CHAPTER FIVE

MANAGEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT

5.1. Definition of conflict
Conflict- is a disagreement between two or more individuals or groups, with each individual or
group trying to gain acceptance of its view or objectives over others.
Conflict is a process that begins when one party perceives another party has negatively
affected, or is about to negatively affects, something that the first party cares about.
The earlier traditional view of conflict considered it harmful, destructive and unnecessary and it
should be avoided at all cost. But the modern view of conflict holds that conflict may in fact,
under certain situations, be necessary for performance effectiveness when it avoids all “yes” type
questions because of not the answer but because of lack of interests and less motivation to come
up with new ideas.
5.2. Forms of Conflict
Conflict as it is experienced in the daily workplace involves at least two basic forms.
1. Substantive conflict: - Is a fundamental disagreement over ends or goals to be pursued and the
means for their accomplishment. A dispute with one’s boss over a plan of action to be followed,
such as the marketing strategy for a new product, is an example of substantive conflict.
2. Emotional conflict: - Involves interpersonal difficulties that arise over feelings of anger,
mistrust, dislike, fear, resentment, and the like. This conflict is commonly known as a “clash of
personalities.” Emotional conflicts can drain the energies of people and distract them from
important work priorities. They can emerge from a wide variety of settings and are common
among co-workers as well as in superior–subordinate relationships.
5.3. Types of Conflicts
There are several approaches to types of organizational conflicts but for our class we
will take a look at the following types.
1. Intrapersonal Conflict: When conflict occurs within an individual, it is called intrapersonal
conflict. Intrapersonal conflict arises within a person. For example, when you’re uncertain about
what is expected or wanted, or you have a sense of being inadequate to perform a task, you are
experiencing intrapersonal conflict.
A. Approach-Approach Conflict-Here an individual must choose between two alternatives which
have expected positive outcome.

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B. Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict- Here an individual must choose between two
alternatives which have expected negative outcome.
C. Approach-Avoidance Conflict- Here an individual must decide whether to do something that
is expected to have both positive and negative outcome.
2. Interpersonal Conflict: When conflict occurs in between individual to individual, it is called
interpersonal conflict. Interpersonal conflict also involves conflict between two or more
individuals because of various reasons such as disagreements over goals and objectives and
competing for limited capital and manpower resources. This is probably the most common and
the most recognized conflict.
3. Intragroup Conflict: When conflict occurs within one group, it is called intragroup conflict.
4. Intergroup Conflict: When conflict occurs amongst different groups, it is called intergroup
conflict. It occurs in three ways.
A. Vertical Conflict-It refers to conflicts that occur between individuals at different levels.
Conflict between the superior and subordinate is an example of vertical conflict.
B. Horizontal conflict-It refers to tensions between employees or groups at the same hierarchical
level. Horizontal conflict occurs because of interdependence among the parties concerned in the
work situation.
C. Line & Staff Conflict- It refers to the conflicts that arise between those who assist or act in an
advisory capacity (staff) and those who have direct authority to create the products, process, and
services of the organizing (line).
5.4. Functional Vs dysfunctional conflict
Conflict that supports the individual and group goals, which leads to higher performance is
called functional conflict while the conflicts that hinders individual or group performance is
called dysfunctional conflict. The latter generally takes destructive form. There is thin margin
between the two types of conflicts mentioned above. While evaluating the impact of conflict on
goal achievement, individual perception and effect of group performance should be evaluated. If
the conflict contributes towards higher performance then the conflict should be called functional
or otherwise dysfunctional. Conflict can be broadly classified in three types i.e. task oriented
conflict, behavioural conflict and structural conflict or process conflict. Task conflict relates
to the group goals or objectives to be achieved by the group while behavioral conflict relates to
individual’s value system, approach, attitude, ego state, skill and norms being followed by him.

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Studies reveal that most of the dysfunctional conflict falls under this category. Process conflict is
related to how a task is being accomplished in the organization. It is related with various
processes, procedures, drills and instructions that are being followed on a particular job. When
individual differs in this regard, conflict arises. This type of conflict can be eliminated to a large
extent by following strict discipline in the work procedure and adhering to the rules and
regulations.
Functional Conflict
1. Conflict develops cohesiveness within the group members. A group goal therefore becomes a
priority. Individual goals are then relegated to secondary position.
2. Conflict leads to innovation and creativity, as there is competing sprit among various groups.
3. Conflict provides challenging work environment and enhances opportunities for self-
development of group that leads to formation of group norms.
4. Enhance work culture leads to up gradation of various systems within the organization and
therefore growth is achieved.
Dysfunctional Conflict
Conflict may turn out to be detrimental and disastrous and having deleterious effects.
Dysfunctional nature of conflict can be identified in the following circumstances:
1. When conflict does not lead to solution.
2. When basic goals of the organization are neglected.
3. People should be treated with due respect. If it is violated and a climate of distrust and
suspicion is created people feel defeated and demeaned which develops antagonism and leads to
conflict.
4. Conflict may lead to absenteeism and subsequently to increased turn over if not controlled in
time.
5. Dual management style may create hatred and lead to dysfunctional conflict.
6. Disagreement with management may be considered as disloyalty, if this environment prevails,
an opportunity for creativity would be lost and employees would lose interest in their job. This
would lead to increased conflicting situations.

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5.5. Cause of conflict in organizations
1. Communication: - Poor communication can have powerful effect in causing conflict.
Misunderstood or partial information during the process of communication can make a
difference between the success and the failure of a task and such failure for which the
responsibility becomes difficult to trace can cause conflict between the sender and the receiver.
Thus the problems in the communication process-whether these problems relate to too much or
too little communication, filtering communication, semantic problems or even noise- act to
hinder collaboration and stimulate misunderstanding.
The filtering process occurs when information is passed through many levels or when it passes
through many members. The amount of information is functional up to a point, beyond which it
becomes a source of conflict. Semantic difficulties arise due to differences in backgrounds,
differences in training, selective perception and inadequate information about others.
Some of the reasons for poor communication are as under:
(a) Inadequate communication: where too much or too little information is passed from one
department to the other.
(b) Filtration effect: where end receiver receives very scant information having little or no value.
(c) When information is not received on time: it must be noted that delayed information has no
value as the decision might have already been taken without the information.
(d) Barriers of culture, language.
(e) Inadequate training of sender and receiver.
(f) Noise problems.
2. Behavioral Aspects: - There are also conflicts that arise because of behavioral aspects of
humans. These conflicts are arise out of human thoughts, feelings, emotions, and attitudes,
values (cultural caused), perceptions and reflect some basic traits of a personality. Thus some
people’s values or perceptions of situations are particularly likely to generate conflict with
others.
3. Structural Aspects: - The issues related to structural design of the organization as a whole as
well as its sub-units can result in conflict in organizations. Some of the structurally related
factors are:
 Size of the organization: The larger the size of the organization the more basis for the
existence of conflict. It is likely that as the organization becomes larger and larger there is

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greater impersonal formality, less goal clarity, more supervisory levels and supervision, and
greater chance of information being diluted or distorted as it passed along. All these factors may
result in conflict.
 Line-staff distinction: Line units are involved in operations that are directly related to the core
activities of the organization. Staff units are generally in advisory capacity and support the line
functions. So since one is main area (line) and the other is just supportive (the staff) there might
be non-smooth relationships between departments on different issues such as respect for each
other’s, getting things done, access to top management by staff might not be
liked by the line, importance for an organization, etc.
 Participation: It is assumed that if the subordinates are not allowed to participate in the
decision making process then they will show umbrage (anger) which will induce conflict.
 Role ambiguity: A role reflects a set of activities associated with a certain position in an
organization. If these work activities are ill defined, then the person who is carrying out these
activities will not perform as others expect him to, because his role is not clearly defined. This
will create conflict, especially between this individual and those people who depend upon his/her
activities.
 Scarcity of resources: When individuals and units must share such resources as capital,
facilities, staff assistance and so on, and these resources are scarce and there is a high
competition for them then conflict can become quite intense.
 Task interdependence: When individuals or groups must depend on what others do in order to
perform well themselves, conflict often occur.
5.6. Conflict management strategies
People respond to conflict in different ways. A person’s interpersonal style in conflict situations
can be described on two dimensions of behavior; cooperativeness and assertiveness.
Cooperativeness is the desire to satisfy another party’s needs and concern’s; assertiveness is the
desire to satisfy one’s own needs and concerns. There are five interpersonal styles of conflict
management that result from various combinations of the two. Briefly stated, these styles involve
the following behaviors: assertive
1. Avoidance: Being uncooperative and unassertive; downplaying disagreement, withdrawing
from the situation, and /or staying neutral at all costs. Lose-lose style.
 The issue is trivial, or when issues that are more important are pressing.

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  You perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns.
 The potential disruption outweighs the benefits of resolution.
 You desire to let people cool down and regain perspective.
 Gathering information supersedes the need for an immediate decision.
 Others can resolve the conflict more effectively.
 Issues seem tangential or symptomatic of other issues.
2. Accommodation or Smoothing: Being cooperative but unassertive; letting others’ wishes rule;
smoothing over differences to maintain superficial (apparent) harmony.
Use this method when:
 You find you are wrong and wish to allow a better position to be heard in order to
learn and to show your reasonableness.
 Issues are more important to others than to yourself and you wish to satisfy others and
maintain cooperation.
 You wish to build social credits for later issues.
 You desire to minimize loss when you are outmatched and losing.
 Harmony and stability are especially important.
 You wish to allow subordinates to develop by learning from their mistakes.
3. Competition or authoritative command: Being uncooperative but assertive; working against
the wishes of the other party, engaging in win-lose competition, or forcing through the exercise
of authority.
Use this method when:
 Quick, decisive action is vital (emergencies).
 Deciding important issues for which unpopular actions need to be implemented
(such as cost cutting and discipline).
 Deciding issues vital to the organization's welfare when you know you are right and
your opponents are wrong.
 Negotiating with people who take advantage of noncompetitive behavior.
4. Compromise: Being moderately cooperative and assertive but not to either extreme;
bargaining for “acceptable” solutions in which each party wins a bit and loses a bit. Trade-offs
style (lose something to gain the other)

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5. Collaboration or problem solving: being cooperative and assertive; trying to fully satisfy
everyone’s concerns by working through differences; finding and solving problems so that
everyone gains. Win-win style.
 There is a need to find an integrative solution when both sets of concerns are too
important to be compromised.
 Your objective is to learn.
 The desire is to merge insights from people with different perspectives.
 Wishing to gain commitment by incorporating concerns into a consensus.
 Working through feelings that interfered with the relationship.