of Conflict
Consequences of Conflict

17. Sources of Conflict
16

18. Personal Factors
• Skills and abilities
• Personalities
• Perceptions
• Values and ethics
• Emotions
• Communication barriers
• Cultural differences
Structural Factors
• Specialization
• Interdependence
• Common resources
• Goal differences
• Authority relationships
• Status inconsistencies
•Jurisdictional
ambiguities
CO N F L I C T !
Causes of Conflict

19. The Consequences of Dysfunctional
Intergroup Conflict
Changes within Groups
• Increased Group
Cohesiveness
• Emphasis on Loyalty
• Rise inAutocratic
Leadership
• Focus onActivity
• Distorted Perceptions
• Negative Stereotyping
• Decreased Communication
Changes between Groups

20. Consequences of Conflict

21. 0
1
Models of
Conflict0
3
Conflict Process
Pondy’s Stages of Conflict

22. The Conflict Process
We will focus on each step in a moment…
21

23. Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
22
 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

24. Stage II: Cognition and Personalization
23
 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

25. 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
• Attempting to satisfy
one’s own concerns
24

26. Styles to Handle Conflict
Cooperativeness
Assertiveness
Low High
High
Competing
Avoiding
Compromising
Accommodating Collaborating

27. Stage IV: Behavior
 Conflict Management
– The use of resolution and stimulation techniques to achieve
the desired level of conflict
 Conflict-Intensity Continuum
32

28. Stage V: Outcomes
33
 Functional
– Increased group performance
– Improved quality of decisions
– Stimulation of creativity and
innovation
– Encouragement of interest and
curiosity
– Provision of a medium for
problem-solving
– Creation of an environment for
self-evaluation and change
 Dysfunctional
– Development of discontent
– Reduced group
effectiveness
– Retarded communication
– Reduced group
cohesiveness
– Infighting among group
members overcomes group
goals
 Creating Functional
Conflict
– Reward dissent and punish
conflict avoiders

29. Pondy’s Model of Organizational Conflict
Stage 1:
Latent Conflict
Stage 2:
Perceived Conflict
Stage 3:
Felt Conflict
Stage 4:
Manifest Conflict
Stage 5:
Conflict Aftermath

30. Pondy’s Model of Organizational Conflict
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31. 0
1
Conflict
Solutions0
4
Conflict Management
Conflict Resolution

32. Conflict Solutions
 Conflict resolution implies reduction, elimination, or
termination of conflict. Negotiating, bargaining,
mediation, and arbitration fall into the conflict
resolution category.
“what we need for contemporary
organisations is conflict
management and not conflict
resolution” Golembiewski (2000)
 Conflict management involves designing effective strategies to
minimise the dysfunctions of conflict and enhancing the
constructive functions of conflict.
37

33. Managing Conflict
38
 Organizational conflict can escalate rapidly and sour
an organization’s culture
– Managing conflict is an important priority
 Organizations must balance the need to have some
“good” conflict without letting it escalate into “bad”
conflict
 Choice of conflict resolution method depends on the
source of the problem

34. Conflict Solutions –Functional Conflict
– Problem solving
– Superordinate goals
– Expansion of resources
– Avoidance
– Smoothing
– Compromise
– Authoritative command
– Altering the human
variable
– Altering the structural
variables
– Communication
– Bringing in outsiders
– Restructuring the
organization
– Appointing a devil’s
advocate
39

35. Stimulating Functional Conflict
ADevil’sAdvocate Decision Program The Dialectic Decision Method
1
A proposed course of action
is generated.
1
A proposed course of action
is generated.
2
A devil’s advocate (individual
of group) is assigned to
criticize the proposal.
2
Assumptions underlying the
proposal are identified.
3
The critique is presented
to key decision makers.
3
A conflicting counter-
proposal is generated based
on different assumptions.

36. Stimulating Functional Conflict (continued)
ADevil’sAdvocate Decision Program The Dialectic Decision Method
6
The decision is monitored.
6
The decision is monitored.
4
Any additional information
relevant to the issues is
gathered.
4
Advocates of each position present
and debate the merits of their
proposals before key decision makers.
5
The decision to adopt, modify,
or discontinue the proposed
course of action is taken.
5
The decision to adopt either
position, or some other position,
e.g., a compromise, is taken.

37. Managing Dysfunctional Conflict

38. Managing Dysfunctional Conflict

39. How to Deal With Personality Conflicts

40. Intergroup Conflict
45

41. Using Third-Party Negotiations
 Mediation
• Allowing a neutral third party to act as a facilitator
through the application of reasoning, suggestion, and
persuasion.
 Arbitration
• Is where the third party has the
power (authority) to impose an
agreement.
 Conciliation
• Occurs where the third party is someone who is trusted by
both sides and services primarily as a communication link
between the disagreeing parties.

42. Negotiation
Negotiations may be viewed as a
process in which two or more parties
attempt to reach acceptable
agreement in a situation characterized
by some level of disagreement.

43. Approaches to Negotiation
Integrative Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that can
create a win-win solution
Distributive Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of
resources; a win-lose situation

44. Distributive versus Integrative Bargaining
Bargaining
Characteristic
Distributive
Bargaining
Integrative Bargaining
Goal Get all the pie you can Expand the pie
Motivation Win-Lose Win-Win
Focus Positions Interests
Information Sharing Low High
Duration of Relationships Short-Term Long-Term
Yours Mine
Integrative
Yours Mine
Distributive
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45. Summary and Managerial Implications
 Conflict can be
constructive or
destructive
 Reduce excessive conflict
by using:
– Competition
– Collaboration
– Avoidance
– Accommodation
– Compromise
 Integrative negotiation is
a better long-term
method
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