Interpersonal and Organisational Conflict

CONFLICTINTERPERSONALORGANISATIONAL

&

OUTLINE

SOURCES OF CONFLICT

WHAT IS CONFLICT?

OUTCOMES OF CONFLICT

RESPONSES TO CONFLICT

ACTIVITY

DISCUSSION

1.

2.

3.

4.

#1: DEFINITION OFCONFLICT

An expressed struggle Incompatible goals, scarce resources, and

interference from others

1. Substantive conflict

Task-oriented Dealing with organizational

goals, products, services, systems

2. Emotional conflict

Clash of personalities Anger, mistrust, fear,

resentment etc.

In Organisational Context

Goals Products Services Systems

In Interpersonal Context

RelationshipMoneyAttitudes

#1: DEFINITION OFCONFLICT

#2: SOURCES OFCONFLICT

StructureRelationship

Values

Procedures

InterestsData

Communication

Source: Isenhart & Spangle, 2006

Psychological Theory

Attribution Theory

#2: THEORIES OFCONFLICT

Making sense of other’s behavioursFundamental attribution errorMaintaining self-esteem

Aggressive impulseAnxiety impulse

Social structure theory

Social groups influence behavioursSubjective and context-specific

Source: Folger, Poole & Stutman (2005), Fisk &

Schellenberg (2000), Sikes, Gulbro & Shonesy (2010)

POSITIVENEGATIVE

Source: Howard (2008), Miles (1998)

#3: OUTCOMES OF CONFLICT

• Generate new ideas• Bring up new or old

problems• Know better each other• Feeling of belonging • Stimulate changes• Improve the quality on

decision making

• Interfere communication• Reduce group cohesion• Enhance the differences

between people• Lost of resources• Insufficient/delayed info• Tasks become secondary

#4: CONFLICTRESOLUTION

1. Avoidance 2. Competition

3. Accommodation

4. Cooperation 5. Collaboration

Source: Thomas & Kilmann, 1974

UNCOOPERATIVE COOPERATIVE

COOPERATIVENESS

AS

SE

RT

IVE

NE

SS

UN

AS

SE

RT

IVE

AS

SE

RT

IVE

AVOIDANCE

COOPERATION

COMPETITION COLLABORATION

ACCOMMODATION

C

D E

BA

Source: Thomas & Kilmann, 1974; Wheeler, 1995

$50K, $50K $0K,$80K

$80K, $0K $20K, $20K

Cooperate

Cooperate

Defect

Defect

Based on rational decisions in conflict situationsGame theoretic models do not work in multiple players

GAME THEORYAS A THEORY OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Source: Rapoport, 1974

A

B

#4: CONFLICTRESOLUTION EI

Emotional Intelligence

Source: Ashkanasy, 2010

2. ‘LACE’

Feelings

Information

Decisions

Outcomes

Nondefensive

Specific, relevantaccepted

Specific, committed

Successful!

ListenAcknowledgeCheckEnquire

PauseBreatheRelax

1. ‘PBR’ 4. ‘FIDO’3. ‘VISTA’

•Visible emotion•Implicit emotion•Superficial commitment•Tangible commitment•Action

#4: CONFLICTRESOLUTION

Integrative Competitive 1. Seek consent

2. Sharing perspectives

3. Remember the Common ground

4. Establish a Problem-Solving Agenda

5. Identify Desired Information and Documentation

7. Develop Options

6. Clarify Desired Outcomes, Interests and Positive

Intentions

8. Select from Options

9. Integration and Finalisation

1. Understand what is conflict2. Recognise the sources of conflict3. Constructive vs destructive conflict4. Theories behind conflict resolution5. Tips to handle conflict:

EI & negotiation

IMPORTANT LESSONS

LET’S DO A RECAP

2.Which strategies best resolve conflict? Explain.

DISCUSSION1. To what extent can conflict be resolved by:

AvoidanceAccommodationCooperationCompetitionCollaboration

3.Which strategies are worst in resolving conflict? Explain.

4. Which strategies are most realistic?

THE END!

REFERENCES• Al-Ajmi, R. S. (2007). The effect of personal characteristics on conflict management style. Competitiveness

Review. • Rapoport, A. (1974). Fights, games, and debates. Ann Arbor: Univ of Michigan Press.• Ashkanasy, N. 2010. Interpersonal Communication Skills: The Art of Interaction Management. Paper

presented at course MGMT7606 at the University of Queensland, St Lucia.• Cairrochi, J., & Mayer J. (Eds.). 2007. Applying Emotional Intelligence: a Practitioner’s Guide. New York:

Psychology Press, 2007.• Fisk L. & Schellenberg J. (2000), Patterns of Conflict : Paths to peace. Broadview Press, Toronto, Canada;• Folger J., Poole M. & Stutman R. (2005), Working through conflict: Strategies, relationships, groups and

organizations, 5th ed., Longman, New York;• Hocker, J. L., & Wilmot, W. W. (1991). Interpersonal Conflict. Dubuque, IA: William C. Brown.• Irvine, L. (1998). Conflicts of interest. The British Journal of Administrative Management.

• Sikes B., Gulbro R. & Shonesy L. ( 2010), “CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS”, Allied Academies International Conference. Academy of Organizational Culture, Communications and Conflict. 1, 15-19.

• Thomas, K. W., & Kilmann, R. H. (1974). Thomas-Kilmann conflict MODE instrument. NY: Tuxedo.• Wheeler, T. (1995). Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management, • Wood, et al, Organisational Behaviour: core concepts and applications, 2nd, Wiley;• Zornoza, A., Ripoll, P., & Peiró, J. M. (2002). Conflict Management in Groups that Work in Two Different

Communication Contexts: Face-To-Face and Computer-Mediated Communication