Conflict

Conflict
• Conflict Defined
– Is 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.
• Is 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
Transitions in Conflict Thought
Traditional View of Conflict
The belief that all conflict is harmful and must be
avoided.
Causes:
• Poor communication
• Lack of openness
• Failure to respond to
employee needs
Transitions in Conflict Thought (cont’d)
Human Relations View of Conflict

The belief that conflict is a natural and inevitable
outcome in any group.
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.
Functional versus Dysfunctional Conflict
Functional Conflict
Conflict that supports the goals
of the group and improves its
performance.
Dysfunctional Conflict
Conflict that hinders
group performance.
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 work gets done.
The Conflict Process
E X H I B I T 14–1
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
Stage II: Cognition and Personalization
Perceived Conflict Felt Conflict

Awareness by one or more Emotional involvement in a
parties of the existence of conflict creating anxiety,
conditions that create tenseness, frustration, or
opportunities for conflict to hostility.
arise.
Conflict Definition
Negative Emotions Positive Feelings

Stage III: Intentions
Intentions
Decisions to act in a given way.
Cooperativeness:
• Attempting to satisfy the other party’s
concerns.
Assertiveness:
• Attempting to satisfy one’s own concerns.
Dimensions of Conflict-Handling Intentions
Source: K. Thomas, “Conflict and Negotiation Processes in Organizations,” in M.D. Dunnette

and L.M. Hough (eds.), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2nd ed., vol. 3 E X H I B I T 14–2
(Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1992), p. 668. With permission.
Stage III: Intentions (cont’d)
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.
Stage III: Intentions (cont’d)
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.
Stage IV: Behavior
Conflicts become visible. This stage includes statements,
actions and reactions made by the conflicting parties
Conflict-Intensity Continuum
Conflict-Intensity Continuum
Conflict-Intensity
Conflict-Intensity Continuum Continuum
Conflict Management
The use of resolution and stimulation techniques to

achieve the desired level of conflict.
Conflict Management Techniques
Conflict Resolution Techniques

• Problem solving
• Superordinate goals
• Expansion of resources
• Avoidance
• Smoothing
• Compromise
• Authoritative command
• Altering the human variable
Source: Based on S. P. Robbins,
Managing Organizational Conflict:
A Nontraditional Approach (Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall,
• Altering the structural variables 1974), pp. 59–89
E X H I B I T 14–4
Conflict Management Techniques
Conflict Stimulation Techniques

• Communication
• Bringing in outsiders
• Restructuring the organization
• Appointing a devil’s advocate
Source: Based on S. P. Robbins, Managing Organizational Conflict: A Nontraditional E X H I B I T 14–4 (cont’d)

Approach (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1974), pp. 59–89
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.
Stage V: Outcomes
• Dysfunctional Outcomes from Conflict
– Development of discontent
– Reduced group effectiveness
– Retarded communication
– Reduced group cohesiveness
– Infighting among group members
overcomes group goals
Negotiation
Negotiation
A process in which two or more parties exchange
goods or services and attempt to agree on the
exchange rate for them.
BATNA
The Best Alternative To a
Negotiated Agreement; the
lowest acceptable value
(outcome) to an individual
for a negotiated agreement.
Bargaining Strategies
Distributive Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount
of resources; a win-lose situation.
Integrative Bargaining
Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that
can create a win-win solution.
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
E X H I B I T 14–5
Source: Based on R. J. Lewicki and J. A. Litterer, Negotiation (Homewood, IL: Irwin, 1985), p. 280.
Staking Out the Bargaining Zone
E X H I B I T 14–6
The
Negotiation
Process
E X H I B I T 14–7
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.
– 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.
Why American Managers Might Have Trouble in Cross-
Cultural Negotiations
 Italians, Germans, and French don’t soften up executives

with praise before they criticize. Americans do, and to many
Europeans this seems manipulative. Israelis, accustomed
to fast-paced meetings, have no patience for American
small talk.
 British executives often complain that their U.S.
counterparts chatter too much. Indian executives are used
to interrupting one another. When Americans listen without
asking for clarification or posing questions, Indians can feel
the Americans aren’t paying attention.
 Americans often mix their business and personal lives.
They think nothing, for instance, about asking a colleague a
question like, “How was your weekend?” In many cultures
such a question is seen as intrusive because business and
private lives are totally compartmentalized. E X H I B I T 14–8
Source: Adapted from L. Khosla, “You Say Tomato,” Forbes, May 21, 2001, p. 36.
Third-Party Negotiations
Mediator
A neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated
solution by using reasoning, persuasion, and
suggestions for alternatives.
Arbitrator
A third party to a negotiation
who has the authority to
dictate an agreement.
Third-Party Negotiations (cont’d)
Conciliator
A trusted third party who provides an informal
communication link between the negotiator and the
opponent.
Consultant
An impartial third party, skilled
in conflict management, who
attempts to facilitate creative
problem solving through
communication and analysis.

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Conflict

– Encompasses a wide range of conflicts that people

Human Relations View of Conflict

Interactionist View of Conflict

Perceived Conflict Felt Conflict

Negative Emotions Positive Feelings

Source: K. Thomas, “Conflict and Negotiation Processes in Organizations,” in M.D. Dunnette

The use of resolution and stimulation techniques to

Conflict Resolution Techniques

• Altering the structural variables 1974), pp. 59–89

Conflict Stimulation Techniques

Source: Based on S. P. Robbins, Managing Organizational Conflict: A Nontraditional E X H I B I T 14–4 (cont’d)

Bargaining Distributive Integrative

Available resources Fixed amount of Variable amount of

 Italians, Germans, and French don’t soften up executives

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