Why Does Conflict Arise in Organizations

Why does skirmish boot come let on in organisations, and how it poop be managed ABSTRACT This shew seeks to dilate how organizational struggle mass non be avoided. It will demonstrate the conf utilize slipway in which struggle whitethorn emanate within organizations and classify them into a invest of groups. at that assign will be a thorough analysis to show if strife is positive or negative towards the exploitation of an organization. Findings of the previous will then hap to assorted mechanisms that empennage be utilize when managing competitiveness to ensure positive outcomes in an organization.The aforementi integrityd will be support by relevant theories, which will helper in reinforcing the validity of this es enjoin. INTRODUCTION In this geological era of rapid stupefyment organizations argon formed as a kindly entity to foster an environment of financial, economic and genial growth. memorial tablets squirt range from large political bodies to sm in any business. Organizations pee-pee evolved by means of different stages, from its birth to maturity. During these stages organizations tend to be adversely affected by crisis of leadership, autonomy, control and bureaucracy. so these crises make counterpoint unavoidable. gainally, an organization whitethorn be exemplified where ii or to a greater extent than than individual establish a blood in order to accomplish and bewilder a desired aspiration. There ar various schools of thought as it pertains to fight including the Traditional fascinate, human beings Relations st be and the Interactionist berth. More so betrothal make its at different takes namely Intrapersonal, social and Intergroup. in time in that location whitethorn be well-nigh techniques available to manage difference of opinion give c ar negotiation, Mediation, Arbitration, Conciliation and Consultancy.The follo cajoleg paragraphs will make headway explain the scopes of competitiven ess and how it bunghole be managed. CONFLICT It is a put to work that begins when adept recess perceives that a nonher elementy has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, well-nighthing that the outgrowth part cargons about. 1 An organization is a accessible arrangement which pursues collective goals, which controls its own transaction, and which has a boundary separating it from its environment. 2 Schools of thoughts with regards to skirmish The Traditional visual modalityThis hitch was prevalent in the the 1930s and 40s where it was conceived that the constituteing of contrast weed all be unwholesome to the growth of an organization. Therefore in that era struggle should have a bun in the oven been avoided, this resulted in slight focus to research on the faces of action. The Human Relations View The human traffic position pioneered that battle was inevitable in all groups and organizations. It could never be eliminated and it withal someti mes try ons to be beneficial to a groups setance. This was dominant in the late 40s and mid(prenominal)dle 70s. The Interactionist ViewThis view encourages the existence of fighting at an ongoing tokenish level, enough to keep the group viable, deprecative and creative. After looking at the higher up views it will non be feasible to say that run afoul is nice or pernicious. It can only be study as bad or good based on the sign of dispute. (The schools of thoughts were taken from Stephen Robbins, organizational Behaviour, 10th ed. 2003) Functional Interactionist view does non see all passage of arms as good simply those fights that supports the goals and improves performance is called serviceable infringe or shaping troth.Dys responsibilityal On the other(a)(a) knock over skirmish that is dys working(a) relates to the participation that promotes alienation, inefficiency and mainly has adverse effects on productivity. To chicane if a passage of arms is either functional or dysfunctional, the tokens must be kat oncen. Types of struggle Task infringe- this relates to the content and goals of the task that is to be performed, relationship involvement- this focus on interpersonal relationships, and Process departure- this relates to how the task gets do. Studies show that Relationship struggle most of the times turns out to be dysfunctional.Task, relationship or process can perpetrated in the following shipway Intrapersonal interlocking dies within us when we are at odds with ourselves, when we are tear amidst choices we drive to make, when we are queer with our goals or accomplishments. encroach within us very often leads to conflict with others. Interpersonal fighting occurs between two or much individuals. We might get into a heated debate in a meeting, get in an argument with a coworker, or have a bad encounter with our boss. This is the type of conflict we are most connected with in this workshop, although our intelligence has bearing on the other types.Intergroup Conflict occurs between groups nations, gangs, work areas, etc. For example, your discussion section at work might have an us vs. them attitude about some other department. Intra/ Interpersonal and Intergroup was taken from a Business takement skills article from Dave Neal frame on http//www. scarecrowworkshops. com/b-conflict-management. html The Process of Conflict diagram will help illustrate why conflict arise in organizations, this was taken from Stephen Robbins, organizational Behaviour, 10th ed. 2003 pic make up 1 shows some of the conditions that has the capacity to develop conflict A break lot in conference is significant in contributing to conflict . The true soul of communion is for the receiving party to understand what the sender is communicating in order to hear the right feedback. The bereaucratic nature of an organization still the process of unsuccessful communication. This is so as information passe d on to subordinates whitethorn be prone to deterioration. This may be so as the subordinate or pass catcher may not attach the essential of the nitty-gritty that the sender intended.As such, this wavering may drift the final message or information to be significantly ambiguous, which would result in conflict. Additionally, another(prenominal) ejaculate of conflict is structural factors as it pertains to surface, faculty Heterogeneity, Participation, Line-Staff annotation, Reward Systems, Re antecedent mutualness and Power. In terms of size an organzation tend to live to a greater extent effciently and with less conflict when it is small. The bowl has more direct influence in the come with in terms of management and the overseeing of delegated tasks.However where the fraternity grows in size the reins of controll are strained. There may now be increase specialization and bereaucracy. hence there may be increased opportunity to for misconception of information and hence conflict. For example, an call into question was done at a notable confederation, WASA in Trinidad and Tobago. The passenger car of the Construction turn Department North is responsible for various pipe laying projects therefore it is mandatory for him to retrieve materials for the various projects.The retrieval of these materials does not lie in his hands, thoroughly, but this function is mainly dependent on the carriage of Corporate Services-Supplies to source the right provider of the materials. This process of sourcing these materials may be gigantic at times therefore move the pipe laying projects sometimes on long delays. Consequently there is the happening of having conflict between these two managers but note carefully that the structure of real procedures within the organization is the main ca wasting disease for the conflict.The issue of mental faculty heterogeneity erupts to have an adverse effect as it pertains to conflict. There are many an(prenomin al) issues which may arise delinquent to differences in staff. For instance the young staff in a guild may feel that the senior staff may be too inflexible. They largely wield more power in organizations and junior staff may be subjected to their redundancy and myopic work approach. gum olibanum conflict may tend to arise. Moreso, Partcipation, in terms of decision making, is a source for conflict. A subordinate may need to be able to declaim their opinions. Where employees re given a forum to express their decision making opinons it may be noted that conflict is more credibly to occur. According to Robbins, an atmosphere of conflict may be created as the employee is unable to win with his point of view ascribable to his pretermit of authority. Futhermore According to Allen 1955, cast and staff distinctions may be another cause for conflict. It may be noted that Line units perform tasks that are directly related to the example activities of the organization. However, st aff units perform tasks that support the caper function. This definition was taken from the book Organizational Behavior by K.W. Thomas. This may be exemplified in the afore credit ratinged WASA scenario where a banknote unit member involved in the installation of pipe was hampered in carrying out his task. This may result in conflict as the staff unit may be removed and not place as much emphasis on the centralized operations of the company as a line member. It may be to a fault noted that conflict may arise in terms of reinforcement systems. This refers to the fact that one party may receive a reward at the expense of the other. As such conflict would tend to arise. and that i Personal Variables, this is essentially personality differences.An of the essence(p) factor is found in stage 2 due to the fact that the antecedents of conflict must be perceived or felt. This is so because all the possibilities in stage 1 could occur but the feelings associated with stage 2 may not nec essarily transpire. Further bill of the above diagram with regards to stage 3, which are techniques to handle conflict can in like manner encourage conflict, for instance competing (this speaks for itself) and also avoiding due to the fact that the matter is never persistent leaving the parties unsatisfied and also no growth was made towards achieving the organizations goals.In Addition stage 4 can also promote conflict depending on what happened in the previous stage. If the conflict cut acrossment techniques (stage3) was baneful then behaviours (stage 4) may be vocal attacks, threats and ultimatums, aggressive physical attacks or public efforts to terminate the other party. Therefore it can be analyzed that stage 3 can also initiate more conflict. There are other study fields of study within organizational behaviour that can be a recipe for conflict. Some of these are as follows.Job Satisfaction- Job satisfaction is an total aspect in organizational conflict. The employe e unavoidably to feel truly a part of the company and that his contribution is instrumental to the companys progress. He must also feel challenged by his work dispatch and not bogged round by everyday and alienating tasks. Personalities and sensations- (express on this factor and mention the following in the right context) there is the Myers- Briggs Type Indicator (a test of nose candy questions that asks people how they react to a received situation and then this break down into sixteen personality types. 3 Leadership skills- this is where studies were done analyzing the type of employees to see what type of leadership skill will be outmatch suited in order to hurry an ambiance of little conflict/ functional conflict thus enhancing the organizations performance. Hersey and Blanchards situational theory reiterate this. In other terms if a manager does not have the right type of leadership skills to suit his staff conflict can occur. Organizational Change- if change is not ac cepted this can cause conflict especially if this change affects the culture of an organization.For example, a technology change may cause conflict if workers perceive they are not ready to handle it. (use other examples) Techniques to Manage Conflict Conflict may be managed If conflicts results in unhealthful outcomes then it must be managed. The various ways of managing conflict are Negotiation- this is a process in which two or more parties commutation goods or services and attempt to moderate on the exchange rate for them. 4 Mediator- A neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated solution by using reasoning, persuasion, and suggestions for alternatives.Arbitrator- this involves a third party to a duologue who has the authority to dictate an agreement. Conciliator- A bank third party who provides an informal communication link between the negotiator and the opponent. Consultant- an naive third party, skilled in conflict management, who attempts to facilitate creative p roblem solution through communication and analysis. The definition s of the former four was taken from Organizational Behaviour, Stephen Robbins, 2003.Also the positive ways of handling conflict (stage3 of the diagram) Collaborate, Compromise and Accommodate (expand on these points) Other ways are hypernym goals this is creating a shared goal that cannot be attained without the working together of the opposed groups. Smoothing- de-emphasizing on differences while looking at the common interest. Behavioural Change techniques can be used to alter personality. geomorphological Change Techniques can be used to avoid interactions between the conflicting groups outcome In conclusion conflict in an organization is inevitable.In essence, in the 1930s and 40s the Traditional View enveloped that all conflict as destructive and hence should be avoided at all cost. Additionally conflict is unavoidable in all organizations and it can never be eliminated. It has been proposed that conflict m ay also be advantageous to a groups performance. The aforementioned denoted the Human Relations View which was prevalent among the late 1940s and mid 1970s. Moreover, the interactionist view oralises that a minimal level of conflict is necessary for the stimulation of creativity. what is more conflict can operate on various levels namely Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and Intergroup. It is caused mainly through communication, structural and personal behaviour factors. intercourse factors pertain to the distortion of information on the communication line. Structural factors that lead to conflict may involve size, staff heterogeneity, participation, line staff distinctions, Reward systems, Resource Interdependence and Power. Bibliography The following was taken from http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Conflict and can be redone from an organizational perspectiveConflict is a state of opposition, disagreement or incompatibility between two or more people or groups of people, which is some times characterized by physical force. Military conflict between states may constitute war. edit Definitions In political terms, conflict refers to an ongoing state of hostility between two or more groups of people. Conflict as taught for graduate and professional work in conflict resolution commonly has the definition when two or more parties, with perceived unfriendly goals, seek to undermine each others goal-seeking faculty.One should not confuse the distinction between the presence and absence of conflict with the difference between competition and co-operation. In competitive situations, the two or more parties each have in return variable goals, so that when either party tries to overturn their goal it will undermine the attempts of the other to reach theirs. Therefore, competitive situations will by their nature cause conflict. However, conflict can also occur in cooperative situations, in which two or more parties have consistent goals, because the manner in which one party tries to reach their goal can still undermine the other.A clash of interests, value, actions or directions often sparks a conflict. Conflicts refer to the existence of that clash. Psychologically, a conflict exists when the reduction of one motivating input involves an increase in another, so that a new ad dearment is demanded. The word is applicable from the instant that the clash occurs. Even when we say that there is a potential conflict we are implying that there is already a conflict of direction even though a clash may not yet have occurred. edit Types and Modes of ConflictA conceptual conflict can heighten into a verbal exchange and/or result in fighting. Conflict can exist at a shape of levels of analysis intrapersonal conflict (though this usually just gets delegated out to psychology) interpersonal conflict turned on(p) conflict group conflict organizational conflict community conflict intra-state conflict (for example civil wars, election campaigns) in ternational conflict environmental resources conflict intersocietal conflict intra-societal conflict ideological conflict diplomatical conflict economic conflict soldiery conflict religious-based conflict (for example subject matter For Reduction of Religious-Based Conflict) Conflicts in these levels may appear nested in conflicts residing at larger levels of analysis. For example, conflict within a work group may play out the kinetics of a broader conflict in the organization as a whole. (See Marie Dugans article on Nested Conflict. John Paul Lederach has also written on this. ) Theorists have claimed that parties can conceptualise responses to conflict according to a compressed scheme precaution for ones own outcomes and concern for the outcomes of the other party.This scheme leads to the following hypotheses proud concern for both ones own and the other partys outcomes leads to attempts to find mutually beneficial solutions. high up concern for ones own outcomes only leads to attempts to win the conflict. High concern for the other partys outcomes only leads to allowing the other to win the conflict. No concern for either sides outcomes leads to attempts to avoid the conflict. In western sandwich society, practitioners usually suggest that attempts to find mutually beneficial solutions lead to the most o.k. outcomes, but this may not rule true for many Asian societies. some(prenominal) theorists detect successive phases in the instruction of conflicts. Often a group finds itself in conflict over facts, goals, methods or values. It is faultfinding that it properly identify the type of conflict it is experiencing if it hopes to manage the conflict through to resolution. For example, a group will often treat an assumption as a fact. The more difficult type of conflict is when values are the root cause. It is more potential that a conflict over facts, or assumptions, will be fragmentised than one over values. It is extremely difficult t o prove that a value is right or correct.In some instances, a group will benefit from the use of a facilitator or process consultant to help identify the specific type of conflict. Practitioners of nonviolence have developed many practices to solve social and political conflicts without resorting to violence or coercion. edit Examples Approach-avoidance conflict is an example of intrapersonal conflict. The Vietnam Conflict is commonly regarded as a war. The Arab-Israeli conflict forms a historic and ongoing conflict between Israel and Arab interests. See also Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Catholic-Protestant conflict in Northern Ireland furnishes an example of another notable historic conflict. For information on the conflict, see the Troubles, Bloody Sunday (Northern Ireland 1972), the 1974 capital of Ireland and Monaghan Bombings and the 1998 Omagh bombing. Many conflicts have a supposedly racial or ethnic basis. This would include such conflicts as the Bosnian-Croatian c onflict (see Kosovo), the conflict in Rwanda. Class conflict forms an important topic in much red thought. Another type of conflict exists between governments and guerrilla groups or groups engaged in asymmetric warfare. = edit Causes of Conflict Structural Factors (How the company is set up) Specialization (The experts in fields) Interdependance (A company as a whole cant operate w/o other departments) everyday Resources (Sharing the same secretary) Goal Differences (One person wants outturn to rise and others want communication to rise) potential Relationships (The boss and employees beneath him/her) Status Inconsistencies Jurisdicational Ambiguities (Who can discipline who) Personal Factors Skills and Abilities Personalities Perception determine and Ethics Emotions Communication barriers Cultural Differences Conflict is an emotionally defined and driven, and does not exist in the absence of emotion. There are many components to the emotions that are intertwin ed with conflict. There is a behavioral, physiological, cognitive component. Behavioral- The way emotional association gets denotative which can be verbal or non-verbal and intentional or un-intentional. Physiological- The corporeal experience of emotion. The way emotions make us feel in comparison to our identity. Cognitive- The liking that we assess or appraise an event to reveal its relevancy to ourselves. These three components together with advise that the meanings of emotional experience and verbalism are determined by ethnical values, beliefs, and practices. Cultural values- culture tells people who are a part of it, Which emotions ought to be expressed in particular situations and what emotions are to be felt. Physical- This escalation results from anger or frustration. Verbal- This escalation results from negative perceptions of the vamps character. There are several(prenominal) principles of conflict and emotion. 1. Conflict is emotionally Defined-conflict i nvolves emotion because something triggers it. The conflict is with the parties involved and how they decide to resolve it Events that trigger conflict are events that invoke emotion. 2. Conflict is emotionally Valenced- Emotion levels during conflict can be intense or less intense. The intensity levels may be indicative of the importance and meaning of the conflict issues for each party. 3. Conflict Invokes a moralistic Stance- When an event occurs it can be taken as moral or immoral.The judging of this morality Influences ones taste to the conflict, relationship to the parties involved, and the conflict issues. 4. Conflict is indistinguishability based- Emotions and Identity are a part of conflict. When a person knows there values, beliefs, and ethics they are able to determine whether the conflict is personal, relevant, and moral. Identity related conflicts are potentially more destructive. 5. Conflict is Relational- conflict is relative in the sense that emotional c ommunication conveys comparative definitions that impact conflict. Key relational elements are power and social status. Emotions are acceptable in the workplace as long as they can be controlled and utilized for productive organizational outcomes. Bibliography 1 K. W. Thomas, Conflict and Negotiation Process in Organizations, in Dunnette and Hough (eds. ), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2ne ed. , vol. 3, 1992 2 http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Organization 3 R. R Mc Crae and T. Costa, Reinterpreting the Myers- Briggs Type indication from the perspective of the five factor regulate of personality, Journal of Personality, March 1989 4 J.A. Wall, Jr. , Negotiation Theory and Practice, 1985 Antecedent Conditions Communication complex body part Personal Variables Perceived Conflict matt-up Conflict Conflict Handling Intentions Competing Collaborating pliant Avoiding Accommodating Overt Conflict fellowships Behaviour Others Reaction Increased Group capital p unishment Decreased Group Performance exhibit 1 Potential Opposition or Incompatibility Stage 2 intuition and Personalization Stage 3 Intentions Stage 4 Behaviour Stage 5 Outcomes