Conflict in the workplac inevitable, ; there is always that qo ie productive activities in the pease As conflicts cannot be disregarded, j to manage them. This safer is a a alternate activity that is negotiation, JHE NATURE OF CONFLICT Conflict in organizations may be defined as ¥ which incompatible goals, Tinea disagreement or opposition between two or more parties’ Conflicts may be constructive or destructive: Constructive Conflict Consttuctive conflict is a healthy, constructive: between two or more people, It can benefit means of the following: ey 1. the production of new ideas, learni individuals; e 2. people engaged # » ee awareness of themselves and others; 3, working relationships are imy v through their disagreement; 4. morale is improved when, tensions af problems solved in working, together; aoe 5. constructive conflict can Jead to innovation and po change for the organization; am 6. _ increased productivity may be expected.en example 4 i af interpersonal hostilities, ase work productivity and jg cts ca enteeis and job tumover, Job rer Because at different jevels which consist of the intrapersonal Conflict Intrapersonal conflict is that kind of conflict that a person faces internally, as when an individual experiences personal frustration, anxiety, and stress. intrapersonal conflict consists of the following types: 1. Approach-approach conflict. which occurs when an individual must choose between two positive and equally attractive alternatives. For example, Leticia ig making a choice between an impending promotion as manager of his company or an opportunity to work and settle in the United States. i) Avoldance-avoidance conflict which occurs when an individual must choose between two negative or equally ae itt atletnatives For example, Leticia is being Seek titan. a transfer to a job which makes her ne a ification, training, and experience irrelevant, Ps nsfer to another town two hundred kilometres away om her family. Approach-avoidanci i we pais eerie wich occurs when a person conakeibenens: Gyr beet hat has pasitive and negative but she mple, Leticia is offered a promotion will have to work from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. 238Interpersonal Conilict “4 is that type of conflict Interpersonal conflict t two or more ‘ndividuals who are in oppositi type of conflict may ed into three subtypes! be classi 1. Substantive conflict. en disag) means for their rsons having disag credit to customers-4 of conflict invol - is Ih f Mes that arise OM fale ange, nal gifficl i arent, ana the like, An example interPe gislikes a ontinually disagree over each ig vote and voice and wall eS sg ¢hoice antl conflict. This type 1s nd emotion ted above: : coniet sin an organization is refe ec ocr ce conflict may also be abr jo 25 eter subsea emotional, oF Both. classified #4 © -_equitecommon in organizations, anditcan jon of task activities very difficult, ict is that which happens between department. The disagreement ditures that the marketing hieving the sales target department does not An : “ao and the accounting the nee sult of some expen lly OC E jders 25 necessary '" ac which the accounting Conflict interorganizational conflict is that type of conflict that occuts totween organizations. It is most commonly referred to the competition and rivalry among firms operating in the same markets. ‘An example is the disagreement between the two giant telephone companies on various issues such as encroachment on each other's assigned areas of operations, and interconnection. SOURCES OF CONFLICT Foi " oo is to be managed effectively, one should understand y sources, There are two broad categories of conflict? 1, Structural factors > 2. Personal factorsStructural Factors The sources of conflict may DE which refer to the nature of work is organized. Structure enn 1. specialization 2 interdependence 3. common resources 4, goal di ferences 5, _ authority relationshipsene ys incor paguilies ici oe specialize On their jobs, a thers . For example, ; a ih jirconditioned office iat le, inside Me boul the difficulties of the jaf, oy oe Opposing Views are P alesmial mn, to be exposed: INE root Cause Of th i o a ilztion ‘of their respective jobs, ai a When two or more units depend on each depen respective tasks, work interelepenlene ntial for conflict, especially if it jg also arise when all the groups involved are given, do, Conflict may also occur if dissimilar rewards are rs doing evenly distributed work. put is dependent on another unit's output, tension is of start working because of delays much to ~ toe work Ha unit's ou! ; ‘ernated if the dependent unit cann inthe other unit's production. : Common Resaurces. When an organization's resources are shared by two oF more parties, a potential for conflict is created, The ibility of conflict becomes greater when the resource becomes scarce, For example, the use of five company vehicles is shared by tafious units of the company. When the activities of the units are doubled, a conilict may occur Resources include funds, personnel, authority, power, and valuable information, The forms of conflict over resources in an organization include inflating budgets, challenging the legitimacy of activities by other Units; and covert efforts to prevent budget cuts. ie Eocene Different work units sometimes have goals that example is Sn ae this is the case, conflict is not far behind. An by the bank. ‘ at has 4 Unit assigned to dispose assets acquired Nat unit is expected 100 percent performance within “year and the un) + confi itreceives acquin ‘i 8 = Conti becomes a reat possiblity d assets more than it can handle,Authority Relationshy fal about each other mays eople can take an auther 5 create conflict, jaa : When workers of a certai a lacks the necessary taining ae nit resentment over their boss sae) and the breeding, Status Inconsistencies. \n many lar ss certain privileges like the free ae i gchedules, the use of ¢ ¥ 5 parking space, and the like. ft employees, resentment and conflict bx Jurisdictional Ambiguities, Sometimes, a part of the company’s overall tasks is | on who should be responsible. for e complaints was not assigned ifically organization. In such Le ae customer complaints. Some people will b such inaction may affect the company, and also be affected. A conflict may be expected Personal Factors Personal factors comprise another broad of conflict. These factors are the result of individual: include: f skills and abilities ’ personalities * *« perceptions ; values and ethics emotions . communication barriers " Skill and Abilities. Pople wie Oey = levels of skills and abilities. Becaus® is, con hee a instance, experienced workers who have “ oe - . aa ei to produce will find it hard to work alongs . ok workers, Also, when the supervisor do not possess the ‘ Poe ee- . ace of in his particular UNI, Works de xj ede hie if that happens, conflie, eo the ‘cealv® attitu ey oe tind ink, feel, Jook, of act alike, igo slitiet: people 3° i ae conflict. Apart from ae po vena certait personality types as conflict real 7 aus personales may DE call’ This is that type af person who 1s a verbal 1, the ates Oe likely to shout thump the table, or nd in order 1 emphasize his point. He or point the fing iness and fiction within the group and invalved in a. one-on-one confrontation with member of the ae i orshe is that erson who man: e I turn, He of ae never voles todo anything, never puts forward any ideas or suggestions cof his or her awe, and never Works 25 hard as he or she is capable af doing. 3: Thecchronicabsentee. This perso fram work. 4. The person wha makes too 5. The negative person. This person is always critical of other people ‘and their achievements. A variation of the negative person is the one who foresees failure in every suggestion. 6. The chatterbox. This person is one who often comes into a workplace, full of gossip or inconsequential news, and distract or disrupt workers from their production activities. ee ue person. This person does not want to do ihe fas eae is scared of making a mistake, When this hap eS what he or she is supposed to do. Ab walotie ge conflict becomes highly probable. others and ele person wants to do liked by asks. He even spihieos 5 - ees 10 do what BYE help any or all of his a undertake further tasks and t0 overloaded with work, h leagues, Because he gets himsel lasks he set himself cae ends up unable: tig Tie ofthe described as follows: nmakes repeated absences many errors. =g. The time-waster. Thi time can be spent we the person who thinks | for personal ie ce} benefit t playing « clephone calls preparing 2 shopping Omputer games. 10, The resentiul persan, This i ‘ resentment. What he eae the person who. always feel feeling of resentmentisa Hip i affect others. His a. Peon die ries all of thefollowing:, . Bigotry (prejudice agal re e c. Prejudice mane a particular race OF culture} d. Prejudice against younger people perceptions may also be cor Seat perception: ‘or instance, when employee s cee Fannot be measured accurately, the Oe ee play. This is the case in universities. When a teacher is perceived his superior as the most effective and rewards him with a pron conflict occurs when the other teachers disagree with the percention. Values and Ethics. Differences in yaluegand ethics amang workers can be a source of disagreement. When = new employee works hard as expected by his superiors, he may be ‘py the old workers ag trying to do something that may expose their shortcomings. FOr instance, the old workers are producing quantities that they think would be enough to keep them employed by the company. If the new employee will exceed that predetermined production quantity, conflict may occur Emotions. Uncontrolled emotions can © workers. For instance, 2 worker iu \ spouse, his anger Mey spi a be forgiven, but when it becomes a habit, offing, ‘ Communication Barriers. When ode baer workers is not effective 2 nflict Mes a es e barriers to effective commun ses = an eee be provided. For instance, a worker IS directly une Ne ie qe 5 of his manager ¥ f et 5 : the language of his superior an be affected. performance will and he feels frustrated and helpless- 285a om Figure 52 THE STAGES OF CONFLICT cnnantecedent Conditions The sources of co fi he first stage of cone mveanaegteae aoe s person ; is the presence of the negative - percelved and Felt Conflicts The second stage in : : the confli perceived conflict of the ee process consists of either the Perceived conflict ref ers to the awa A of the existence af conditions the sone fe opportunities for ct io For example, two di conflict i epariments of “10 nah oo Felt conflicts thatstageof the confli q involvement becomes a part of ee wherein emotional frustration, or hostility eating, armxety, LENS}OPy pect eccup’ perceived conflict may or may not lead ta felt conflict. Manifest ‘Conflict Manifest conflict is that stage in the conflict ‘conflicting parties are actively engaged in conilict behavior. There. may be verbal, written, or even physical attacks, . Manifest conflict Is more likely to have longer lasting, etfects than either perceived or felt conflict. ee Conflict Resolution or Suppression Conflict resolution accuts when the reasons for the conflict are eliminated. There are various techarques used in resolving conflicts. These are the following: 1. Problem solving This 8 @ face-to-face meeting, of the rh Superordinate goals. In this techniauer # chared goal that cannot be attained without the cooperation \« the es 1S created. An example is the gurvival of conflictio arti i = use which cannot be possible ifthe demand for salary ancreases 15 pot withdrawn 24scarcity of resources 5 : cee et promotions: pa the oe ap contlic eeansion of resources could mere F ey he \ ig the techni 4 rl I i enor’ bocet nique ee each pany Eco ecomething ® value, for instance 5, CO conflict ae ue grant educational benetie fel rane ta joyees provided that the demand fay iit so ances je withdrawn [ ne ye. struct | variables. This technique involves ; ses mal oF snizational structure and te hare wens of conflicting parties through job a jransles. creation of coordinating positions and e where differences common interest, ike, ~ ; . contrast i