UNIT:6 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Lecture by; Mansi Shukla

Concept and meaning of Conflict
• The term conflict may mean different things to different persons. It
may be regarded as the disagreement between individuals or groups
in an organization. It may even mean rivalry or competition or may be
viewed as the perception of disagreement in the individuals. The use
of various terms to denote conflict is because a conflict develops in
stages.
• conflict is a situation in which a person deliberately tries to offset the
effort of another person by blocking in some form that will result in
frustrating the goal achievement of the latter.
Definition:
• “Conflict refers to a situation of disagreement between individuals or
groups in organization".
• "Conflict is any situation in which two or more parties feel themselves
in opposition due to disagreement over the goals or the methods to
achieve the goals".
• "Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something
important. If two people or groups are in conflict, they have had a
serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached
agreement.
Process of Development of Conflict:
The Conflict is an incident between two or more parties which
proceeds through following five stages:
(1) Potential opposition (latent conflict)
(2) Cognition and Personalization
(3)Intentions
(4) Behavior
(5) Outcomes
Stage-1: Potential opposition
 Communication
 Structure
 Personal Variable

Stage-2: Cognition and personalization

 Perceived conflict
 Felt conflict

Stage-3: Intensions
 Competing
 Collaborating
 Compromising
 Avoiding
 Accommodating
Stage-4 : Behavior
 Overt
 Covert

Stage-5: Outcome
 Positive
 Negative
1. Potential Opposition (Latent Conflict):
This stage includes various conditions that creates opportunities for
conflict to arise. This condition is known as sources of conflict.
These sources are like-
Communication : Conflict may arise with use of jargon. Insufficient
exchange of information and problem in communication channels
sometime less information or two much information creates conflict.
Structure: It include various variable such as size of the organization,
degree of specialization, reward system and leadership style which
creates conflicts.
 Personnel variable: It includes difference in the persons' value and
personality traits that create conflict.
2. Cognition and Personalization:
At this stage conflict when arise one or more parties are affected by &
are aware of conflict, at this stage conflict define by two ways:
 Perceived conflict: At this level one or more parties come to aware
about existence of sources which creates opportunities for conflict to
arise.
 Felt conflict: At this stage, individual emotionally involve in a conflict.
It creates tension and frustration.
3. Intentions:
 Competing: Individual try to satisfy own goal or interest with scarifying
others goal or intrest. Here individual competing with others to satisfy
his own goal. Individual give more important only to his personal goal.
He can do anything to satisfy his goal or objective though it would
incurred lost to others.
 Collaborating: It is a situation in which the conflicting parties desire to
satisfy goal of all the parties. Intentions of the parties are to solve the
problems by clarifying differences.
Compromising: There is no clear looser or winner.
 Avoiding: At this level individual should try to ignore a conflict and avoid
the person with whom individual has disagreement.
 Accommodating: It is an exactly opposite level of competing Willingness
of one party scarifying own goal in order to maintain relationship.
Scarifying own goals so that other party can achieve their goals.
4. Behavior:
At this stage include action and reaction made by the conflicting party
generally behavior is of two types:
 Overt: Overt means observable act or behavior. It is disagreement
and misunderstanding lead towards dysfunctional conflict.
Covert: Covert means unobservable act or behavior.
5. Outcomes:
Two type of outcomes. It also includes functional and dysfunctional
conflict:
 Positive: Positive outcomes that result in improving group
performance, also known as functional conflict.
 Negative: Negative outcomes or conflict may reduce the group
performance & effectiveness, also known as dysfunctional conflict.
Functional V/S Dysfunctional Conflict:
• Functional Conflict:
Functional conflict refers to opposition between two ideas, goals and
parties that improve employees and the organization's performance. It
is also known as positive conflict. Well managed conflict helps workers
anticipate and solve problems, feel confident, strengthen their
relationships and be committed to the organization.
Benefits of Functional Conflict:
1. Conflict increases the awareness about the problem, it increases
involvement to solve the problem.
2. Conflict enhances moral and cohesion.
3. High quality decision taken when people actively express their
opposing views and perspectives.
4. Conflict stimulates interest and creativity. Conflict often creates
curiosity. It motivates to viewing problems from several
perspectives and combining the best of these to generate creative
solution.
5. Conflict provides a forum or guideline to make self identity.
Dysfunctional Conflict:
It is also known as negative conflict. This reduces the group
performance. Such conflict arises when members of group try to win at
any cost and see people as expenses.
Disadvantages of Dysfunctional Conflict:
1. Such conflict generates feeling of anxiety, quit and frustration.
2. Dysfunctional conflict hinders and prevents organizational goals
from being achieved.
3. The winners in such conflict try to injure the feelings of losers.
Functional Conflict Dysfunctional Conflict

Increased involvement Unresolved anger

Increased cohesion Personality clashes

Increased innovation and Less self esteem
creativity
Personal growth and change Group cohesion disrupted

Individual and group identities Wastage of resource

Levels (Types) of Conflict:
The levels of conflicts can be categorized into the following three
groups:
1. Individual conflict
2. Group conflict
3. Organization level conflict
1. Individual/Personal Conflict:
The analysis of conflict may start at the individual level itself. Since an
organization is composed of various individuals, many conflicts develop at
individual level. The individual level conflicts may be analyzed in two ways:
a) Intra-individual/Personal conflict:
Intra-personal conflict is an experience that occurs within an individual.
The intra-individual/ personal conflict arises because of the following:
 Conflict from Frustration:
Frustration occurs when a motivated drive is blocked before a person
reaches a desired goal. A personal goal is blocked by overt (external) and
covert (internal) barriers.
• External = power, failure, flood, strikes
• Internal = physical abnormalities, lacks of skill, physical weakness
Goal Conflict
Goal conflict arise when the attainment of one goal excludes the
possibility of attaining another goal. Goal conflict is more complex than
conflict from frustration.
Types of goal conflict are namely
• Approach Approach conflict: This type of conflict arise when
Individual is caught between two or more positive but mutually
exclusive goal. Whichever choice the individual makes, will give
positive outcomes.
Example: Trying for promotion at managerial post in same company or
trying in another company as manager.
• Approach Avoidance conflict: This conflict arises when a person
attempt to achieve a goal that has both positive and negative aspects.
Example: Trying for promotion but promotion gives with transferring at
bad place.
To obtain first rank in the exam student give sacrifice of time, energy,
enjoyment.
• Avoidance - Avoidance conflict: This conflict occur when a person is
motivated to avoid two or more negative but mutually exclusive goal.
Both goal are create negative consequence. Individual not chosen any
of them, simply leave the both.
Example:
Transfer to branch in punjab or rajasthan after getting promotion.
Workers dislike his present job but the another job is less attractive.
Role Conflict:
It is a situation in which an individual is confused by different role
expectation. It exists when the role expectations are mutually different
and individual can't meet expectation without rejected others. Various
forms of role conflict are
• Person role conflict : This arise when the expected behavior is
incompatible with a person’s own basic value and attitude.
Example : A chartered accountants or finance manager's values is
honesty but not show the actual figure of profit to minimize tax
payment
• Inter role conflict : it is a result of facing multiple roles. It occurs
because Individual perform many roles at one time.
Example : lecturer perform several roles like evaluter, motivator. guider
etc.
• Intra sender role conflict: This occurs when an individual expected to
perform a work within specific limits but it is not possible to behave in
a manner consistent with role assignment
Example:
Librarian have to purchase the book only from specific book store
assign by college but this book should not found in store but found that
road side book store.
Rich man likes eat food in 5 star hotels but panipuri is more testy at
road side shop.
b) Inter-Individual/Personal Conflict:
Interpersonal conflict is a disagreement between connected two
individuals who wants something that is incompatible with wants of
others.
Interpersonal conflict is neither good nor bad. Depending on how the
disagreements can be resolved, the conflict can strengthen or weaken a
relationship.
Causes for conflict arise:
Personality differences: Because of personality differences personality
traits and psychology problem which is nothing with their job
requirement.
Perception: Differs in back ground, experience, education and training
leads to develop different perception which create inter personal
conflict
Clashes of value and interest: Manufacturing department have value
of quality but marketing department required low cost product may
be with low quality,
Power and status differences: Interpersonal conflict arises from
unequal distribution of power and status.
Scare resources: Whenever there is scarcity of resources it leads
toward interpersonal conflict.
Inter personal conflict can be explain through –
i. Transactional Analysis:
Transaction analysis is analysis of social transaction that take place
between two individual. Transaction analysis: can be explained through
ego states and social transaction.
Ego State:
There are three types of ego state-
 Child Ego State: It is a state in which individual act like an impulsive
small child. It shows the dependent and immature part of individual
person. Characteristic include emotional and Joyful. Child ego state is
"felt" ego state. The Child ego state is a set of behaviors, thoughts and
feelings which are replayed from our own childhood.
 Adult Ego State: It is state in which individual act like a mature person.
Characteristic are like rational behavior and logical decision making.
Adult ego state is "thinking" ego state. We deal with things that are
going on today in ways that are not negatively influenced by our past.
 Parent Ego State: It is a state in which individual act like a dominating
parent. Characteristic are like proactive. authoritative. This is a set of
feelings, thinking and behaviour that we have copied from our
parents and significant others. As we grow up we take ideas, beliefs.
feelings and behaviors from our parents.
Social Transaction:
A number of transactions take place between two or more individual
depending on kinds of ego state. Social transaction are classified as
 Complementary Transaction: it is called complementary if the
massage send or behavior exhibited by one person received expected
response from another person ego state. If there is expected response
then conflict not arises. Example- adult- adult, child-child. :
 Cross Transaction: It occurs when the message sent by or the behavior
exhibited by one person ego state is reacted by unexpected ego stage
on the part of other person. If senders' message not understands by
receiver then withdraw himself from interaction with receiver.
 Ulterior Transaction: Person say one thing but another person understand it
differently. Such transaction is complicated which create interpersonal
conflict.
Advantages of Transaction Analysis:
• Bases of transaction analysis are simple to learn.
• Helps to reducing the amount of negative feelings of one person to another.
• Applicable to everywhere.
• It re-informs and implements other management development activities
like leadership and conflict resolution.
Limitation of Transaction Analysis:
• Concept of ego state and utilization of transactional analysis are difficult to
understand.
• It can be used as a "Put down strategy in inter personal relation.
ii. Johari Window:
This model is based on-
"Degree to which person is known to himself.
"Degree to which person is known to others".
Model represent total person in relation to other on the basis of
awareness of behavior feeling and motivation.
Open Self/Area: It consist detail and information known to self like
name, region, cast, marital status and information about job. In the
initial stage this areas is narrow. Mutual understanding and friendship
are at high level in this area.
Blind Self/Area: These area include such details about an individual
that is known to others but unknown to self. Example:- A person has
habit of stuck his foot during meeting it is known to others because
they observed it.
Hidden Self/Area: It is area in which information about own self is
hidden or unknown to others. A person does not disclose such
information with a feeling of fear and insult or a person not shares
any information because he is self rigid.
 Unknown Self/Area: Such information that is unknown to both self
as well as other. Unknown to self because he not learnt from his past
events. Others are unknown because they have not seen the person
behave in different situation.
iii. Stroking:
Recognition of one's presence by other. When we are standing with
other we expect other to say "Good morning" or use appropriate
gestures to indicate that we are being recognized.
Stroke may be positive or negative.
Positive stock makes individual cheerful and negative Stroke
individual sad.
iv. Life Positions:
The life position influence individual behavior when they interact with
others. it identifies four basic life positions, all of which are based on
decisions made as a result of childhood experiences, and all of which
determine how people feel about themselves and how they relate to
others
I'm OK-You're OK.
I'm OK-You're not OK.
I'm not OK-You're OK.
I'm not OK-You're not OK.
The I'm OK-You're OK position is generally game-free. This position is
characterized by an attitude of trust and openness. willingness to give
and take, and an acceptance of others as they are. People are close to
themselves and to others. There are no losers, only winners.
I'm OK-You're not OK is the position of people who project their
problems into others and blame them, put them down, and criticize
them. The games that reinforce this position involve a self-styled
superior (the "I'm OK") who projects anger, disgust, and scorn onto a
designated inferior (the "You're not OK).
I'm not OK-You're OK is known as the depressive position and is
characterized by feeling powerless in comparison with others.
Typically such people serve others' needs instead of their own and
generally feel victimized.
The I'm not OK-You're not OK known as the position of frustration.
Operating from this place, people have lost interest in life and may
see life as totally without promise. This self-destructive stance is
characteristic of people who are unable to cope in the real world. and
it may lead to extreme withdrawal, and turn to violent behavior which
resulting in injury or death of themselves or others.
The ideal one is "I am ok" "You are ok".
2. Group Conflict:
Group conflict occur at group level. A group constitutes two or more
persons who interact in such a way that each person influences and is
influenced by others. In this interaction process, there may be two
types of groups:
i. Intra-Group Conflict:
Intra-group conflict may be thought of in terms of group characteristics
and to some extent, interpersonal conflict, specially if two persons are
from the same group. The interactions between the persons of a group
at a given time generate a system of values, norms and sanctions
appropriate to the nature of the task on which they are working, which
has created a set of well-defined role and status relations which are
interdependent. Intra-group conflict may arise in three situations:
When group faces a novel problem of task.
Where new values are imported from the social environment into the
group.
 Where a person's extra group role comes into conflict with his intra-
group role.
Note: Intra-group conflict is visualized more when people come from
different socio-economic backgrounds and have different political and
religious views.
ii. Inter-Group Conflict:
Inter-group conflict arises out of the interaction of various groups.
There are many factors in the organization which determine the inter-
group relations. These factors can influence relation between two or
more groups. If these factors are not positive, the tend to create
conflict among groups. These factors are -
 Goal incompatibility
Absorption of uncertainty
 Resource sharing
 Task relationship
3. Organization Level Conflict:
• Conflict at organisational level may be intra-organisation and inter-
organisational. In the case of latter, the organization and our study
may become a party to the conflict with another organisation
perusing some goals or with a government agency However, the
discussion of this type of conflict does not fall with - the preview of
organisational conflicts. Therefore, we shall discus only intra-
organisation conflict.
• Individuals in the organisations have many conflicting organisational
cross pressures operation on them. The following examples indicate
the sources of potential conflict:
The boss wants more production.
Subordinates want more considerations.
 Customers want faster deliveries.
 Peers request schedule delay.
 Consultants suggest change
Subordinates resist change
In a classical organisation, there may be four types of conflicts:
a. Hierarchical conflict
b. Functional conflict
c. Line-staff conflict
d. Formal-informal conflict
Managerial Implications
The management within an organisation should function in such a way
so as to maximize the co-ordination of human resources and work
system and to minimize conflict. There may be following two
approaches for managing organisational conflict:
1. Preventive measures: Preventive measures relate to creation of
environment for minimizing or even eliminating occurrence of
conflicts.
2. Curative measures: Curative measures adopting strategies for
conflict resolution.
1. Preventive Measures for Managing Conflict:
In the preventive measures, management tries to create an
environment where dysfunctional conflict do not take place. Conflict is
not primarily a result of individual neurotic traits but arise under given
conditions even when people involved are well adjusted. Since
situational variables induce conflict, it is possible to modify situations
so as to avoid conflict. However, there may not be any specific standard
of situation in which conflict will not grow, there might be certain
positive programmes and actions that might reasonably lead to
avoidance of conflict in the organisation.
a) Establishing Common Goals:
Most of the conflicts assume that incompatible goals are a necessary
antecedent for the development of conflict. This is true particularly in the
case of conflict among groups and between individuals and organisations.
These goals are known as superordinate goals. Superordinate goals are in
the form of next higher-level goals. This phenomenon can be understood by
going through the concept of suprasystem. A suprasystem is an entity
formed by a system and other similar systems with which it interacts.
An organisation has a hierarchy of people working in organisational units,
groups and individuals. Each individual has his own goals. When he joins a
group, the group works as a suprasystem for him and group goals which are
in the form of superordinate goals prevail over individual goals. This
phenomenon goes upward and ultimately, the organisation works as
suprasystem for all its personnel. The superordinate goals work as common
goals which help in overcoming conflicts both in individual and group levels.
• Note: Goal differences can also be reduced through the adoption of
appropriate incentive systems. Many organisational reward systems
often result in 'win-lose' mentality in organisation because the
reward systems focus attention on the individual rather than on the
group or organisation as a whole. It has been observed that goal
differentiation can also be reduced through the use of incentive
systems designed to reward activities that benefit the larger system,
as opposed to those that are primarily in the interest of subunits.
b) Changing Structural Arrangement :In some cases, the change in
organisation structure or some part of it can reduce dysfunctional
conflicts.
Such structural variables, more specifically can be used in the following
ways:
Reduction in Interdependence: The basic reason in the inter- group
conflict is interdependence among them. As such, less such
interdependence, less will be the amount of conflict among them.
Reduction in Shared Resources: When two or more units are required
to share resources, particularly scarce ones. the potential for conflict
increases. The management of conflict suggests reducing such
sharing. One technique for reducing such sharing is the increase in
such resources so that each unit is independent in using them.
However, since resources are scarce, it is not always possible to do so.
As such, measures may be adopted for their optimum allocation.
Exchange of Personnel: Personnel of the conflicting groups may be
exchanged for a specific period as a way to reducing and managing conflict.
An exchange of people is very similar to role reversal, which is aimed at
greater understanding between people by forcing each to present and
defend the other's position.
Creation of Special Integrators: To resolve conflict. organisation may create
provisions for the appointment of special integrators who may manage the
interdependence of various groups so that unresolved matters can be solved
through them.
 Reference to Superior's Authority: Conflicts may be resolved through the
hierarchy. If resolution cannot be attained by two organisational members,
they may take the issue to a common superior who resolves the conflict by
making decision. Such a decision is usually accepted by organisational
members because of the recognized superior authority of high ranking
individual. Such a decision may not necessarily bring agreement but it will
usually be accepted.
2. Curative Measures for Managing Conflict:
 The various measures, discussed in article (12.1) undoubtedly help in
reducing the occurrence of conflicts in the organisation but they
cannot guarantee the complete absence of conflicts. As such,
whenever conflicts arise, these have to be resolved by some specific
actions, known as modes of conflict resolution or strategies for
conflict resolution/management.
 The processes of resolving conflict are influenced to a great degree by
the situations in which the conflict occurs, for example within the
context of the organisation.
 What type of modes of conflict resolution will work depends on stand
adopted by the parties to a conflict. In any organisation mostly three
types of conflict arise intrapersonal, interpersonal and intergroup and
hence three types of modes of conflict resolutions are adopted. These
modes are discussed below:
a) Strategies to Resolve intrapersonal conflict:
An individual experiencing guilt as a result of inner conflict often
becomes depressed and frustrated. However, identifying the actual
source of the conflict and distinguishing between what one wish to do
and what should be done are two steps in managing inner conflict
successfully.
We know that intrapersonal conflict arises from frustrations. competing
roles or goal having positive or negative aspect. Conflict from
frustration can be resolved by removal of barrier finternal or external),
Frustration is not always bad: it may help in increasing performance. A
frustrated individual may direct his attention froes barriers towards his
job and try to show better result.
Goal conflict has three dimensions:
Resolve approach-approach conflict situation: This conflict has very
less impact on organization behavior. Therefore. there is no need of
resolving it.
Resolve approach-avoidance conflict situation : This conflict can be
resolved by refusing to select either approach (positive aspect) or
avoidance (negative aspect).
Resolve avoidance-avoidance conflict situation: This conflict can be
resolved by examining and solving the problem causing the conflict
b) Strategies to Resolve Interpersonal/Individual Conflict:
As we understand interpersonal conflict is talk about conflict arise
between individuals in the same organization. It exists whenever
people interact in some way to produce results or achieve goals.
Because they differ, however, in many ways; attitude, personality,
values, goals, background, experience etc.
The conflict makes the attainment of the goals quite difficult.
Therefore, learning to make the proper adjustments is an important
factor in managing interpersonal conflict. There are some sets of
guidelines for the resolution of interpersonal conflicts:
i. Avoiding (loss-loss): Avoidance is useful, if there is no pressing need
to resolve differences now or in the future. Individuals are
indifferent to each other's needs, and issues are ignored
completely. In other words, the manager is not very cooperative in
helping the other individuals to achieve their goals, but neither is
he/she aggressively pursuing his/her own preferred outcomes in
the situation.
ii. Competing (win-loss): The competing style of resolving conflict is
also known as the win-lose approach. It's about making sure your
own needs are met, no matter the cost. This win-lose approach is
useful if there is an important deadline to meet, or if the
relationship with the other party is not important. A manager tries
to reach his/her own preferred outcomes at the expense of other
individuals.
iii. Accommodating (loss-win): Accommodation is allowing the other
person's needs to be met, usually at the expense of your own. This
is a useful conflict management strategy if you don't care about the
issue or if you have little power in the relationship or situation. A
manager using this style ignores his/her own goals, objectives, and
desired outcomes to allow other individuals to achieve their goals
and outcomes. This is also used when a manager wants to build
positive relationship with others.
iv. Compromising: You win some, you lose some! Compromise can also
refer to as bargaining or trading. This behavior can be used when
the goals of both sides are of equal importance, when both sides
have equal power or when it is necessary to find a temporary or
timely solution.
v. Collaborating (win-win) ICs about acknowledging and accepting
differences and exploring alternative solutions that meet
everyone's needs and concerns. It is a useful conflict management
strategy when the issues are important to everyone.
c) Strategies to Resolve Intergroup Conflict:
• As we understand interpersonal conflict is talk about conflict arise
between inter groups in the same organization. It occurs whenever
there is a contact or interaction between the groups. Three sources of
intergroup conflict are: (1) cohesion "sticking together (2) structure
type of leadership (3) status of individuals within a group. Power
taking actions which affect others and influencing the welfare of
others produce conflict with less powerful groups. Parties involved in
conflict can tries to reduce the dysfunctional aspects of conflict.
• There are some unique approaches also for resolving this conflict.
Few among them are as follows:
i. Problem Solving: This strategy attempts to find solutions which
Integrate the need of both parties. Both the parties work together
to find out mutually satisfactory solutions.
ii. Organisational Redesign/Reduce Inter-dependence: Changing
organizational structure is another approach for resolving conflict.
Especially when there is conflict between two departments
because of task of coordination of work. The potential for conflict is
very great in situations where two departments have to work in an
interdependent fashion and share scarce resources. As a result of
this mutual dependency. there are more occasions for
disagreement and conflict. One way to resolve conflict is to reduce
interdependencies by moving from reciprocal to sequential or from
sequential to pooled interdependence.
iii. Super-ordinate Goals : It is a common goal of both the conflicting
parties and combined efforts of both the parties are required to
achieve the goals. A super-ordinate goal is a common goal that
appeals to all the parties involved and cannot be accomplished by the
resources of any single party separately. It is believed that the
possibilities for achieving harmony are greatly enhanced when
disagreeing parties are brought together to work towards common
goal.
iv. Expansion of Resource: Scarcity of resource creates conflict, so up
gradation and expansion of organisation can easily resolve it. Provide
more resources to the individuals or groups which help to eliminates
conflict.
v. Avoidance/Withdrawal: Another way may be to withdraw from a
conflict when it takes place. In this avoidance strategy, the parties of
conflict may withdraw from the conflict or accept the Incompatibility.
The withdrawal may be from the situation (fighting for resources, for
vi. Use a Mediator if Necessary: If a situation is particularly volatile or
troublesome and other efforts have not worked, you might invite a
neutral third party, who understand each groups problems and able
to rally both groups toward a mutually agreeable solution. A
mediator can remain objective, listen to both sides, and facilitate
resolution and compromise.
vii. Ignoring the Conflict: If the conflict is not too dangerous and the
consequences not very serious, managers tend to ignore it and
assurred that it does not exist.
viii. Physical Separation : Physical separation may work when the two
groups are not required to interact while achieving targets. If they
need to interact, however, separation may not solve the issue.
ix. Dominance: The simplest conceivable conflict solution is
elimination of the other party to force opponents to give up the
fight. Quite often, managers use positional authority to fire a lower
ranking subordinate they consider to be a troublemaker.
x. Appeal Procedures: A conventional method of resolving disputes in
an organisation is that the people in disagreement ask for a higher
authority to help them arrive at a solution by resolving the problem
satisfactorily.
xi. Compromise: This is a traditional way to putting out fires. Here,
there is no clear winner or loser and the decision arrived at is
probably not ideal for either group. Compromise can be used very
effectively when the goal sought (e.g.. money) can be divided
equitably.
xii. Changes in Physical Layout: Changes in physical layout also could be
used effectively to reduce or eliminate conflict; if a manager wants
to encourage a problem-solving atmosphere, a more open office
arrangement may be used. When known enemies are seated in
conference directly across from each other, the amount of conflict
increases. When they are seated side by side, the conflict tends to
decrease.
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