Chapter 14

17. Describe the conflict process

A. Stage 1: Potential opposition or incompatibility a. Activating one of the antecedent conditions i. Communication ii. Structure iii. Personal variables B. Stage 2: Cognition and personalization . Perceived Conflict . Awareness by one or more parties of the existence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise. It is not felt, it is not personalized a. Felt Conflict . Emotional involvement in a conflict that creates anxiety, tenseness, frustration, or hostility b. Important because this stage is where issues tend to be defined, where the parties decide what the conflict is about C. Stage 3: Intentions . Def of intentions: decisions to act in a given way a. Two Dimensions . Assertiveness i. Cooperativeness b. Five Conflict-Handling Intentions (within y/x axis) . Competing 1. Assertive & uncooperative i. Collaborating 1. Assertive and cooperative ii. Avoiding 1. Unassertive & uncooperative iii. Accommodating 1. Unassertive & cooperative iv. Compromising 1. Midpoint of both assertiveness and cooperative D. Stage 4: Behavior . Includes the statements, actions, and reactions made by the conflicting parties, usually as overt attempts to implement their own intentions a. When conflicts become visible b. Functional Conflicts are lower on the conflict-intensity continuum c. If dysfunctional, use Conflict management techniques, found above E. Stage 5: Outcomes . Functional Outcomes . Improves quality of decisions i. Stimulates creativity and innovation ii. Encourages interest and curiosity among group members iii. Provides the medium through which problems can be aired and tensions released iv. Fosters an environment of self-evaluation and change v. Improves quality of decision making by allowing all points to be weighed, particularly those that are unusual or held by a minority vi. Etc a. Creating Functional Conflict . Reward dissent and punish conflict avoiders b. Dysfunctional Outcomes . Can lead to the destruction of the group i. Reduces group effectiveness ii. Reduced & poor communication iii. Reductions in group cohesiveness iv. Subordination of group goals v. Etc

What is Conflict?

Definition of Conflict: A process that begins when one party perceives another party has or is about to negatively affect something the first party cares about

13. Identify the two dimensions of Conflict handling

Assertiveness: The degree to which one party attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns Cooperativeness: The degree to which one party attempts to satisfy the other party's concerns.

15. How is Collaborating different from Accommodating?

Collaborating: A situation in which the parties to a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the concerns of all parties. 1. Collaborating is assertive & cooperative Accommodating: The willingness of one party in a conflict to place the opponent's interests above his or her own. 1. Accommodating is unassertive & cooperative

12. What are the conditions that create conflict?

Conflict Process Boxes Communication: saying something inappropriate, Structure: conflict relating to structure results because of size, degree of task, clear about role, understanding the goal, style of leader. Because of the way it's structured, I'm having conflict, and personal variable: personality A. Communication: a. Semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and "noise" B. Structure: . Size and specialization of jobs i. Larger the group and more specialized the greater likelihood of conflict ii. Tenure and conflict are inversely related a. Jurisdictional clarity/ambiguity . IE, ambiguity of where responsibility for actions lies b. Member/goal incompatibility c. Leadership styles (close or participative d. Reward systems (win-lose) . When one gets more than the other e. Dependence/interdependence of groups C. Personal Variables . Differing individual value systems a. Personality types

10. Why is Relationship Conflict Dysfunctional? True or false

It appears that the friction and interpersonal hostilities inherit in relationship conflicts increase personality clashes and decreases mutual understanding, which hinders the completion of organizational tasks.

11. What is the interactionist view of conflict? How is it different from the H R view?

Interactionist View of Conflict: The belief that conflict is not only a positive force in a group but that it is absolutely necessary for a group to perform effectively. Interactionist View of Conflict: Definition Same as Above, Properties Below A. Does not propose that all conflict is good B. Encourages Functional Conflict C. Believes in/encourages Functional Conflict: a. Supports the goals of the group and improves its performance, which is thus, a constructive form of conflict b. Low to moderate levels of task conflict can be functional, but only in very specific cases i. Bad when about task roles ii. Doesn't do anything for routine tasks c. Low levels of process conflict can be functional, but only in very specific cases D. Does NOT believe in/encourage Dysfunctional Conflict: . A conflict that hinders group performance is a destructive, or dysfunctional conflict a. Relationship is almost always an example of this Human Relations View of Conflict: The belief that conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome in any group. A. Also known as managed conflict view and resolution-focused view of conflict B. Current trend in conflict management C. Researchers now believe one should find constructive methods for resolving conflicts productively so their disruptive influence is minimized, methods such as: a. Preparing people for conflicts, b. Developing resolution strategies c. Facilitating open discussion. Traditional: believes all conflict is bad and must be avoided A. Causes: a. Poor communication b. Lack of openness and trust between people c. Failure of managers to be responsive to employees' needs B. Also believes that if you focus on the causes of conflict and correct them then the rest will fix itself

9. Describe the three types of conflict and the three loci of conflict

Task Conflict: Conflict over content and goals of the work Relationship Conflict: Conflict based on interpersonal relationships A. Relationship Conflict is ALMOST ALWAYS a dysfunctional conflict Process Conflict: Conflict over how work gets done. (Taking a task conflict and turning it into positive functional) Loci of Conflict: Dyadic Conflict: Conflict that occurs between two people. Intragroup Conflict: Conflict that occurs within a group or team. Intergroup Conflict: Conflict between(2 groups) different groups or teams.

18. What are the benefits of Conflict? What is the downside of conflict in groups

The benefits are: Enhanced group performance, creativity and innovation, and self evaluation and change. • Improves quality of decisions • Stimulates creativity and innovation • Encourages interest and curiosity among group members • Provides the medium through which problems can be aired and tensions released • Fosters an environment of self-evaluation and change • Improves quality of decision making by allowing all points to be weighed, particularly those that are unusual or held by a minority • Etc Downside: Can create discontent, decrease group effectiveness, and harm cohesiveness of the group. - Can lead to the destruction of the group - Reduces group effectiveness - Reduced & poor communication - Reductions in group cohesiveness - Subordination of group goals - Etc

14. Identify the Conflict handling techniques

There are two types of Conflict Handling Techniques in the set of Conflict Handling Management 1. CONFLICT RESOLUTION TECHNIQUES (IE, reduce/remove conflict): • Problem solving o Face-to-face meeting of the conflicting parties for the purpose of identifying the problem and resolving it through open discussion • Superordinate goals o Creating a shared goal that cannot be attained without the cooperation of each of the conflicting parties. • Expansion of resources o When a conflict is caused by the scarcity of a resource (for example, money, promotion, opportunities, office space), expansion of the resource can create a win-win solution. • Avoidance o Withdrawal from or suppression of the conflict. • Smoothing o Playing down differences while emphasizing common interests between the conflicting parties. • Compromise o Each party to the conflict gives up something of value • Authoritative command o Management uses its formal authority to resolve the conflict and then communicates its desires to the parties involved • Altering the human variable o Using behavioral change techniques such as human relations training to alter attitudes and behaviors that cause conflict. • Altering the structural variables o Changing the formal organization structure and the interaction patterns of conflicting parties through job redesign, transfers, creation of coordinating positions, and the like. 2) Conflict-Stimulation Techniques (IE, INCREASE CONFLICT, mwuahaha): Shadoo dadoooo dado badoo dooo da da do • Communication o Using ambiguous or threatening messages to increase conflict levels • Bringing in outsiders o Adding employees to a group whose backgrounds, values, attitudes, or managerial styles differ from those of present members • Restructuring the organization o Realigning work groups, altering rules and regulations, increasing interdependence, and making similar structural changes to disrupt the status quo • Appointing a devil's advocate o Designating a critic to purposely argue against the majority positions held by the group

16. When would you use the Compromising approach in conflict handling?

When there is a situation in which each party in a conflict is willing to give up something. (Acceptable solution)

19. Is trust important in cross cultural negotiations?

Yes, cost cultural negotiations can be a matter of trust issues.