TOPIC 1: CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

By the end of the topic, a learner should be able to:

1.1 Explain the concepts of conflict management (definitions, types, importance)
1.2 Examine sources of conflict
1.3 Elaborate stages of conflict
1.4 Examine conflict management strategies
1.1. The Concepts of Conflict Management

i. Meaning of Conflict

Conflict management is an essential skill for managerial success. The degree of conflict
within an organisation is influenced by perception, personality, organisational culture,
the managers' capacity to resolve disputes and availability of resources.

Conflict can have positive or negative results and arises when a party believes that
another party is opposing or affecting its interests. It can be at individual level, group
level or organisational level.

Conflict: is defined as perceived differences, competitions in ideas, opinions, actions,

and interpretations resulting in opposition or positive or negative changes in the
organisation. One party purposely put efforts to block another party efforts causing
frustrations or better achievement of goals.

or

Conflict is the situations in which one party perceives that its interests are being
opposed or negatively affected by another party. It can be found within people, between
people, between work units and between organisations.

ii. Types of Organizational Conflict

Based on the impact there are Functional and Dysfunction Conflict.

(a) Functional conflict: is the type of conflict that results in positive changes/impact
in the organisation. Conflict has positive outcomes which includes:

(i) Provides an organisation with an ability to adapt and respond to changes and
innovations since peaceful and tranquillity and excessive cooperation makes
an organisation static and irresponsive to changes and innovations.

(ii) That the existence of conflict makes managers creative, active responsible in
addressing the challenges triggered by the Conflict.

(iii) Better ideas can be produced since the individual is given an opportunity to
rethink, reassess and present opinions
 (iv) People are forced to search for and present new approaches, policies,
procedures which may help improve organisational performance

(v) Revealing problems and areas with weaknesses and stimulation of new
direction, interests and creativity leading to growth of organisations.

(b) Dysfunctional conflict: is the kind of conflict that has negative impact to the
performance of the organization. It blocks an organization from achieving goals.
Dysfunctional conflict has the following disadvantages:-

(i) Can produce high tension, anxiety and stress to employees leading to poor
performance and decision making.
(ii) Leads to absenteeism and turnover- driving away good job performers.

(iii) It may reduce trust amongst workers leading into reduces team spirit and
continuous antagonism and disputes.

(iv) Dysfunctional conflict may draw the attention of management to spend

valuable and large resources in suppressing conflict while leaving other
functions suspended or pending.

(v) It may create bad image of the organisation, sabotage and high customer
complaints leading to loss of customers and decline of productivity.

iii. Meaning of Conflict Management

Conflict Management means all strategies for maintaining conflict at the desired (right)
level to help an organisation, department or work unit attain its goals. The main goal of
conflict management is to keep conflict at a healthy level in order to reduce its negative
effects and increase organisational productivity and performance.

iv. Importance of Conflict Management

(a) Stronger Relationships: By learning how to resolve Conflict in a professional,

respectful manner, enable staff members to work well together, how to better
collaborate, the employees involved are often able to strengthen their
relationships.

(b) Problem Solving ability and increased productivity: Conflict resolution skills
enable employees to resolve their own problems quickly and effectively. All
employees, including the manager, are able to work more efficiently due to the
problem-solving skills and enhance productivity.

(c) Increased Understanding and Reduced Tension: A disagreement that stays

unresolved causes that tension to build and spreads to other employees. By
training employees how to handle conflict on their own, increases understanding
 and team harmony, the overall tension decreases for a better working morale and
environment.

(d) Enhances Commitment: Working through the conflict with others unites the
conflict partners as they face problems and deal with challenges together. It gets
those involved in the conflict thinking in terms of “us” versus “me”. This enhances
the commitment of the parties to the conflict resolution process

(e) Stress Management: Unresolved conflict increases stress, which often

contributes to higher rates of employee absences and turnover. Thus, conflict
management skills can help individuals and work teams better manage stress.
1.2. Sources of Conflict

If conflict is dysfunctional you need to know the situations that have created the Conflict.
By determining the causes of Conflict. Helps to find the appropriate approach for
resolving conflict. The sources of Conflict can be prompted by the following:

i. Poor communication or communication differences such as disagreements

and misunderstandings and noise in the communication channel and delayed or
absence of feedback.

ii. Limited Resources: Resources such as money, time, and equipment are often
scarce (or they are perceived to be scarce). Misallocation, under-allocation and
competition among people or departments for limited resources is a frequent cause
for conflict.

iii. Structure of the organisation: vertical or horizontal and complex structures of the
organision may lead to poor understanding of the goals, decision making,
differences in performance criteria, status, and resource allocation.

iv. Personal differences: personal idiosyncrasies (personal characteristics, attitudes

way of thinking), personal backgrounds, education, experiences and inborn traits
makes an individual unique with self-ways of judging things. As a result, we are
perceived as strange, proud, untrustworthy, imprudent, power monger.

v. Different goals: different groups have differing goals. Production focuses on

efficiency; Marketing on sales. This may cause interdepartmental Conflict.

vi. Overlapping authority: two or more managers claim authority for the same
activities. Leads to conflict between the managers and workers.

vii. Incompatible compensation system: This occurs when employees receive less
than they expected in comparison to their efforts, time and commitment they put on
work.

1.3. Stages of Organizational Conflict

Workplace conflict, also known as organisational conflict, is a state in which individuals
or teams in any company disagree or misunderstand one another because of
differences in opinion, beliefs, values, or goals. Pondy's model indicates that there are
five stages of conflict: latent, perceived, felt, manifest, and conflict aftermath.

Stage 1: Latent Conflict: This stage is distinguished by underlying issues that have yet
to emerge, such as differences in values, communication breakdowns, or competing
goals. Recognising latent Conflict early on is critical for keeping them from escalating
into larger disputes.

Stage 2: Perceived Conflict: This stage is characterised by increased tension and

emotional responses as people begin to take sides and form opinions. Individuals
become aware of the issues at hand and perceive them as significant threats or
challenges. At this point, it is important to correct perceptions and encourage active
listening.

Stage 3: Felt Conflict: Conflict intensifies, emotions rise, and people begin to
experience the conflict more personally, resulting in frustration, anger, and resentment.
It is critical to encourage open discussion in which employees can express their
emotions without fear of being judged.

Stage 4: Manifest Conflict: Occurs when clear arguments, disagreements, and conflict
become visible to others, resulting in a toxic workplace, decreased productivity, and
strained relationships. At this stage it is important to learn how to apply conflict
resolution techniques like collaboration, mediation and compromise.

Stage 5: Conflict Resolution: This stage entails identifying mutually acceptable

solutions to the problems at hand. Effective conflict resolution necessitates clear
communication, active listening, and a willingness to compromise, encouraging all
parties to work together to find win-win solutions. This can lead to better relationships,
more trust, and a greater sense of team unity.
1.4. Conflict Management Strategies

Conflict is inevitable consequences of the organisation. The number of strategies in

which management can attempt to avoid the harmful effects of the Conflict vary based
on the nature and sources of conflict.

i. Clarification of goals, objectives, responsibilities roles and standards: clear

definition of goals, responsibilities and standards helps to avoid misunderstanding
and conflict. Paying attention to superordinate goals, shared by everyone in the o
organisation reduce hostility and increases cooperative behaviour.

ii. Appropriate resource distribution: insufficient resources be it human resources

or financial resources are the prominent causes of misunderstanding in the
organisations. Having sufficient resources and allocating them fairly and equitably
to areas of priorities properly helps to avoid inter-teams misunderstanding.
iii. Fair and equitable Human Resource Management (HRM) Policies and
Procedures: Proper implementation of HRM Policies and Procedures related to
job analysis, recruitment and selection, reward systems, employee relations,
punishments, grievance and disciplinary handling procedures helps to reduce
misunderstanding and Conflict.

iv. Paying greater attention to non-financial rewards: where financial rewards are
limited high focus should be twisted to non-financial rewards such as designing
more interesting and challenging , increased delegation and participation, flexible
working hours and attending short courses, conferences and professional unions
such as TRAMPA, TAPSEA

v. Appropriate leadership and managerial behaviour: A more participative and

supportive leadership and managerial style promotes team work spirit; increased
information sharing and encourage trust and respect which may assist in conflict
management and creating greater employee commitment

vi. Define role and responsibilities: A major cause of workplace conflict is lack of
role clarity. In relationship it often lead to tension when a person feels he is
carrying too much of the weight. A good approach is to bring all interested parties
together to define responsibilities as a group.

vii. Choose the best interpersonal conflict resolution option; including avoidance,
accommodation, forcing, collaboration and compromise. The choice of these
techniques depends on available time, resources, importance of resolving that
particular conflict, status of those involved, quickness of the decision and its
impact.

viii. Apply the best approaches for resolving disputes over the contested matter
before they turn into conflict. The manager may use litigation (dispute resolution
before a judge). Mediation (disputes solved through a neutral third party called
mediator) and arbitration which is similar to mediation in that it attempts to resolve
disputes outside the courtroom.

ix. Improving communication and understanding: Communication is important in

conflict management. Communication can be improved by increased interaction in
meetings, social events; minimize reliance on stereotyping, and improve team-
building activities.