Conflict in Organizations Dr. Len Elovitz Chapter 10 in Owens & Valesky

What is Conflict? Two essential concepts in any conflict –Divergent views and –Incompatibility of those views

Is Conflict Bad? If not controlled, can interfere with the organization’s ability to meet its goals. “The confrontation of divergent views often produces ideas of superior quality.” »Kenneth Thomas Conflict causes people to seek ways of dealing with it. Can lead to improved organizational functioning

What is the bureaucratic view? In classical bureaucratic organizations, conflict is something to be suppressed and avoided. –Organizations should be smooth running, harmonious and ordered. –Use of control and structure to manage conflict.

What is the human relations view Human relations views see conflict as a failure to develop appropriate norms for groups. –Seeks to achieve harmony through happy, congenial work groups.

What is the human resources view Conflict is inevitable, endemic and often legitimate. Chester Barnard described negotiating, stress, and conflict as normal social patterns in organizations. Finite resources lead to competition. Participatory management will result in conflicts Leaders need to manage conflict.

Can Lead To Hostility Two Types of Hostility –Non-Malevolent –Malevolent Non-malevolent behavior may worsen the position of others, but is done to support one’s views. Malevolent hostility may give rise to nefarious attacks, that may: –Focus on people (not issues). –Use hateful and emotional language and terms. –Use dogmatic statements. –Be intransigent even in light of new information. The key to determining the type of hostility is the motivation of the hostile party. –Do they want to work within the system or to destroy it?

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon Effects of Organizational Conflict Hostile conflict can result in: –Psychological withdrawal--alienation, apathy, and indifference. –Physical withdrawal—absence, tardiness, and turnover. Conflict can create a downward spiral in organizational health Effective conflict management can lead to improved organizational health

The impact of conflict on the organization and the behavior of role incumbents largely depends on the way the organization handles it.

Ineffective Response to Conflict

Effective Response to Conflict

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon The Criterion: Organizational Performance The central issue to leaders is to insure the impact of conflict does not negatively affect performance of the organization as a system. Leaders should assess organizational culture and the interaction-influence system.

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon The Criterion: Organizational Performance (continued) Participative management assumes that many people have good ideas and quality information. Divergent views can assist individuals in confronting previously unknown or ignored information. Dealing with problems can result in improved cohesiveness, clarified relationships and better problem-solving procedures. Whereas, pent-up conflict may explode, followed by long periods of frustration.

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon The Dynamics of Organizational Conflict Louis Pondy identified three primary causes of latent conflict: –Competition for scarce resources. –Autonomy or “Protecting One’s Turf”. –Goal divergence (and how to accomplish the goal). These are naturally-occurring events in schools, and therefore conflict should be expected, planned for and managed.

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon A Process View of Conflict Kenneth Thomas identified four parts of conflict that occur in a sequence of episodes: –Frustration—caused by someone’s action (denial of a request, disagreement, insult). –Conceptualization—defining issues and seeking alternative responses (Highly subjective). –Behavior—dictated by one’s desire to satisfy the other’s concerns resulting in cooperation (or not), and by one’s desire to satisfy his/her own concerns resulting in assertiveness (or not). Interaction of the parties follows. –Outcome—if negative, can have long-term effects on relationships and the organization.

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon A Structural View of Conflict This approach sees conflict in terms of conditions that influence behavior. –Rules and procedures – often clarify positions on issues and give direction on how to proceed –Personality predispositions – Role and Role conflict –Social norms of the organization – Culture (how we do things around here)

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon An Open-Systems View of Conflict As open systems, schools interact with their environments. Outside mandates and pressures can cause sudden change and subsequent conflict, e.g., NCLB. Griffin and Rostetter hypothesized that depending on availability of resources, opportunities to avoid coercion, and rewards for compliance, people will behave with one of the following: resistance, escape, compliance, passive resistance. Coercion can lead to conflict-hostility-resistance syndrome within organizations.

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon Approaches to Organizational Conflict Win-Lose Orientation—parties do not see compromise as possible. Two consequences –Between parties: hostility rises, hope for solution fades, as does search for solution. –Within parties involved: members close ranks, and members are expected to keep the party line. Creative solutions are effectively snuffed out. The losing individual or group may reject the leaders and have powerful long-lasting negative emotional reactions.

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon A Contingency Approach to Conflict This approach requires a solution based on diagnosis of the situation: –Is there conflict: do the parties have goals that are incompatible? –If it is a miscommunication instead of conflict, parties may benefit from communication skills training. If a conflict does exist, then select a method of dealing with it productively from options available. In general, a win-win in which both parties win something tends to be the most productive.

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon A Contingency Approach to Conflict (continued) Collaboration—mutual problem solving. –Parties must have: Skills for communicating and working in groups effectively. Attitudes that support a climate of trust to work through problems. –Using effective problem-solving strategies. –Sometimes use of a third-party consultant is helpful.

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon A Contingency Approach to Conflict (continued) Bargaining –Search for compromises that has some elements of collaborative problem solving. –This is not collaborative, and does not necessarily lead to win-win. –Neither party wins and neither party loses. Example may be when parties take a conflict to supervisor for resolution.

Copyright (c) Allyn & Bacon A Contingency Approach to Conflict (continued) Avoidance—it’s useful when: –It is not likely that latent conflict can be resolved. –Issues are not so important as to require time and resources to work them out. –Effectively a “cease-fire”. Power Struggle—classic win-lose situation.

Handling Conflict Case studies Pgs in 10 th edition Pgs in 9 th edition

Styles of Dealing With Conflict Muscle – Just do it Reconciliation – Agree to disagree Harmony – Find the middle ground Retreat – Avoidance Collaboration – Reach consensus