inevitable, and when it happens, there is always that great tendency for it to disrupt the flow productive activities in the organization. Nature of conflict
Conflict in organization may be
defined as any situation in which incompatible goals, attitude, emotions or behaviors lead to disagreement or opposition between two or more parties. Construction conflict Construction conflict is a healthy constructive disagreement between two or more people. It can benefit the organization by means of the ff.
The production of new ideas, learning, and growth among
individual People engaged in constructive conflict develop a better awareness of themselves and others Working relationship are improved when two parties work through their disagreement Morale is improved when tensions are released and problem solved in working together Constructive conflict can lead to innovation and positive change for the organization and ; increased productivity may be expected Destructive conflict Destructive conflict is an unhealthy, destructive disagreement between two or more people. Destructive can decrease work productivity and job satisfaction and contribute to absenteeism and job turnover Levels of conflict
when an individual experiences personal frustration, anxiety and stress. Intrapersonal conflict consists of the following types 1. Approach-approach conflict 2. Avoidance-avoidance conflict 3. Approach-avoidance conflict Interpersonal conflict
Interpersonal conflict is that type of conflict
that occurs between two or more individual who are in opposition to one another. This type of conflict may be classified into three sub types: 1. Substantive conflict 2. Emotional conflict 3. Substantive and emotional conflict Intergroup conflict
Conflict that occurs among groups in an
organization is referred to as intergroup conflict. This type of conflict may also be sub classified as either substantive, emotional , or both. Intergroup conflict is quite common in organization, and it can make coordination and integration to task activities very difficult. Interorganizational conflict Interorganizational conflict is that type of conflict that occurs between organizations. It is most commonly referred to the competition and rivalry among firms operating in the same markets. Sources Of Conflict
It conflict is to be managed effectively,
one should understand its many sources. There are two broad categories of conflict: 1. Structural factors 2. Personal factors Structural factors Sources of conflict may be attributed to structural factors which refer to the nature of the organization and the way in which work is organized. Structural factors include: Specialization Interdependence Common resources Goal differences Authority relationships Status inconsistencies Jurisdictional ambiguities Specialization when people specialize on their jobs, they become less aware of the task that other perform.
Interdependence when two or more units
depend on each other in completing their respective tasks.
Common Resources when an organization`s
resources are shared by two or more parties, a potential for conflict is created.
Goal Differences different work units
sometimes have goals that are incompatible. Authority Relationships how the superior and the subordinates feel about each other many sometimes be a cause for conflict.
Status Inconsistencies in many large
companies, managers have certain privileges like the free use of company car, flexible work schedule, the use of company telephone, cell phone privileges, parking space and the like.
Jurisdictional Ambiguities sometimes,
there are situations when a part of the company`s overall tasks is left without a clear indication on who should be responsible. Personal Factors
Personal factors comprise another broad
category of the causes of conflict. These factors are the result of individual differences which include: Skills and abilities Personalities Perceptions Values and ethics Emotions Communication barriers Skills and Abilities
People working in organizations have
varying levels of skills and abilities because of this, conflict may occur . For Instance, experienced workers who have a deadline to beat or a quota to produce will find it hard to work alongside new and unskilled workers. Personalities People do not think, feel, look, or act alike, and these personality differences can cause conflict. Conflict-causing personalities may be described as follows: The aggressor The passive aggressor The chronic absentee The person who makes too many errors The negative person The chatterbox The do-nothing person The unreliable person The time-waster The resentful person Perceptions
Conflict may also be caused by
differences in perception. For instance, when employee output or performance cannot be measured accurately, the perception game will come into play. Values and Ethics
Differences in values and ethics among
workers can be source of disagreement. When a new employee works hard as expected by his superiors , he may be regarded by the old workers as trying to do something that may expose their shortcomings. Emotions
Uncontrolled emotions can cause
conflicts among workers. For instance, a worker just had a violent quarrel with his spouse, his anger may spill over his work area. Communication Barrier When communication between workers is not effective , a requisite for conflict is laid out. One of the barriers to effective communication are language Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver. Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties. Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping. Stages of conflict
Conflict develop in stages, or at least
most of them. The stages consist of the following 1. Antecedent conditions 2. Perceived and felt conflicts 3. Manifest conflict 4. Conflict resolution or suppression 5. Conflict aftermath Antecedent conditions
The sources of conflict are the
antecedent condition that set the first stage of conflict. An example is the presence of the negative person Perceived and Felt conflict The second stage in the conflict process consists of either the perceived conflict or the felt conflict. Perceived conflict refers to the awareness by one or more parties of the existence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to occur. Manifest conflict
Manifest conflict is that stage in the
conflict process where the conflicting parties are actively engaged in conflict behavoir. There may be verbal, written, or even physical attacks. Conflict resolution or suppression Conflict resolution occurs when the reason for the conflict are eliminated. There are various techniques used in resolving conflicts. These are the ff. 1. Problem solving 2. Superordinate goals 3. Expansion of resources 4. Smooting 5. Compromise 6. Altering the structural variables Conflict suppression
Conflict of suppression happens when no
change in antecedent condition is made and the manifest conflict behaviours are controlled. Suppressing conflict takes the following form 1. Avoidance 2. Authoritative command Conflict aftermath
What happens after the conflict may be
regarded as either positive or negative development . Unresolved conflict can result in sustained emotional discomfort and escalate into dysfunctional emotional conflict between individuals.