Organizational Conflict

Organizational conflict or work place conflict described as “ state of disagreement or misunderstanding, resulting from the actual or perceived dissent of needs, beliefs , resources & relationship between the member of the organization” . Conflict has both negative & positive affects to the organization. Conflict resolution is an important skill of management. Management must examine the situation, to resolve the conflict or stimulate the conflict.

It is important to understand the type of conflicts, then the managers could able to use some standard techniques for dealing with each type of conflict. There are basically 5 types.

1. Conflict within the individual.
2. Interpersonal conflict
3. Conflict between the individual and the group.
4. Inter group conflict
5. Inter organizational conflict

Conflict within the individual- This type of conflicts may occur within the mind, because these are value related, its mean when the individual value & beliefs does not meet with their job role. For example ; A telephone operator may got advised from her supervisor to be polite when dealing with customers, and also supervisor complain that she spend much time with customers, so the conflict may happened her mind how to deal with customer , with satisfaction of supervisor as well as customers.

Interpersonal conflict- This type of conflict are the resulting of personalty clashes. People have different characteristics & attitudes . When working in a organization, between two or more individuals that they have inconsistent views and aims with others. For example two sales managers may argue to which method may affect to get higher sales.

Conflict between the individual and the group- All formal and informal groups have certain operational standards and behaviors and all group members need to adhere them. If any individual disagree with group goals and methods, anyhow he have to remain in the group for his social needs...etc. Then the this type of conflict may occur . For example ; if manager takes any disciplinary action against a group member . It may cause to conflict within the group.

Inter group conflict- Every organization is consist of departments, sections or work teams. This conflict happened due to some disagreement between two or more group and some individual who are within the group have inherent attributes or social histories that also impact to the Inter group conflict.

Inter organizational conflict- This can be define as a conflict occur within two or more organization, which are dependent upon each other in some way. For example; buyer organization and supplier organization, between these organizations conflict occur due to supplying & expecting level of quality, quantity and delivery time...etc may differ.

All the employers ,managers & teams work together for achieve the company goals; therefore keeping and remain as the competitor it is necessary to understand the reason for organization conflict. Some are:

• unclear expectation without proper guidance or information
• communication barriers
• incompetent management
• competition for resources
• lack of accountability
• goal differences & task interdependence
• poor work environment

 Conflict Management & Process

conflict management may help to limits the negative factors of conflict while increasing the positive factors of conflicts.

Process with five stages:

1.Potential for conflict

2.recognition of conflict

3.Conflict handling style.

4.Conflict behavior

5.Conflict outcomes

As per the identification of Thomas & Kilmann, they have introduced five styles for conflict handling.

1.Competing

A competing style is getting everyone to own way and keep pushing for own viewpoint while rejecting other ideas until achieve the goal. Get quick & decisive actions.

Ex. During emergencies

2.Avoiding

An avoiding style, evades totally the conflict. In this style able to continuously postpone or completely evades the conflict whenever it comes.

3.Compromising

A compromising style could be appropriate to use when the approaching the goal and if you are at an impasse or conflict, more important is finding a temporary solution or expedient for that moment.

4.Accommodating

An accommodating style, exchange the needs and desires of others and forsake you own needs and desires. Concern about others before your own. This style shows high degree of co-cooperativeness in the organization as well as to keep the organization peace you may feel as wrong or may feel like have no choice , but have to be agree with others point of view.

5.Collaborating

A collaborating style is a win-win concept . Final solution will meet the successful needs of all parties. This will be appropriate when the request need to be fulfilled and final solution is important to everyone.

Can be used resolution and stimulation techniques to achieve the desired level of conflict.

Conflict-Resolution Techniques

• Problem Solving
• Subordinate goals
• Expansion of resources
• Avoidance
• Smoothing
• Compromise
• Authoritative command
• Altering the human variable
• Altering the structural variables

Conflict Stimulate techniques

• Communication
• Bringing in outsiders
• Restructuring the organization
• Appointing a devil’s advocate

Positive Outcomes from the conflict management

• Improves the quality of decisions.
• Stimulates creativity and innovation.
• Encourages interest and curiosity.
• Provides the medium for problem solving.
• Fosters an environment of self-evaluation and change.

Negative Outcomes from the conflict management

• Development of discontent
• Reduced group effectiveness
• Retarded communication
• Reduced group cohesiveness
• Infighting among group members overcomes group goals

Third Party Involvement

Fair and efficient conflict resolution is very important in organization, some occasions its better to using third party to solve the problem. When third party is resolution or resolving a dispute in the organization third party must be a neutral.

Mediator

Mediator act as a neutral party to help to resolve conflict on their own way. Mediator will not resolve the conflict for the organization, but he help to facilitate a discussion between problem having parties. Most organizations keep their dirty laundry on top secret, so mediator act as a private affair and he will not give decisions he allows disputing parties to take decisions under his control.

Arbitrator

Arbitrator is a neutral third party and who makes a binding decision to resolve a conflict. Most of arbitrations end with winners and losers however their decision must be followed. Dispute Parties if they fail to resolve conflict in mediation then will seek arbitrator.





References

En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Organizational conflict. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_conflict [Accessed 28 May 2019].


Business Jargons. (2019). What is Organizational Conflict? definition and meaning - Business Jargons. [online] Available at: https://businessjargons.com/organizational-conflict.html [Accessed 28 May 2019].