Chapter 10

optimal conflict perspective

organizations are most effective when employees experience some level of conflict, but become less effective with high levels of conflict

Task (aka Constructive) Conflict

people focus their discussion around the issue while showing respect for the people & their POV debates the various alternatives & arguments so they can be clarified, resigned, and tested a debate focused on the issue & avoids any attention to the competence or power of the participants

conflict is ultimately based on:

people's perceptions

Relationship Conflict

Focuses on the characteristics of the people in the dispute Occurs when people try to use status to defend a position Dysfunctional -> threatens the self-esteem, self-enhancement, and self-verification processes; Reduces mutual trust -> personal differences are emphasized; Escalates more easily than task conflict

Arbitration

Have high control over the final decision but low control over the process ; Execs engage in this Final stage of grievances by unionized employees, BUT increasingly applied to nonunion conflicts Good when mediation doesn't work

Mediation

High control over the intervention process. Manage the process & context of the interaction, BUT the parties make the final decision about how to resolve the conflict Best for every-day disagreements between 2 employees; Highest level of employee satisfaction

conflict fuels:

organizational politics

manifest conflict

the decisions & behaviors of one party toward the other

3rd Party Resolution Activities

1. Arbitration 2. Inquisition: 3. Mediation:

3 Tactics to minimize relationship conflict (during task conflict episodes)

1. Emotional Intelligence & Emotional Security 2. Cohesive Team 3. Supportive Team Norms

Structural Approaches to Conflict Management

1. Emphasize Superordinate goals 2. Reduce Differentiation 3. Improve communication/understanding 4. Reduce interdependence 5. Increase resources 6. Clarify rules and procedures

6 Types of conflict

1. Incompatible Goals 2. Differentiation 3. Interdependence 4. Scarce Resources 5. Ambiguous Roles 6. Communication Problems

Inquisition

Control all discussion about the conflict Have high decision Control bc they determine how to resolve the conflict (like arbitrators), but also have high process-control (unlike arbitrators) Managers tend to adopt this approach more often; Usually the LEAST effective 3rd party resolution

conflict

a process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party could occur when one party obstructs another's goals in some way, or the perception that they will

conflict management

altering the underlying structural causes of potential conflict Know structural approaches

task conflict (usually) produces:

better decision making

People respond to perceived & felt conflict through

conflict-handling strategies

The Conflict Process is a series of:

episodes that potentially cycle into conflict escalation

Superordinate Goals

goals that the conflicting employees/departments value & whose attainment req. the joint resources & effort of those parties