The document discusses the different levels and sources of conflict. It describes six levels of conflict from the macro level of large organizations down to the intra-individual level of internal personal conflicts. Interpersonal conflict can arise due to personal differences, information deficiencies, role incompatibility, or environmental stress. Intergroup conflict is more likely due to task interdependence between groups, status struggles, competition over limited resources, or ambiguous responsibilities. The document also outlines the three stage process of conflict from the initial potential opposition arising from communication breakdowns, personality traits or organizational structure, to the personalization of conflict into perceived or felt disagreement, and finally the intentions or decisions about how to respond.

1. 12-1 Level Of Conflict In Organizational Behavior
Macro
Micro
Organizational
Intergroup
Interpersonal
Intra-individual
CONFLICT
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2. 12-2 A Model Of Frustration(Intra Individual)
Need
(deficiency)
Drive
(deficiency
with direction)
Frustration
Barrier
(1) Overt
(2) Covert
Defense mechanisms
(1) Aggression
(2) Withdrawal
(3) Fixation
(4) Compromise
Goal/
incentive
(reduction of
the drives and
fulfillment of
deficiencies)
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3. 12-3 Sources Of Interpersonal Conflict
Interpersonal
Conflict
Information
deficiency
Environmental
stress
Personal
differences
Role
incompatibility
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4. Inter personal
• Personal difference: every one has a unique background
because of his upbringing, cultural and family
traditions and socialization processes. Disagreements
stemming from the differences due to individual
preferences. Example bitter argument over who is
morally right.
• Information deficiency: This source of conflicts results
from communication breakdown in the organization. It
may be that the two people in conflict are using
different information or that one or both have
misinformation. This source of conflict is not
emotionally charged and once corrected , there is little
resentment.
12-4
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5. Inter personal
12-5
• Role incompatibility: This type of interpersonal
conflict draws from both intra individual role
conflict and intergroup conflict.example
production manager and sales manager have
interdependent functions one supports the other.
However the role of production manager is to
cut cost by keeping low inventory levels whereas
the sales manager requires a high finished goods
at hand to meet demands created by him. This
causes a conflict from role incompatibility.
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6. Inter personal
• Environmental stress: This is caused by stressful
environment created due to shrinking market,
downsizing, competitive pressures & high
degree of uncertainty.
12-6
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7. 12-7
Antecedent Conditions For Intergroup Conflict
Intergroup
Conflict
Task
interdependence
Status
struggles
Competition
for resources
Jurisdictional
ambiguity
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8. Intergroup Conflict
• Competition for resources: most organisations today
have limited resources, groups vie for budget funds,
supplies, space, personnel and support services.
• Task interdependence: Brick and cement mixture is
required to make a wall, if any one is missing then it is
not possible.
• Jurisdictional ambiguity: due to overlapping
responsibility. Like a shop catches fire due to short
circuit but the cause later on was found to be high
voltage supply. Then the electricity department may
shed off it’s responsibility, due to lack of proof.
12-8
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9. Intergroup Conflict
• Status struggles: this conflict occurs when one
group attempts to improve its status and another
group views this as a threat to its place in the
status hierarchy.
12-9
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10. 12-10 Ways To Manage Prolonged Conflict and Stress
Exercise Relaxation
Individual
Coping
Strategies Behavioral
self-control
Networking
Cognitive
Therapy
Eg Elli’s rational emotive model
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11. 12-11 Contemporary Negotiation Techniques
Low-Risk Techniques High-Risk Techniques
Flattery
Addressing the easy point first
Silence
Inflated opening position
“Oh, poor me”
Unexpected temper losses
High-bailing
Boulewarism (“take it or leave
it”)
Waiting until the last moment
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12. CONFLICT
12-12
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13. Syllabus
• Meaning and Process of conflict,
• Causes, sources, consequences of conflict
• Conflict resolution strategies
12-13
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14. Definition
12-14
• Chung and Megginson define conflict as the
struggle between incompatible or opposing
needs, wishes, ideas, interest or people. Conflicts
arises when individual or groups encounter goals
that both parties cannot obtain satisfactorily.
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15. A necessary evil
Conflict is…
• a normal, inescapable part of life
• a periodic occurrence in any relationship
• an opportunity to understand opposing
preferences and values
• ENERGY
12-15
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16. Cognitive Vs affective conflict
• Cognitive conflict refers to differences in
perspectives or judgments about issues. It leads
to legitimate differences of opinion and develop
better ideas and solution to problems.
• Affective conflict is emotional and directed at
other people , which leads to anger, bitterness,
goal displacement and poor decisions.
12-16
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17. Functional and
Dysfunctional Conflict
12-17
• Functional conflict: works toward the goals of
an organization or group
• Dysfunctional conflict: blocks an organi-zation
or group from reaching its goals
– Dysfunctionally high conflict: what you typically
think about conflict
– Dysfunctionally low conflict: an atypical view
– Levels vary among groups
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18. Functional and
Dysfunctional Conflict (Cont.)
• Functional conflict
– “Constructive Conflict”--Mary Parker Follett (1925)
– Increases information and ideas
– Encourages innovative thinking
– Unshackles different points of view
– Reduces stagnation
12-18
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19. Functional and
Dysfunctional Conflict (Cont.)
• Dysfunctionally high conflict
– Tension, anxiety, stress
– Drives out low conflict tolerant people
– Reduced trust
– Poor decisions because of withheld or distorted
information
– Excessive management focus on the conflict
12-19
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20. Functional and
Dysfunctional Conflict (Cont.)
• Dysfunctionally low conflict
– Few new ideas
– Poor decisions from lack of innovation and
information
– Stagnation
– Business as usual
12-20
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21. Process of Conflict
12-21
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22. • (1) Stage I: Potential Opposition
• In the first stage of conflict process, those
conditions are created due to which conflict
arises. The different sources of conflicts can be
divided into three categories:
• (a) Communication
• (b) Structure
• (C) Personal variable
12-22
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23. • (a) Communication: In a research , it was
found that differing words like connotations,
jargons, noise, insufficient information as well
as all other barriers acts as a source of conflict
• Communication as a source of conflict means
those opposing forces which arise from
misunderstanding, semantic problems etc.
• Conflict increases when there is too little
communication or too much communication
12-23
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24. 12-24
• (b) Structure: Structure of the organisation is
another source of conflict. It includes variables such
as size, degree of specialization, clarity of authority
and responsibility, leadership style, reward system
and the degree of dependence among the group.
More the size of the group, more the specialization
in the organisation. This leads to increase in
conflict. A close style of leadership (tight and
continuous observation) leads to increase in conflict
• (c) Personal Variables: It acts as a major source of
conflict. It includes personality, attitude, value,
perception and knowledge.
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25. 12-25
• (2) Stage II: Cognition & Personalization
• If the conditions stated in stage I, negatively affects
the party about what he cares then the probability
for opposition or incompatibility is found. In this
stage, there can be two types of conflict:
• (a) Perceived conflict
• (b) Felt conflict
• (a) Perceived conflict: It means the conflict is not
personalized. In other words, “A” may be aware
that “A” & “B” are in serious disagreement but “A”
may not be tensed or anxious.
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26. 12-26
• (b) Felt conflict means those conflicts which
arise when individuals become emotionally
involved i.e. becomes tensed, frustrated, anxious
etc.
• Some type of pattern prevails between two
groups as well as two departments in
organisation
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27. • (3) Stage III: Conflict handling situation Or
• Intentions
12-27
• Intentions mean decisions to act in a given way. Intention
means difference between the perception and emotions of
people and their behaviour. Intention is taken as a
different stage because it helps us to know how to
respond in result of others behaviour. There are a lot of
conflicts which increase due to wrong intentions. There
can be five different conflict handling intensions
• (a) Competing
• (b) Collaborating
• .
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28. • (c) Avoiding
• (d) Compromising
• (e) Accommodation
• (a) Competing: A desire to satisfy one’s interest
irrespective of impact on other party during
conflict. In simple words, achieving our goal at
sacrifice of other goal
12-28
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29. • (b) Collaborating: It is a situation or intension in which
both the parties desires to satisfy the need of all the
parties by clarifying differences. They discuss with each
other in search of cooperation.
• (c) Avoiding: Avoiding is the intention to withdraw from
a conflict i.e. trying to ignore the conflict
• (d) Compromising: Compromising is a situation or
intention where both the parties are willing to give up
something. In such kind of situation, there is no clear
winner or looser.
• (e) Accommodating: It means willingness of one party to
place the opponents interest above his own interest. This
is also known as self sacrificing intention in order to
maintain the relationship with the other parties
12-29
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30. • (4) Stage IV: Manifest Conflict Or Overt
12-30
Behaviour
• This is the stage where conflict is out in the open
i.e. it is visible. This stage is known as Behavioral
stage and it includes the statements, actions and
reaction made by the parties involved in the
conflict. Bring the intention into action.
• Overt conflict covers full range of behaviour from
direct and indirect form of interference violence and
uncontrolled struggle at individual as well as group
level. At organizational level, strikes and lockouts
may be the result.
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31. 12-31
• (5) Stage V: Outcomes
• The conflict finally results in an outcome which
may be functional (good) or dysfunctional (bad).
If the conflict is handled properly, there will be
increase in group performance. Such conflict is
said to be functional conflict. If the conflict is
mismanaged and due to it the group performance
decreases then it is said to be dysfunctional
conflict.
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32. 12-32
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33. Causes of Conflict
• Conflict due to frustation
12-33
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34. Causes of conflict
• About the Eight Causes
• According to psychologists Art Bell and Brett Hart, there are
eight common causes of conflict in the workplace. Bell and
Hart identified these common causes in separate articles on
workplace conflict in 2000 and 2002.
• The eight causes are:
• Conflicting resources.
• Conflicting styles.
• Conflicting perceptions.
• Conflicting goals.
• Conflicting pressures.
• Conflicting roles.
• Different personal values.
• Unpredictable policies.
12-34
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35. • Types of change, identification of the problem
and
• Implementation of change, resistance to change,
overcoming resistance to change.
12-35
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