This document discusses conflict and negotiation. It defines conflict as occurring when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected something they care about. It describes the traditional, human relations, and interactionist views of conflict. The human relations view sees conflict as natural and inevitable, while the interactionist view sees conflict as necessary for group performance. Conflict can be functional/constructive or dysfunctional/destructive. The document also outlines the stages of conflict including potential opposition, cognition/personalization, behaviors, and outcomes. It then discusses negotiation, distinguishing between distributive and integrative bargaining. Finally, it covers contemporary issues in negotiation such as decision-making biases, the role of personality and gender, and cultural differences.

1. Conflict and Negotiation
Sinem Bulkan

2. Definition of Conflict
• 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.
K.W. Thomas, 1992
• Any situation in which people have incompatible goals, interests,
principles or feelings.

3. Transitions in Conflict Thought
Traditional View of Conflict
The belief that all conflict is harmful and must be avoided. Conflict is
bad, synonymus with violence, destruction and irrationality.
Causes:
• Poor communication
• Lack of openness
and trust
• Failure to respond to
employee needs

4. Transitions in Conflict Thought
Human Relations View of Conflict
The belief that conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome in
any group. Accept it.
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. Conflict should be
encouraged; keeps the group alive, self-critical
and creative.

5. Functional versus Dysfunctional Conflict
Functional Conflict
(Constructive)
Conflict that supports the goals
of the group and improves its
performance.
Dysfunctional Conflict
(Destructive)
Conflict that hinders
group performance.

6. Types of Conflict
Task Conflict
Conflicts over content and
goals of the work.
Relationship Conflict
Conflict based on
interpersonal relationships.
Process Conflict
Conflict over how the work gets
done.

7. Conflict Process

8. Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
• Communication
 Semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and “noise”
• Structure
 Size and specialization of jobs
 Member/goal incompatibility
 Leadership styles (close or participative)
 Reward systems (win-lose)
 Dependence/interdependence of groups
• Personal Variables
 Differing individual value systems
 Personality types

9. Stage II: Cognition and Personalization
Perceived Conflict
Awareness by one or more
parties of the existence of
conditions that create
opportunities for conflict to
arise.
Felt Conflict
Emotional involvement in a
conflict creating anxiety,
tenseness, frustration, or
hostility.
Conflict Definition
Negative Emotions Positive Feelings

10. Stage III: Behaviours
Competing
A desire to satisfy one’s interests, regardless of the impact on the other party
to the conflict.
Collaborating
A situation in which the parties to a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the
concerns of all parties.
Avoiding
The desire to withdraw from or suppress a conflict.
Accommodating
The willingness of one party in a conflict to place the opponent’s interests
above his or her own.
Compromising
A situation in which each party to a conflict is willing to give up something.

11. 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
• Dysfunctional Outcomes from Conflict
 Development of discontent
 Reduced group effectiveness
 Retarded communication
 Reduced group cohesiveness
 Infighting among group members overcomes group goals

12. Negotiation
Negotiation
A process in which two or more parties exchange
goods or services and attempt to agree on the
exchange rate for them.

13. Bargaining Strategies
Distributive Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of
resources; a win-lose situation. Sales, wages bargains.
etc.
Integrative Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that can
create a win-win solution.

14. Staking Out the Bargaining Zone

15. Distributive Versus Integrative Bargaining
Bargaining Distributive Integrative
Characteristic Characteristic Characteristic
Available resources Fixed amount of Variable amount of
resources to be divided resources to be divided
Primary motivations I win, you lose I win, you win
Primary interests Opposed to each other Convergent or congruent
with each other
Focus of relationships Short term Long term

16. 4 Contemporary Issues in Negotiation
• Decision-Making Biases That Hinder Effective
Negotiation
 Irrational escalation of commitment, relying on previous rational
decisions
 The mythical fixed pie, win-lose, win-win
 Anchoring and Adjustments, tendency to anchor judgements on
irrelevant info, e.g. initial offer.
 Framing negotiations, importance of presenting information.
 Availability of information, relying on available information while
ignoring more relevant data.
 The winner’s curse, the regret one feels after closing a negotiation
 Overconfidence, ignoring information that contradicts and lessens the
incentive to compromise.

17. 4 Contemporary Issues in Negotiation
• The Role of Personality Traits in Negotiation
 Traits do not appear to have a significantly direct effect on the outcomes of
either bargaining or negotiating processes.
• Gender Differences in Negotiations
 Women negotiate no differently from men, although men apparently negotiate
slightly better outcomes.(due to divergent values on outcomes)
 Men and women with similar power bases use the same negotiating styles.
 Women’s attitudes toward negotiation and their success as negotiators are less
favorable than men’s. Women are less satisfied.

18. 4 Contemporary Issues in Negotiation
• Cultural Differences in Negotiations
 Negotiationg styles clearly vary among national cultures.
 The amount and type of preparation for barganing, the relative
emphasis on task versus interpersonal relations, the tactics used, and
even where the negotiation should be contacted are affected by the
cultural context of the negotiation.
Sample – Verbal and Nonverbal Negotiation by North Americans,
Japanese, and Brazilians – 30 Minutes Bargaining
session
 Saying ‘No’ Brazilian 83, North American 9, Japanese 5 times.
 Silence Japanese 5 periods 10 seconds each, North Americans
3,5 periods, Brazilian 0.
 Physical Contact Japanese and North American ‘No’.Brazilians
5.

19. THANK YOU ! 