Published by: Zaya
Published date: 22 Jun 2021
The conflict in organizations may have serious consequences, so the problem is to solve those problems, and that is where conflict management fits in. If there is conflict there will be no challenge and no dynamics. But if there is too much conflict, it brings a great loss in the organization. There are two approaches to conflict management:
There are some possible combinations given regarding conflict:
It has two aspects. They are
Communication | Using ambiguous or threatening messages to increase the conflict levels. |
Bringing in outsiders | Adding employees to a group whose backgrounds, attitudes, or managerial styles differ from those of present members. |
Restructuring the organization | Realigning workgroups, altering rules and regulations, increasing interdependence, and making similar structural changes to disrupt the status |
Appointing a devil's advocate | Designing a critic to purposely argue against the majority positions held by the group |
Conflict Resolution Techniques:
Problem Solving | A face-to-face meeting of the conflicting parties to identify the problem and resolve it through open discussion. |
Super-ordinate goals | Creating a shared goal that cannot be attained without the cooperation of each of the conflicting parties. |
Expansion of resources | When a conflict is caused by the scarcity of a resource- say, money, promotion opportunities, office space- expansion of the resource can create a win-win situation. |
Avoidance | Withdrawal from, or suspension of, the conflict. |
Smoothing | Playing down differences while emphasizing common interests between the conflicting parties |
Compromise | Each part of the conflict gives up something of value |
Authoritative command | Management uses its formal authority to resolve the conflict and then communicates its desires to the parties involved. |
Altering the structural variables | Changing the formal organization structure and the interaction patterns of conflicting parties through job redesign, transfers, creation of coordinating positions. |
It is viewed in terms of a two-dimensional model. Thompson suggested five styles viz., collaborating, avoiding, competing, accommodating, and compromising. The choice and use of the five conflict-handling styles is likely to depend upon both the nature of the individual and the situational factors.
Given below are a brief description of five styles:
a. Traditional approach:
The traditional approach to conflict is the earliest view on organizational conflicts. It is the simplest approach for conflicts and was developed in the 1930s. In the past, managers considered conflicts as evil, outright wrong, destructive, and negative. Furthermore, managers wanted to avoid conflicts completely at their workstations as conflicts bring demotivated workforce, less productivity, and dysfunctional work.
The traditional approach suggests that managers should manage the conflict by identifying the malfunctioning of causes. Further, the traditional approach of conflict emphasizes miscommunication, disagreement between employees, trust issues, and irresponsibility of managers or company owners’ regarding the needs and expectations of employees.
b. Modern approach:
The modern approach to conflicts is the contemporary view on organizational conflicts. The development and expansion of studies on organizational behavior and HR methodologies challenge certain traditional approaches. The traditional approach to conflict was one such concept in HR.
The modern approach to conflict identifies conflicts as an important part of the organization. Moreover, it considers conflicts as favorable to the company and does not eliminate them at all. According to modern theories, if an organization does not face any conflicts, the organization is unadaptable, non-flexible, non-responsive, and static.
Conflicts are more favorable at the minimum level of it as it brings self-motivation, self-evaluation, and creativity among individuals. It is due to the competition between each other. Also, it reflects better outcomes of tasks assigned, effective resolutions and improves group performance
a. Functional conflict (win-win situation) includes:
b. Dysfunctional(win-lose situation):
Conflict resolution is the process by which two or more parties reach a peaceful resolution to a dispute.