ORG COMM FINAL

conflict management vs. conflict resolution

Ongoing nature of conflict Complexity of conflict situations Rarely resolution, often simply management

ethnography: method of studying org culture

Organizational culture as a "text" to be read Try to become immersed in organizational life Minimize distance between researcher and culture Ethnographer begins to develop understandings

organizational cultures are not unitary

Organizations characterized by multitude of subcultures May co-exist in harmony, conflict, or indifference Differentiation approach Inconsistencies expected and often seen as desirable

effects on patterns

Sites have moved beyond individual use Businesses have begun to develop own software Leads to increasing concerns about privacy

interdependent behaviors

conflict can only arise when there is interdependence among the players, until behaviors are interdependently entwined, incompatibility need not result in conflict

integrative

conflicting parties are trying to maximize gains for both parties. Bargainers discuss issues that could lead to more creative solutions that allow both parties to benefit. Communication tends to be marked by open disclosure, careful listening, and multiple communication channels.

level 3: basic assumptions

core assumptions that individuals in a group hold about the world and how it works. These assumptions are taken for granted, because they have been reinforced time and time again while dealing with internal and external problems. Individuals can rarely articulate them because they have become such a natural part "the way we are" or the "way we do things around here."

emotional exhaustion

core of burnout phenomenon, feel fatigued, frustrated, used up, or unable to face another day on the job.

national culture

negotiations between US and Japan, highly unsuccessful, felt like they were reading from different scripts

instrumental support

physical or material assistance that help person cope with stress and strain, supervisor may hire a temp for big project, husband may take kids for night

way individual frames conflict will influence way that it is managed

Involves perceptions of self, others, conflict Those who frame in terms of losses more like to take risk Also more likely to reach an impasse

new directions in research

More attention to message style and perceptions Disagreement through dissent

most frequent stressors

Most frequent stressors: Workload Role Conflict Role ambiguity Can also result from stressors outside workplace

emotion in the workplace

Most models governed by logic and rationality Interactions often governed by emotion Scholars beginning to appreciate emotional nuances Jobs consist of tasks and the cognitive functions required for those tasks Often governed by hot emotion rather than cool logic.

When theorists moved away from purely logical models moved to models that considered bounded rationality

Mumby and Putnam - bounded emotionality Look at emotional life as central focus of organization Consider ways of paying attention to emotion might lead to new ways of understanding

friends and family

emotional and or instrumental

look at table 11.1

emotional display rules

emotional buzzing

emotions can spread like wild fire

table 13.1

examples of organizational communication technology

surface acting

flight attendant may just "paste a smile on your face" to satisfy airline requirement of a happy face in the cabin

emotional rights

individuals have a strong sense about what is right and just in the workplace, when these norms are disrupted can result in display of strong emotions. The email from viewer to overweight newscaster.

organizational cultures are complicated

"Markers" used to investigate culture

bargaining and negotiation

Bargaining - formal activity Clear understanding of rules of negotiation Involves individuals who serve as representatives Often used to settle intergroup or interorganizational conflict Distributive bargaining Integrative bargaining

accommodating

volunteer to work yourself / high concern for others, low for self, does nothing to satisfy own needs

other definitions of conflict

-Incompatible goals -Interdependent behaviors -Role of interaction -Expression of incompatibility

advantages of virtual work

-Reduced expenses -Access to global marketsEnvironmental -benefits -Increased productivity -Improved customer service -Enhanced profits

figure 13.2

...

levels of organizational conflict

Interpersonal level Intergroup conflict Interorganizational Emphasizes role of boundary spanners

schein

A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid, and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to those problems

the social information processing model: fulk

Adoption of technologies can be more fully explained by looking at social environment Communication between coworkers, supervisors, customers, and others affects media usage

Peters and Waterman's "Excellent Culture"

Books not widely embraced by academics -Provide prescriptions for managerial practice rather than descriptions or explanations of organizational life Learn more about what Peters has to say about excellent culture at: http://www.tompeters.com/slides/special.php

Deal and Kennedy's "strong cultures"

Business success can be enhanced through development of "strong" culture -Values -Heroes -Rites and rituals -Cultural network

technology

Change ways of addressing messages Electronic bulletin boards Chat rooms GDSS Differ in terms of memory, storage, and retrieval features

media synchroncity theory

Choice of communication media depends on extent medium supports synchronicity Choice often involves more than one individual -Communication media repertoires

emotions required as part of job

Closely linked with burnout Serious psychological risk Emotional Dissonance (ED) - display of emotions that are not felt ED leads to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and turnover

effects on patterns

Communication contacts more diverse Evidence computer technology will lead to greater equality Increased prominence of individuals' knowledgeable about technology

communication as a cause of burnout

Communication interactions contribute to workload Can also influence role conflict and role ambiguity -Emotional communication

alternative view of conflict

Concept of exchange Conflict and competition often conflated Models of conflict often a gendered practice Putnam and Kolb propose feminist view of conflict Co-construction of situation and relationship Collaboration

conflict management process

Conflict can be destructive and constructive It can destroy work relationships or be impetus for needed change Through communication, members create and work through conflicts in ways that are functional or dysfunctional

cultural researchers

Cultural researchers seek to describe and understand complex ways organizational culture is developed and maintained Culture is not a thing that can and should be managed See culture as emerging values, practices, narratives, and artifacts that make up an organization (what it is)

a definition of culture

Culture as a group phenomenon Pattern of basic assumptions Culture seen as emergent and development process Socializing aspects of culture

organizational cultures are emergent

Cultures are socially created Communication is "constitutive of culture"

individual and organizational coping strategies

Dysfunctional reactions - drinking, drug use, absenteeism Coping strategies: Problem-centered coping Appraisal-centered coping Emotion-centered coping

Ethnographer creates a mini-theory

Once researcher has developed grounded theory, ethnography can be written Report takes form of "cultural tale" Realist tale Confessional tale Impressionist tale Critical tale

technology

Differ in terms of cues that are available Elimination of cues can be intentional Users can enhance content through codes like emoticons

tactics mediators use to facilitate communication

Directive tactics Nondirective tactics Procedural tactics Reflective tactics

resolution process

Disney conflict over contracts. Managers saw disney as show business or drama and employees saw it as a family. Contracts came out and employees were appalled that management would treat "family" that way and managers were shocked when they went on strike, thinking the "show must go on"

alternative approaches to culture

Distinction between prescriptive approaches to culture and approaches taken by cultural scholars -Culture is complicated -Culture is emergent -Culture is not unitary -Culture is often ambiguous

technology can very way we structure work and design organizations

Distributed work Central office Telework Flextime Virtual organizations

types of technology

Electronic mail has changed personal and organizational life World Wide Web radically changed way organizations operate Allow faster message transmission Allow communication among geographically dispersed participants Allow asynchronous communication

should look more at emotions that emerge from relationships

Emotion at work Workplace bullying

types of social support

Emotional Informational Instrumental

emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence High emotional IQ

In many jobs, communication between employee and client involves some degree of emotionalcontent

Emotional labor Surface acting Deep acting

relationship influences interaction

Employees struggle with needs for autonomy and connection Workers depend on one another, but also want to maintain independence This basic relational contradiction can cause conflict

dual capacity model

Every organizational medium has: -Data-carrying capacity -Symbol-carrying capacity -Choice of channel will depend on both factors

theories of media usage

Factors that predict extent media will be used in organizations Won't be widely embraced until critical mass of individuals use

Bantz's organizational communication culture method

First gather organizational communication messages Then analyze in terms of vocabulary, themes, and symbolic forms Inferences then can be made

critical

narratives with the express goal of uncovering the deep power structures implicit in organizational functioning

cultures are often ambiguous and not always a clear picture of the organization's culture

Fragmentation perspective See an ambiguous culture as "normal, salient, and inescapable part of organizational functioning in the contemporary world" Important when noting rapidly changing organizations

third-party conflict resolution

Friend or coworker Supervisor Parties from outside organization Mediator - no decision power Arbitrator - makes decisions

there are times when workers feel emotions on the job

Genuine emotion Emotional work Compassionate communication

critique of conflict styles construct

Grid does not reflect complex nature of conflict Other factors than concern for self and concern for others may play a role Research has downplayed role of nonverbal and nonrational communication Role of organizational setting ignored

contextual

they are embedded in organizational situations and organizational history

high emotional IQ

High emotional IQ involves both clear understanding of the emotional needs of the situation and the self-awareness and self-control necessary for using the right emotional display to cope with situation.

interorganizational emphasizes role of boundary spanners

In conflict with organizations working together boundary spanners (individuals on the edge of each organization who have significant interorganizational contact) are needed. Very stressful for them as they must try to understand the needs of both organizational insiders and outsiders with who the negotiation takes place.

defining conflict

Interaction of independent people who perceive opposition of goals, aims, and values, and who see the other party as potentially interfering with the realization of these goals (Putnam & Poole, 1987)

Communication processes conceptualized as "performances"

Interactional Contextual Episodic Improvisational

cultural factors

National culture Ethnic and racial culture Can influence resolution process

social networking sights

Negative - those looking for job should be careful of information available Positive - sites provide important ways to make contact

effects on patterns

New technologies augment existing technologies Organizations that adopt new communication technologies marked by increase in amount of communication Drowning in data

pearlson and saunders paradoxes of telework and virtual organizations

Paradox 1: Increased flexibility and increased structure Paradox 2: Greater individuality and more teamwork Paradox 3: More responsibility and less control

PDM

Participation in decision making (PDM) Can improve satisfaction and productivity Can decrease burnout Reduces role conflict and role ambiguity

personal factors

Personality plays small role in conflict resolution strategies Findings on gender differences mixed Some findings contradict stereotypes

outcomes of burnout

Physiological effects -Heart disease and high blood pressure Attitudinal effects -Lower levels of satisfaction -Lower levels of commitment Organizational effects -Turnover

relational factors: relationship between parties has strong impact on conflict resolution

Power - who has it Hierarchical positions of individuals Competitive styles when dealing with subordinates Accommodation or collaboration when dealing with superiors Accommodation or avoiding when dealing with peers

additional models of media usage:Channel expansion theory

Richness perceptions will depend on individual's personal experience with specific medium Richness perceptions varied depending on interpersonal factors and media experience

"Markers" used to investigate culture

Rites Ceremonies Values Belief systemsMetaphors Stories Communication rules Hallway talk

schein's model of organizational culture

Schein - management scholar and consultant -Interested in role of leaders in development and maintenance of organizational culture

a model of culture

Schein's model oversimplifies nature of organizational culture and role of communication in creating and sustaining culture Provides helpful for looking at multiple indicators of org culture and how these indicators might, or might not, be indicative of more enduring values and assumptions

stress

Scholars use term in different ways Stress process Stressors Burnout

generalizations from work on emotional albor

Seen as way to increase success of organization Most research considers emotion controlled through training Most research considers emotional displays related through deep acting or surface acting Workers are aware they are acting

challenges of virtual

Setup and maintenance costs Losses of cost-efficiencies Workers feel isolated

individuals who provide support

Supervisors Coworkers Friends and family

waldron's aspect or work relationship that create intense emotion:

Tension between public and private Relational networks and emotional buzzing Conflicting allegiances Emotional rights and obligations at work

level 2: espoused values

Values represent what ought to happen, but organizations do not have values, people do. In addition some people say they hold a particular value but their behavior states the opposite- an espoused value.

sites where cultures might develop subcultures

Vertical slice - a division or department Horizontal slice - hierarchical level Specific work group Networks of personal contacts Demographic similarity

effects on structure

Virtual work can involve working at home Work can take place anywhere Virtual teams/Geographically dispersed teams How to find out when a company should go virtual: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100401/the-case-and-the-plan-for-the-virtual-company.html

ethnic and racial culture

Turner and Shuter 2004 - compared African American women and Caucasian women in terms of their views of conflict. African American and Caucasian women both viewed conflict negatively, but african american viewed it as particularly negative and passive. Conflict resolution - caucasian seen as conflict avoidant and african american were seen using more direct means of conflict resolution.

Peters and Waterman's "Excellent Culture"

Values prescribed are ones that make positive contributions to organizations However fall short in two respects -Naïve to assume there is single cultural "formula" -Treat culture as a "thing" that an organization "has"

burnout

Wearing out from pressures of work Chronic condition Consists of: -Emotional exhaustion -Lack of personal accomplishment -Depersonalization

frame

are they "enemies" or just people with differing opinion?

emotional contagion

affective response in which an observer experiences emotions parallel to those of another person, feeling with another

emotional concern

affective response in which an observer has a non parallel emotional response, feeling for another (this is superior and safer for worker, less burnout)

intergroup conflict

aggregates of people within an organization (departments or work teams) as the parties in the conflict

phenomenon

an individual can not have culture because cultural formation depends on communication

mediator

attempts to help the parties facilitate the dispute but holds no decision power

cultural network

communication system through which the cultural values are instituted and reinforced. Could be both formal and informal channels such as newsletters, or simple interaction between employees.

values

beliefs and visions members hold for an organization

incompatible goals

central to most definitions of conflict

rites and rituals

ceremonies through which an organization celebrates its values. (awards banquets or awards for best ideas)

appraisal

changing the way you think about stressful situation, convince self working hard now with sacrifices will make up for it in the end

emergent and devoplent process

cultures are learned or invented as a group meets internal and external challenges

problem

dealing directly with causes of burnout, delegate some responsibilities, talk to supervisor about work reduction

emotion

dealing with the negative outcomes of burnout, using relaxation techniques designed to release job related tension

bounded rationality

decision making could not be perfectly rational because of cognitive and situational limits on rationality, but rationality was still the norm, even if it was merely limited.

role conflict

having two or more role requirements that clash with each other (crisis line, be thorough but be fast)

heroes

individuals who come to exemplify an organization's values. Known through stories or myths of an organization. (Steve Jobs is a hero who exemplified innovation and market savy at Apple)

genuine emotion

hospice worker crying when patient passes, professor getting excited when students understand a difficult concept

coworkers

informational and or emotional

competition

insist that they work stating that you can't / high concern for self, low concern for other, co-worker gets nothing

supervisors

instrumental and or informational

interorganizational

involves disputes between two or more organizations, could involve two stores competing for market share or two firms competing for same contract. More interesting are those conflicts that arise when two organizations are working on the same project (state funded highway work with several different firms involved)

emotional work

involves people who are not in frontline service jobs but instead hold professional positions in industries such as health care, education or human services. No manual for emotions.

informational support

involves the provision of facts and advice to help person cope, role definition decreases stress or suggestions for dealing with stress

confessional

is as much about the ethnographer as what was observed, researcher talks personally about her or his experience in the culture under the investigation

emotional labor

jobs in which workers are expected to display certain feelings in order to satisfy organizational role expectations

impressionist

narrative in which the information about the culture is slipped into a story that could stand on its own dramatic merits

emotional support

letting another know they are loved and cared for, giving a shoulder to cry on

realist tale

like a documentary, ethnographer tries to provide a complete a relatively objective account of what was observed in the org

socializing

major part of "learning the ropes" consists of developing an understanding of the assumptions and values that make up that organization's culture

arbitrator

makes decisions, often binding, based on the proposals and arguments of parties involved (major league ball players go to arbitration to settle contract disputes)

nondirective

mediator attempts to secure information and clarify misunderstandings

procedural

mediator establishes an agenda and protocol for the conflict resolution

directive

mediator initiates recommendations

reflective

mediator regulates the tone of the interaction by developing rapport with participants, using humor, and speaking the language of each side

Role of interaction leads to expression of incompatibility

not just the mere presence of incompatibility, it must expressed in verbal or non verbal communication

workplace bullying

persistent, verbal, and non -verbal aggression at work that includes personal attacks, social ostracism, and a multitude of other painful messages and hostile interactions. 90% of adults report experienced this at some point in work life.

look at table 9.1

phases of organizational conflict

level 1: artifacts

physical and social environment that members have created. Artifacts, or things on display, may include architecture, furniture, technology, dress, written documents and art. Behaviors observed may be communication patterns such as forms of address, decision making styles, communication during meetings and where the actual work takes place. This layer is difficult to decipher.

emotion at work

primarily derived from our place in the group

depersonalization

relevant only to workers who must communicate interpersonally with others (clients, patients, students) as part of the job. When burned out such workers tend to view others through rust colored glasses - developing a poor opinion of them, expecting the worst from them, and even actively disliking them

interactional

require the participation of multiple organizational members

rule

rule of mutual concessions, if one side gives something up, the other side must do the same

stressors

some aspects of the environment that create a strain on the individual

stress

some say it refers to the aspects of the workplace that are difficult to deal with others use it to refer to the negative outcomes that accrue from these work conditions

burnout

that strain can lead to negative psychological, physiological, and organizational outcomes called burnout

basic assumptions

that the beliefs that make up the culture are relatively enduring and difficult to change

conflicting allegiances

to a department or individual, from what is best for me to what is best for the organization

workload

too much to do or work that is too difficult to do, prevalent in downsizing or layoffs

conflict management style depends on

the hierarchical status of those in the conflict

interpersonal level

the level at which individual members of the organization perceive goal incompatibility

table 5.1 in powerpoint 5

themes in the high performing companies

improvisational

there are no scripts that guide organizational members

episodic

they are distinct events in organizational life

avoidance

try to avoid co-worker / little concern for self or other, ignore issue, rarely effective

distributive

two conflicting parties are working to minimize their losses. Bargaining centers on limited resources that be divided in the negotiation, only possible outcomes are win-lose solutions or compromises. Communication is marked by withheld information, deception, and attempts to learn as much as possible about the other party's position.

public and private

two friends are subordinate and superior, private information revealed at work

role ambiguity

uncertainty about role requirements (conflicting requests from two different supervisors)

electronic message systems increase prevalence of ______ communication

upward

stereotypes

women were found to be very assertive when handling conflict and also that many women used the typical male words of war or battle to describe conflict

compassionate communication

workers communicate emotionally in ways that involve the process of noticing, connecting and responding. Workers must notice need for compassion and the details of the client's lives that will lead to appropriate communication. Then they must connect to the clients by taking the other's perspective and establishing an empathic bond. Finally respond with verbal and non-verbal behaviors that can make a difference for troubled clients.

lack of personal accomplishment

workers who see themselves as failures, incapable of effectively accomplishing work requirements

collaborate

you both work Thursday and Friday night, leaving weekend free / high concern for self and other

compromise

you both work on Saturday morning / moderate concern for self and other, but now both of you suffer