The document provides an overview of models of conflict, including definitions, causes, consequences, and solutions. It begins by defining conflict and distinguishing between different types. Key points include: - Conflict is a perception of incompatibility between two interdependent parties. It exists when one party feels another has negatively affected something they care about. - There are various causes of conflict including personal, structural, and communication factors. Conflict has both functional and dysfunctional consequences depending on how it is managed. - Conflict management aims to minimize dysfunctional aspects and enhance constructive functions, while conflict resolution seeks to end conflict. Managing conflict appropriately is important for optimal organizational performance.

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. Levels of Conflict
12

13. Levels of Conflict
13

14. 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.

15. 0
1
Causes and
Consequences0
2
Sources of Conflict
Consequences of Conflict

16. Sources of Conflict
16

17. 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

18. 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

19. Consequences of Conflict

20. 0
1
Models of
Conflict0
3
Conflict Process
Pondy’s Stages of Conflict

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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

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

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

27. 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

28. 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

29. Pondy’s Model of Organizational Conflict
35

30. 0
1
Conflict
Solutions0
4
Conflict Management
Conflict Resolution

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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.

35. 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.

36. Managing Dysfunctional Conflict

37. Managing Dysfunctional Conflict

38. 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
49

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
50

46. 51

47. INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
ACT, 1947

48. INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES ACT, 1947
As per section 2 (k) of Industrial Disputes
Act1947, Industrial Dispute is defined as any
dispute or difference between employers and
employers or between employers and
workmen or between workmen and workmen
which is connected with the employment or
non-employment or the terms employment or
with the condition of labour of any person

49. OBJECTIVES
•
•
•
•
• Promotion of measures for securing
and preserving amity and good relation
between the employers and workers
Investigation and settlement of
industrial disputes
Prevention of illegal strikes and lock–
outs
Relief to workmen in the matter of lay–
off and retrenchment
Promotion of collective bargaining

50. FEATURES
• This act extends to the whole of India including the
state of Jammu and Kashmir
• It encourages arbitration over the disputes between
employers and employees
• It provides for setting up of works committees as
machinery for mutual consultation between
employers and employees to promote cordial
relation
• This Act paved the way for setting up permanent
conciliation machinery at various stages having
definite time limits for conciliation and arbitration
• This Act emphasis on compulsory adjudication
besides conciliation and voluntary arbitration of
Industrial Disputes

51. • The Act empower the Government to make
reference of the dispute to an appropriate
authority ie, Labour court, Industrial tribunal and
National tribunal depending upon the nature of
the dispute either on its own or on the request of
the parties
The right to strike by the workers and lock–out
by the employees has been subjected to the
restriction as laid down in the Act
•
• The act prohibits strikes and lock–outs during
the pendening of conciliation and arbitration
proceedings and in public utility service and it
empowers government to take adequate action

52. Terms under Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT – Sec 2 (a)
• Refers to Central Government/State
Government
ARBITRATOR – Sec2 (aa)
• Referred as an umpire.
• It means any person who is appointed to
determine differences and disputes between
two parties.

53. WAGES – Sec 2(rr)
It means all remuneration capable of being
expressed in terms of money, if the term of
employment were fulfilled, be payable to a
workman in respect of his employment or of work
done in such employment.
INDUSTRY- Sec 2(i)
Industry means any systematic activity carried on
by co-operation between an employer and his
workmen whether such work men are employed by
such employee directly or by or through any agency
including a contractor for the production, supply or
distribution of goods or services with a view to
satisfy human wants or wishes with a motive to
make any gain or profit; not merely spiritual or
religious.

54. WORKMEN - Sec 2(s)
Means any person including an apprentice
employed in any industry to do any manual,
unskilled, skilled, technical, operational,
clerical or supervisory work for hire or reward
the terms of employment be express or
implied and there should be a contractual
relationship between master and servant

55. INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENT- Sec 2(ka)
• Means an establishment or undertaking in
which industry is carried on
PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICE- Sec 2(n)
• Means any industry specified in the First
Schedule of Industrial Disputes Act, 1947,
can be declared as Public Utility Service by
government through a notification in the
official Gazette for a fixed period (not more
than six month for the first instance)

56. SETTLEMENT – Sec 2(p)
Means
A written agreement between the employer
and workmen arrived in the course of
conciliation proceeding provided;
• Such agreement has been signed by the
parties there to in the manner prescribed
• A copy has been sent to an officer authorized
by the appropriate government and the
conciliation officer.

57. Authorities under Industrial Dispute Act,1947
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Works Committee (Sec 3)
Conciliation Officers (Sec 4)
Board of Conciliation (Sec 5)
Court of Inquiry (Sec 6)
Labour Court (Sec 7)
Industrial Tribunal (Sec7-A)
National Tribunal (Sec7-B)

58. 1. WORKS COMMITTEE (Sec-3)
• Constituted based on appropriate
Government order
• Applicable to industrial establishment in
which 100 or more workmen are employed
on any day in the preceding 12 months
• Consists of representatives of employees
and workmen engaged in the establishment.
• Number of workmen representatives shall
not be less than the number of employer’s
representatives

59. DUTIES
To promote measures for securing and preserving amity
and good relations between the employer and the
workmen
To comment upon matters of their common interest or
concern.
CONCILIATION OFFICERS (Sec 4)
–
–
– The appropriate government, by notification in the
official Gazette appoints a specific number of persons
as it think fit to be as conciliation officers
Conciliation officer may be appointed for a specified
area or for specified industries in specified area either
as permanent or for a limited period
A conciliation officer shall be deemed to be as a public
servant as per Sec. 21 of Indian penal code 1860

60. DUTIES
1. When any industrial disputes exist, the conciliation
officer should hold conciliation proceedings in a
prescribed manner without delay to have right
settlement.
2. Whether settlement is reached or not, the conciliation
officer must submit the report within 14 days of the
commencement of the conciliation proceedings or
within the date fixed by the appropriate government
3. If the report submitted in satisfied to the appropriate
Government, it may or may not refer the dispute to
any authority under the Act. If the Government is not
making any reference, it should record and
communicate the reason to the contending parties
4. The duty of a conciliation officer is administrative and
not judicial

61. • 3. BOARD OF CONCILIATION (Sec5)
– The appropriate Government by a notification in the official
Gazette constitutes a Board of Conciliation for promoting the
settlement of an industrial dispute
– The Board consists of a Chairman and two or four other
members, as the appropriate government thinks fit
– The Chairman shall be an independent person; unconnected
with the dispute
– The other members shall be persons appointed in equal
number to represent the parties to the dispute
– The person appointed to represent a party shall be
appointed on the recommendation of the party
– The appropriate Government appoints a fit person as it
thinks, if any party fails to make a recommendation within a
prescribed period
– A Board of Conciliation can act only when a dispute is
referred to it by the Government

62. DUTIES
1.When a dispute has been referred to a Board, it will
investigate the matter affecting the merits and right
settlement of the dispute without delay
2. Whether settlement is reached or not, the Board must
submit the report within two months of the date on
which the dispute was referred to it
3. If no settlement is arrived, the Government may refer
the dispute to the labour court, Industrial Tribunal or
National Tribunal.
4. The time for submission of report may be extended by
such period as may be agreed to in writing by all the
parties to the disputes

63. 5.The report of the Board shall be in writing
and shall be signed by all the members of
the Board.
6.The report submitted shall be published
by the appropriate Government with in 30
days from the receipt
7.A Board of Conciliation can only try to
bring about a settlement. It has no power
to impose settlement on the parties to the
dispute

64. 4. COURT OF INQUIRY (Sec 6)
• The appropriate Government, by notification in the
official Gazette, constitutes a Court of Inquiry in to
any matter relevant to an Industrial dispute
• A Court of Inquiry consists of one independent
person or of number of independent persons as the
appropriate Government may think fit
• Court of Inquiry consists of two or more members,
one of them shall be appointed as Chairman
• The Court of Inquiry can act under a prescribed
quorum; even at the absence of Chairman
• If the service of the chairman is ceased by the
Government through notification, the court shall not
act until a new chairman has been appointed

65. • All members of the court shall be deemed to
be public servants under Sec 21 of the Indian
penal code 1860
• Every inquiry by a court shall be deemed to be
judicial proceeding
• A Court of Inquiry has same powers as a civil
court under the Code of Civil Procedure 1908
• The court has the right to appoint one or more
persons having special knowledge of the
matter of the dispute as an advisor

66. DUTIES
•
•
• A Court shall inquire into the matters
referred to it and report to the appropriate
government within a period of 6 months
from the commencement of the inquiry
The report of the court shall be in writing
and signed by all the members of the court.
Members are free to record their dissent
The report submitted shall be published
within a period of 30 days of its receipt by
the Government

67. 5. LABOUR COURT (Sec 7)
1.A labour court consists of one person only to be
appointed by the appropriate Government
2.A person shall not be qualified for appointment
as presiding officer of a labour court unless
a) He is / has been a Judge of a High Court
b) He has been as a District Judge /Additional District
Judge for a period not less than three years
c) He has held any judicial office in India for not less
than seven years

68. DUTIES
1. Adjudicate upon the industrial disputes
relating to any matter specified in the Second
Schedule
2. 2. When an industrial dispute has been
referred to a labour Court for adjudication
,within the specified period, it should submit
award to the appropriate Government
3.It shall be published in such manner as the
appropriate Government thinks fit within a
period of 30 days from the date of its receipt
by the appropriate Government

69. 6. INDUSTRIAL TRIBUNAL (Sec7-A)
• The appropriate Government by notification in the
official Gazette , constitute one or more industrial
tribunals for the adjudication of industrial disputes
relating to any matter specified in Second or Third
Schedule
• The Tribunal consists of one person to be appointed
by the appropriate Government
• A person shall not be qualified for appointment as
the presiding officer of an Industrial Tribunal unless
a) He is/ has been a Judge of a High Court
b)He has been a District Judge / Additional District
Judge for a period of three years

70. • No person shall be appointed to or continue in
office of a presiding officer if
• He is not an independent person.
• He has attained the age of 65 years.
DUTIES
• It shall submit its award to the appropriate
Government within a specified period if an industrial
dispute is referred to an Industrial Tribunal
• The award shall be in writing and shall be signed by
its presiding officer
• The award shall be published by the appropriate
government within a period of 30 days in a manner
as the appropriate government thinks fit
• As it is a quasi – judicial body, it must serve notice
upon the parties to the reference by name before
making any award

71. 7. NATIONAL TRIBUNAL (Sec7-B)
• The Central government ,by notification in the official
Gazette constitute one or more National Industrial
Tribunals for the adjudication of industrial disputes :
1.Involving questions of national importance
2.Which are of such a nature that industries are more
than one state are likely to be interested in, or
affected by, such disputes
3.Matters appearing in Second and Third schedule
• A National Tribunal consists of one person to be
appointed by Central Government
• A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a
presiding officer of a National Tribunal unless he is /
has been a Judge of High Court

72. DUTIES
• When an industrial dispute is referred to the
National Tribunal for adjudication, it shall
submit its award to the appropriate
government
• The award shall be in writing and shall be
signed by the presiding officer of the National
Tribunal
• It shall publish the award within a period of 30
days from the date of its receipt by Central
Government

73. Settlement of Disputes:
In spite of all efforts at avoiding occasions and causes of disputes,
disputes may and do occur. It is, therefore, necessary to have some
machinery for the settlement of disputes after they have arisen.
There are usually two methods of meeting such situations:
(i) Conciliation, and
(ii) Arbitration.
Conciliation:
The essential feature of this method is that the settlement is reached by
representatives of the workers and the employers themselves, with or
without the mediation of an outside person.
Arbitration:
In the case of arbitration, the question at issue is placed before an
outside person for settlement. Arbitration may be voluntary as in
Britain or compulsory as in Australia and New Zealand. Under
voluntary arbitration, the award is not finding on the parties.

74. What is participative management?
Participative management is a leadership structure that encourages people from
multiple levels of a company to contribute to managing the organization.
Companies that employ this style typically hold positions with formal
management roles, but those managers prioritize taking feedback and
requesting input from other employees.

75. Types of participative management
Depending on your company’s style of participative management, your supervisors
may seek your input in different ways. The basic types of participative management
include:
1.Consultation style: Managers seek employee input before making decisions or
implementing changes. They then consider these ideas before making an
independent final decision.
2.Joint decision-making style: Management solicits employee feedback and also
expects employees to participate in making final decisions. In this case, team
members have both the freedom to share ideas s and the responsibility for the
decisions their team makes. Joint decision-making can take the form of self-
managed teams or collaborative organizational structures.

76. Strategies to implement participative management
• Consider multiple opinions
• Provide information to employees
• Encourage creative solutions
• Hire people with leadership qualities
• Provide training

77. who are willing to take risks. They are dependable and enjoy solving problems. You
could demonstrate your leadership skills by creating a procedure to train new hires on
how to organize their workflows or keep up with industry updates.
•Interpersonal skills: These skills determine how you interact with other people. In
order to have an environment in which team members feel comfortable sharing ideas,
participative-managed companies aim to hire and retain empathetic, friendly and
encouraging employees.
•Communication: Good communication skills will be vital if you are a contributor to a
participative management-style team. It is important to develop your active listening
skills and encourage members of your team to share their ideas. In this management
structure, group success is just as valued as individual success.