This document discusses organizational conflict at various levels. It defines organizational conflict as goal-directed behavior being blocked by another person or group. Causes of conflict include poor communication and lack of openness. Conflict can be functional, releasing tension and stimulating change, or dysfunctional, causing high turnover and distrust. The stages of conflict are potential opposition, cognition/personalization, intentions, behavior, and outcomes. Conflict resolution techniques include problem-solving, compromise, and altering structures/people. Conflict occurs at interpersonal, group, and organizational levels within and between departments.

1. Organizational Conflict
The struggle that arises
when the goal-directed
behavior of one person
or group blocks the
goal-directed behavior
of another person or
group.

2. Transitions in Conflict Thought
Causes:
• Poor communication
• Lack of openness
• Failure to respond to
employee needs
Causes:
• Poor communication
• Lack of openness
• Failure to respond to
employee needs

3. Transitions in Conflict Thought
(cont’d)

4. Insert Figure 18.4 here

5. Functional versus Dysfunctional Conflict

6. Functional Conflicts
Release of tension
Analytical thinking
Group cohesiveness
Competition
Challenge
Stimulation for change
Identification of weaknesses
Awareness
High quality decisions

7. Dysfunctional Conflicts
High employee turnover
Tensions
Dissatisfaction
Climate of distrust
Personal vs. organisational goals
Conflict as a cost

8. Types of Conflict

9. The Conflict Process

10. 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

11. Stage II: Cognition and Personalization

12. Stage III: Intentions
Cooperativeness:
• Attempting to satisfy
the other party’s
concerns.
Assertiveness:
• Attempting to satisfy
one’s own concerns.
Cooperativeness:
• Attempting to satisfy
the other party’s
concerns.
Assertiveness:
• Attempting to satisfy
one’s own concerns.

13. Stage III: Intentions (cont’d)

14. Stage III: Intentions (cont’d)

15. Dimensions of Conflict-Handling
Intentions

16. Stage IV: Behavior

17. Stage IV: Conflict Resolution
Techniques
• Problem solving
• Superordinate goals
• Expansion of resources
• Avoidance
• Smoothing
• Compromise
• Authoritative command
• Altering the human variable
• Altering the structural variables
• Problem solving
• Superordinate goals
• Expansion of resources
• Avoidance
• Smoothing
• Compromise
• Authoritative command
• Altering the human variable
• Altering the structural variables

18. Stage IV: Conflict Stimulation
Techniques
• Communication
• Bringing in outsiders
• Restructuring the organization
• Appointing a devil’s advocate
• Communication
• Bringing in outsiders
• Restructuring the organization
• Appointing a devil’s advocate

19. Conflict-Intensity Continuum

20. Stage V: Outcomes
• Functional Outcomes from Conflict
– 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
• Creating Functional Conflict
– Reward dissent and punish conflict avoiders

21. Stage V: Outcomes (cont’d)
• Dysfunctional Outcomes from Conflict
– Development of discontent
– Reduced group effectiveness
– Retarded communication
– Reduced group cohesiveness
– Infighting among group members overcomes
group goals

22. Levels of Conflict
• Interpersonal conflict
• Group-level conflict
• Organization-level conflict
– Vertical conflict
– Horizontal conflict
– Diagonal conflict

23. Individual level of conflict
It is caused by unacceptability incompatability and uncertainty
1. Frustration: when an individual is unable to do what he wants to do
Defence mechanisms adopted are aggression, withdrawal, fixation and
compromise
2. Goal conflict: occurs when two or more motives block each other. Three type
of goal conflicts are
a. Approach approach conflict- occurs when an individual approaches two or
more equally attractive but mutually exclusive goals
b. Approach avoidance conflict- is a situation in which a single goal has both
positive and negative characteristics
c. Avoidance avoidance conflict- arises when an individual has to choose
between two alternatives each with negative aspects
3. Role conflict: it arises when the role expectations are understood, but due to
some reason, they cannot be complied with

24. Interpersonal conflict
Involves conflict between two or more
individuals
Four sources of interpersonal conflict are
Personal differences
Information deficiency
Role incompatibility
Environmental stress

25. Group level conflict
I. Intra group conflict arises in three ways
a. When group faces a new problem
b. When new values are incorporated from
social environment
c. When a person’s extra group role comes
into conflict with his intra group role
II. Inter group conflict arises because of
a. Absence of joint decision making
b. Difference in goals
c. Differences in perception

26. Organisational Level Conflict
Can be between buyer and seller organisations, union and
organisations and is divided into two categories
1. Institutional conflicts: arise due to division of work.
When two departments have mutually incompatible
goals, conflicts arise between employees in these
departments and is further divided into five categories
a. Individual vs. Individual conflict
b. Individual vs. orgn conflict
c. Hierarchical conflict
d. Functional conflict
e. Line vs. staff conflict

27. Contd.
2. Emergent Conflicts: arise due to social and
personal reasons in an organisational
environment.
They are classified into four categories
a. Individual vs. informal group conflict
b. Formal-informal conflict
c. Status conflict
d. Political conflict