Test 1 - Managing Conflict & Negotiations (6)

- Initially experts believed that all conflict had to be avoided or quickly resolved - It was recognized that conflict is inevitable and managers need to learn to live with it - OB specialists realized that conflict had both positive and negative outcomes and organizations could suffer from too much or too little conflict

A Conflict Continuum

- is most often evident to others - affects even those that are NOT bullied - has group-level implications

Bullying

Distributive Negotiation ("win-lose") - usually involves a single issue in which one person gains at the expense of another. This "win-lose" approach is arguably the most common. Involves traditional win-lose thinking Integrative Negotiation ("win-win") - where an agreement can be found that is better for both parties than what they would have reached through distributive negotiation. Calls for a progressive win-win strategy

Compare and contrast distributive and integrative bargaining:

- Work to eliminate specific negative interactions - Conduct team building - Encourage and facilitate friendships via social events - Foster positive attitudes - Avoid or neutralize negative gossip - Practice the above: be a role model

Conflict resolution: Reduction

Conflict - occurs when one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. The source of conflict can be real or imagined Conflict can escalate: 1) Change in tactics - parties move from light tactic to heavy tactics such as threats, power play, and violence 2) Number of issues grow - more and more issues that bother the party are related and included in the conflict 3) Issues move from specific to general - small and specific concerns become more vague in general and can evolve into a general disliking or intolerance of the other party 4) Number of parties grow - more people and groups are drawn into the conflict 5) Goals change - parties change their focus from doing well or resolution to winning or even hurting the other party

Define conflict and discuss the nature of conflict in organizations:

Negotiation - a give-and-take decision making process involving two or more parties with different preferences

Define negotiation:

Agreement - equitable and fair agreements are best Stronger relationships - good agreements help conflicting parties to build bridges of goodwill and trust Learning - functional conflict can promote greater self-awareness and creative problem solving

Describe the three desired outcomes of conflict management:

Ideal Emotions - how do you want to feel going into the negotiation? Managing Emotions - what can you do in advance to put yourself in the ideal emotional state? Hot Buttons - what can throw you off balance? Keeping Balance - how will you regain balance if lost? Emotions After - how do you want to feel when you're finished?

Discuss five tips for managing emotions in the negotiation process:

Integrating - interested parties confront the issue and cooperatively identity the problem, generate and weigh alternatives, and select a solution. Appropriate when - issues are complex, synthesis of ideas is needed to come up with better solutions, commitment is needed from other parties for successful implementation, time is available for problem solving, one party alone cannot solve the problem, resources possessed by different parties are needed to solve problem Obliging - tend to show low concern for yourself and a great concern for others. Appropriate when - you believe that you may be wrong, issue is more important to the other party, you are willing to give p something in exchange for something from the other party in the future, you are dealing from a position weakness, preserving relationship is important Dominating - have a high concern for self and low concern for others. Appropriate when - issue is trivial, speedy decision is needed, unpopular course of action is implemented, necessary to overcome assertive subordinates, unfavorable decision by the other party may be costly to you, subordinates lack expertise to make technical decisions, issue is important to you Avoiding - passive withdrawal from the problem and active suppression of the issue are common. Appropriate when - issue is trivial, potential dysfunctional effect of confronting the other party outweighs benefits of resolution, cooling off period is needed Compromising - a give and take approach with a moderate concern for both self and others. Appropriate when - goals of parties are mutually exclusive, parties are equally powerful, consensus cannot be reached, integrating or dominating style is not successful, temporary solution to a complex problem is needed

Discuss the most frequent styles of conflict handling (integrating, obliging, dominating, avoiding, compromising) and when they should be used:

Functional Conflict - constructive or cooperative conflict characterized by: consultative interactions, a focus on the issues, mutual respect, useful give and take Dysfunctional Conflict - threatens an organization's interest. Erodes performance, political infighting, dissatisfaction, lack of team-work, and aggression

Distinguish between functional and dysfunctional conflict:

Some of the most common reasons are fear of: > harm > anger > failing > rejection > being seen as selfish > hurting someone else > damage or loss of relationships > saying the wrong things > getting what you want

Explain the most common reasons for avoiding conflict:

- the more members of different groups interact, the less intergroup conflict they will experience - quality contact matters from the in-group's perspective

How to handle intergroup conflict: Contact hypothesis

How in-group members view themselves: > collection of unique individuals > positively and morally correct How in-group members view members of other groups: > stereotype as being "all alike" > negatively and immoral > as a threat > exaggerate differences involving a distorted perception of reality

In-Group thinking

Any form of socially harmful behavior, such as: - aggression - interpersonal deviance - social undermining - interactional justice - harassment - abusive supervision - bullying

Incivility

Personality Conflicts - interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike or disagreement Intergroup Conflict - conflict among work groups, teams, and departments is common to effectiveness. There are 2 groups: - Conflict states: shared perceptions among members of the team about the intensity of disagreement over either tasks or relationships. - Conflict processes: member's interactions aimed at working through task and interpersonal disagreements Work-family Conflict - occurs when the demand or pressures from work and family are mutually incompatible

List and describe the common forms of conflict:

- incompatible personalities or value systems - overlapping or unclear job boundaries - competition for limited resources - unreasonable to unclear policies, standards, or rules - organizational complexity (conflict tends to increase as the number of hierarchical layers and specialized tasks increase) - interdependent tasks (one person cannot complete his assignment until others have completed their work) - inadequate communication - interdepartmental/intergroup competition - unreasonable deadlines or extreme time pressure - decision making by consensus (dissenters may feel coerced) - collective decision making (the greater the number of people participating in a decision, the greater conflict) - unmet expectations (employees who have unrealistic expectations about job assignments, pay, or promotions)

List and explain the most common causes of conflict:

Added Value Negotiation - the negotiating parties cooperatively develop multiple deal packages while building a productive long term relationship by follow these steps: Clarify interests - after each party identifies its tangible and intangible needs, the two parties meet to discuss their respective needs and find common ground for negotiation Identify Options - a marketplace of value is created when the negotiating parties discuss desired elements of value Design alternative deal packages - while aiming for multiple deals, each party mixes and matches elements of value from both parties in workable combinations Select a deal - each party analyzes deal packages proposed by the other party. Jointly, the parties discuss and select from feasible deal packages, with a spirit of creative agreement Perfect the deal - together the parties discuss unresolved issues, develop a written agreement, and build relationships for future negotiations

Outline the five steps of the added-value negotiation process:

- Conflict that raises difference opinions regardless of the personal feelings of the managers - Gets contributors to either defend or criticize the ideas based on relevant facts rather than personal preference or political interest

Programmed conflict

Devils Advocacy: assigning someone the role of the critic Dialectic Method: fostering a structured debate of opposing viewpoints - important to use to actively stimulate functional conflict when necessary, such as when the risk of blind conformity or groupthink is high

Programmed conflict techniques

- Balance requires flexibility which includes: > Flexspace: telecommuniting from various locations > Flextime: flexible schedule

Work-family conflict