CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

AJAY KUMAR SAINI

ICFAI BUSINESS SCHOOL
DEHRADUN

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 WHAT IS CONFLICT?

• PERCEPTION IN THE MIND OF INDIVIDUAL

OR GROUP OF INDIVIDUAL THAT THE

OTHER PERSON OR GROUP IS HINDERING

THE FIRST PARTY FROM ACHIEVING A

GOAL
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 TYPES OF CONFLICT
• CONFLICT WITHIN AN INDIVIDUAL

APPROACH- AVOIDANCE

APPROACH- APPROACH

AVOIDANCE- AVOIDANCE

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 TYPES OF CONFLICT
• CONFLICT BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS

• BETWEEN AN INDIVIDUAL AND A GROUP

• BETWEEN GROUPS WITHIN AN

ORGANIZATION

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 DIFFERENT VIEWS ABOUT
CONFLICT
• THE TRADITIONAL VIEW

• 1930-1940

• VOILENCE, TURBULENCE, AGITATION

• INDICATED MALFUNCTIONING

• MUST BE AVOIDED

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• CONFLICT IS UNNECESSARY
 DIFFERENT VIEWS ABOUT
CONFLICT
• THE BEHAVIORAL VIEW

• 1940-1970

• DIFFERENT VALUES OF INDIVIDUALS

• NOT ALWAYS DETRIMENTAL

• RESTORE UNDERSTANDING, TRUST,

OPENNESS 6
 DIFFERENT VIEWS ABOUT
CONFLICT
• INTERACTIONIST VIEW

• CURRENT THINKING

• REGULATE CONFLICT

• SHAKE SYSTEM OUT OF COMPLACENCY

• MAKE IT VIABLE, SELF- CRITICAL AND CREATIVE

• MINIMUM LEVEL OF CONFLICT REQUIRED

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• GET ITS FUNCTIONAL ASPECTS IN FOLD

• DO AWAY WITH DYSFUNCTIONAL ASPECTS

• STIMULATE, IF NECESSARY

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 SOURCES OF CONFLICT
• LIMITED RESOURCES

• DIVERSITY OF GOALS

• TASK INTERDEPENDENCE

POOLED INTERDEPENDENCE

SEQUENTIAL INTERDEPENDENCE

RECIPROCAL INTERDEPENDENCE

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 SOURCES OF CONFLICT
• DIFFERENT VALUES AND PERCEPTIONS

• ORGANIZATIONAL AMBIGUITIES

• INTRODUCTION OF CHANGE

• NATURE OF COMMUNICATION

• AGGRESSIVE NATURE OF PEOPLE

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 PROCESS OF CONFLICT

Perceived Manifest
Conflict Conflict

Antecedent
Conditions Aftermath

Conflict Mgt.
FELT Strategy:
Conflict •Stimulation
•Resolution

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ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT AND UNIT
PERFORMANCE

HIGH

STIMULATION RESOLUTION
UNIT PERFORMANCE

DYS
DYSFUNCTIONAL
FUNC
FUNCTIONAL

LOW OPTIMAL HIGH

LEVELS OF CONFLICT

STAGNATION DISRUPTION
LOW
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MODES OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
STIMULATION OF PRODUCTIVE CONFLICT

“YES MAN”

COMPROMISE IN DECISION MAKING

POPULARITY IS GIVE MORE IMPORTANCE THAN

TECHNICAL COMPETENCE

GREAT RESISTANCE TO CHANGE

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 STIMULATION OF PRODUCTIVE CONFLICT

• AFRAID TO ADMIT IGNORENCE

• AFRAID OF HURTING FEELINGS

• NEW IDEAS ARE NOT FORTHCOMING

• USUALLY LOW RATE OF EMPLOYEE TURNOVER

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 TECHNIQUES MAY BE ADOPTED
• MANIPULATE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

DEVIATE MESSAGES FROM TRADITIONAL

CHANNELS

REPRESS INFORMATION

TRANSMIT TOO MUCH INFORMATION

TRANSMIT AMBIGUOS OR THREATENING

INFOORMATION 15
• ALTER ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

• INCREASE A UNIT’S SIZE

• INCREASESPECIALIZATION/STANDARDIZATION

• ADD, DELETE OR TRANSFER ORGANIZATIONAL

MEMBERS

• INCREASE INTERDEPENDENCE BETWEEN UNITS

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• ALTER PERSONAL BEHAVIOR FACTORS

• CHANGE PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

OF LEADER

• CREATE ROLE CONFLICT

• DEVELOP ROLE INCONGRUENCE

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 POSSIBLE CONFLICT RESOLUTION
STRATEGIES
• CONFLICT AVOIDANCE

• CONFLICT DEFUSION

• CONFLICT CONTAINMENT

• CONFLICT CONFRONTATION
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 CONFLICT AVOIDANCE

• IGNORING THE CONFLICT

• IMPOSING A SOLUTION

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 CONFLICT DEFUSION

• SMOOTHING

• APPEALING TO SUPERORDINATE

GOALS

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 CONFLICT CONTAINMENT

• USING REPRESENTATIVES

• STRUCTURING THE INTERACTION

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CONFLICT CONFRONTATION

• PROBLEM SOLVING

• ORGANIZATIONAL REDESIGN

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 APPROACH

confrontation compromise
OUT GROUP PERCEIVED AS

unreasonable

arbitration negotiation

AVOIDANCE

resignation appeasement

With drawl diffusion

Open to
reason

Opposed to Having own interest

our interest & but interested in peace
belligerent
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OUT GROUP PERCEIVED AS
 COLLABORATION/COOPERATION

• A PERSON WORKING WITH ANOTHER

PERSON OR MORE PERSONS FOR THE

ATTAINMENT OF A GOAL WHICH IS SEEN

AS SHAREABLE

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 BASES OF COLLABORATION

• COLLABORATIVE MOTIVATION

• GROUP NORMS

• HIGHER PAYOFFS FOR COLLABORATION

• SUPERORDINATE GOALS

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 BASES OF COLLABORATION

• PERCEIVED POWER

• MUTUAL TRUST

• COMMUNICATION

• RISK TAKING

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 COLLABORATING
• FUNDAMENTAL PREMISE

“Teamwork and cooperation help every one

achieve their goals while also maintaining

relationships”

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 COLLABORATING
• STRATEGIC PHILOSOPHY

“The process of working through differences

will lead to creative solutions that will satisfy

both parties.”

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 COLLABORATING
• WHEN TO USE

1. High level of trust

2. Don’t want full responsibility

3. Others to have “ownership” of solutions

4. People are willing to change their thinking

5. Need to work through animosity and hard

feelings

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 COLLABORATING
• DRAW BACKS

Lot of time and energy

Misuse of people’s trust and openness

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