The Main Approaches to Conflict Management - Research Paper Example

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT Date of Submission Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Definition 5 3. Management of Conflicts 7 4. Conflicts in an Organization 9 5. Stages of Conflict 10 6. Sources of Conflict 13 7. Negative and Positive Aspects of Conflict 14 8. Why Conflicts Arise 14 9 Alternative Approach of Conflicts Resolution 16 10. Conclusions 17 References 18 1. INTRODUCTION “Conflict is processes that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected or is about to negatively affect something that the first party cares about”. (Sharma, 2004) It is a generic term starting from misunderstanding to irritation, structure breakdown and non-cooperation. The symptoms of conflict are confrontation, strikes lockouts, closure, agitation, destructions, obstructions, and breakdown, etc. Conflict within breakdown in the standard mechanism of decision-making and it occurs when an individual or a group experience difficulty in selecting an alternative. Conflict is multi-dimensional and the four dimensions of conflict are: (a) Conflict within the individual. (b) Inter-personnel conflict. (c) Inter-group conflict. (d) Inter-organizational conflict. (a) Conflict with the Individual Management should keep in mind that all men have conflicts within themselves. The conflict within the individual can display in itself number of alternatives. Conflict occurs because of discrepancy between individual's real ability and the ability needed to hold his present position. Individual conflict can also occur because of his different positions and roles with the organization. The individual can also create conflict within himself if there are too many ambiguities contained in his position. Therefore there are a number of reasons for conflicts, which an individual experiences within the confinement of his job duties. (b) Inter-Personnel Conflicts All conflicts are basically inter-personnel conflicts because most of the conflicts involve conflict between a person in one organization or a group and another person in other organization or a group. Inter-personnel conflict can be presented in terms of different levels of obstruction. Inter-personnel conflict may lead to delay in decision-making or may arise either due to distortion in the structure form or because of the complexity of individual needs. Inter-personnel conflict has the tendency to resolve itself because of the conflicting parties are not able to continue in a tense situation for a very long time. Time is the healing factor for interpersonal conflicts. It is the time factor, which normally helps to resolve interpersonal conflicts. (c) Inter-Group Conflicts Most of the inter-group conflicts are goals of individuals or groups. The conventional methods of managing group conflicts are: (i) Use of authority for the suppression of conflicts (ii) Blaming the other authority (iii) Finding a scapegoat (iv) Bargaining and the third party intervention The managing of conflict will vary because of the circumstances and external environment, case history, assumptions and belief about the groups. The new techniques of inter-group conflict are: (i) Decentralization of power and authority (ii) Development of subordinates (iii) Participation style of management (iv) Job enrichment and job enlargement (d) Inter-Organizational Conflicts In inter-organizational conflicts, the external environment like social institutions, group dynamism, and culture of the group and government policies plays an important role. Cont1icts are not evil but the art of the natural order. Conflicts are because of the generational gap. Managers must try to live with the conflict. If the conflict is properly handled, it can be constructive in achieving the results. It can act as a stimulus; it may be a challenge and motivational force to keep the organization moving. 2. Definition Traditional management considers conflict as harmful and recommends its suppression. But this view no longer holds good. Conflict can never be wiped off completely. Moreover, conflicts are not altogether bad. It has creative elements as well. Therefore, the emphasis should be on harnessing it for improvement rather than fighting considering it harmful. The conflicting parties should approach the conflict in terms of problem solving rather than in terms of "win-loss". The "win-loss" tendency generates hostilities, rules out constructive solutions and the parties think in term of sectional gains and concessions rather than mutual benefits 2 2 Sharma M C (2004), Organization Conflicts: Business Studies, p 15 If conflicts are skillfully handled, they can resolve problems and improve human relation in the organization. They can generate challenging spirit and make the management pool resources to accelerate the pace of progress overcoming the speed breakers. Conflicts and' problems are the price of progress. Conflicts, therefore; are not discouraging but the attitude towards them can be. If handled properly, they produce creative problem solving situation to help the organization to achieve its goals. Conflicts continually occur in our social life. They occur at various levels within the individuals in a group and between groups and may have important implication on the work and effectiveness of the persons and groups involved. The nature and intensity of conflict varies from individual to individual, and from group to group and it puts a manager in a very difficult situation. A manager often experiences his most uncomfortable moments when he has to deal with conflict or differences among people or groups of people at work. Presence of conflict complicates his job in so many ways. Therefore, it is of great importance that the manager should understand the conflict any try to handle effectively. Views about conflict from the present scenario: Traditional view Behavioral view / human relations view Interactionist view (i) Traditional view Harmful and evil, be avoided Associated with violence, agitation, irrationality Indicates organizational malfunction and management failure (ii) Behavioral view / human relations view Logical, inevitable, generated by trouble makers Not always detrimental, but avoided Should be resolved immediately Arises due faulty policies (iii) Interactionist view To be encouraged, but regulated Minimum conflict necessary for org viability and creativity Conflict management involves maximizing benefits while minimizing negative aspects Conflict – not an abnormality –should be understood 3. Management of Conflicts The management job within the business organization calls for the manager to function in such a way as to maximize the coordination of human and work system and to minimize the conflict of the individual within the formal organization. Management is a dynamic process, which is charged with the responsibility for optimizing the utilization of internal resources for the accomplishment of external purposes. Thus, the managerial environment may be characterized as elements of conflicts and change. Conflict is represented as the multi-faced dimensions of management practice: Internal-external, animate-inanimate and national-international. Conflict has been referred to broadly as the totality of differences arising in the various value of orientation of the environmental systems. Conflict of the individual within the formal organization can be handled through the system of authority, organization structure and workflow. There is a need for managing a business organization within an internal and external environment of change and conflict. Management of conflicts has assumed great importance because it influences the human relations at work. Thousands of people almost every day return home from work in despair, depressed and disgusted with their job problems. Because of differences in their minds and other people's minds they always feel uneasy and unhappy. Though they spend about one-third of each day (only five or six days a week) at work place, the psychological hand-over of the tension and conflict generated at the place of work continues even beyond the hours of work. He has also to face conflicts in his social life. This means that a major portion of the employee's life is spent with conflicts. These prolonged conflicts and tensions tell upon employee's mental and physical health and set at the basic roots of his efficiency and productivity. Because of the growing complexities of organizational life and demands made upon individuals and groups conflict is more likely to be a casual occurrence than a contemporary organization. Basically, conflict refers to clash of opposing demands. It is likely to erupt at any level of the organizational system and so it is necessary to diagnose and understand the conflicts and to resolve them as soon as possible. In practice, the term 'conflict' is used in a number of ways3:-It is not synonymous with quarrels and fights. However, it represents a clash in the less literal sense between ideas, ideologies and actions. The term 'conflict' has been described in the literature of management as 3Yvonne McLaughlin (2003), Business Management: A practical guide for managers, Supervisors & Administrators, P.187 1. Antecedent conditions, e.g., scarcity of resources, policy differences among individuals, etc.; 2. Effective states, e.g., stress, tension, hostility, anxiety, etc. of the individuals involved; 3. Cognitive states of individuals, i.e., their perception of awareness Of conflict situation; and 4. Changed behavior ranging from passive resistance to overt aggression. We may call these the four classes of conflict. Conflict may be more easily understood if it is considered as dynamic process. A conflict relationship between two or more individuals in an organization can be analyzed as a sequence of conflict episodes. Each conflict episode begins with conditions characterized by certain conflict potentials. Depending upon a number of factors, their behavior may show a variety of conflicting traits. Each episode or encounter leaves an after match that affects the course of succeeding episodes. Certain stable aspects of condition perceptions and behavior can then characterize the entire relationship. 4. Conflicts in an Organization The conflict-free company has never existed and will never exist. Antagonism, tensions, aggressions, stereotypes, negative attitudes and the frustration and perceived conflicting needs, will always be present, whenever men are forced to live and work together. Thus the reality of conflict in organizations cannot be denied. As a matter of fact conflict can be viewed as a necessary condition for bringing about change in any system. Organizations, therefore, use a number of conflict resolution mechanisms to solve these problems as and when they arise. Even if the conditions of conflict are present, the organization tends of limit the perception of these conflicts by focusing attention only on those areas of conflicts, which are of immed1ateconsequence. As a result organization tends to become highly selective in attending primarily to short-term conflicts the symptoms of which have become visible and thus can easily be detected. Thus inherent in the nature of organization and its multiple goals are the conditions of conflict. Thus in order to reduce dysfunctional of conflict leading to subsequent increase in its constructive resolution, it will be necessary to create an open confrontation and problem solving climate in the organization that can sustain, encourage and strengthen the conflict resolution mechanisms. 5. Stages of Conflict Five stages of a conflict episode may be identified as: (a) Latent conflict (b) Perceived conflict (c) Felt conflict (d) Manifest conflict, and (d) Conflict aftermath. Let us discuss the five stages of conflict: (a) Latent Conflict Four basic types of latent conflicts are i. Competition for scarce resources, ii. Drive for autonomy, iii. Divergence of submit goals, and iv. Role conflict. Competition forms the basis for conflict when the aggregated demands of participants for resources exceed the resources available to the organization. Autonomy needs form the basis of conflict when one party either seeks to exercise control over some activity that another party regards as its own province or seeks to insulate itself from such control; goal divergence is the source of conflict when two parties which must cooperate on some joint activity are unable to reach a consensus on concerted action. Two or more types of latent conflicts may also be present at the same time. The role conflict model treats the organization as a collection of role sets, each composed of the focal persons having different roles. Conflict is said to occur when the focal person receives incompatible role demands or expectations from the persons in his role set. The difficulty in this is that it treats the focal person as merely a passive receiver rather than as an active participant in the relationship. (b) Perceived Conflict Conflicts may sometimes be received when no conditions of latent conflict exist and latent conditions may be present in a relationship without any of the participants perceiving the conflict. The case in which conflict is perceived when no latent conflict arises is said to result from the parties misunderstanding of each other's true position. Such conflict can be resolved by improving communication between the parties. (c) Felt Conflict There is an important distinction between perceiving conflict and feeling conflict. We may be aware that 'B' and 'A' are in serious disagreement over some policy, but it may have no effect whatsoever on A's affection toward B. The personalization of conflict is the mechanism, which causes many people to be concerned with dysfunction of conflict. There are two explanations for the personalization conflict. First, the inconsistent demands on efficient organization and individual growth, which is created within the individual. Anxieties may also result from crisis or from extra-organizational pressures. Individuals need to vent these anxieties in order to maintain internal equilibrium. Secondly, conflict becomes personalized when the whole personality of the individual is involved in the relationship. Hostile feelings are most common in the intimate relations that characterize various institutions and residential colleges. (d) Manifest Conflict By manifest conflict it is meant any of the several varieties of conflict-full behavior. The most obvious of these open aggression, but such physical and verbal violence is usually strongly prescribed by organizational norms. Except for prison, riots, political revolutions and extreme labor unrest, violence as a form of manifest conflict is rate. The motivations towards violence may remain, but they tend to be expressed in less violent form. (e) Conflict Aftermath Each conflict episode is but one of –the sequences of such episodes that constitute the relationships among organization members. If the conflict is genuinely resolved to the satisfaction of all participants, the basis for a more co-operative relationship may be laid; or the participants in their drive for a more ordered relationship may focus on latent conflicts nor previously perceived and dealt. On the other hand, if the conflict is merely suppressed but not resolved the latent conditions of conflict may be aggravated and exploded in more serious form unit they are rectified or until the relationship dissolves. This conflict episode is called "conflict aftermath". 6. Sources of Conflict The sources of conflict are found in some degree of actual or perceived divergence of interests. At one extreme, conflict is rooted in a sharp incompatibility or head on collision of interests. Any satisfaction of victory, for one side means dissatisfaction or defeat for the other. In game theory this limiting case is described as a zero sum game. At the other extreme, conflict may be rooted in the interests that are different but not necessarily incompatible. People disagree over facts, methods and values because they have different interests and perceptions. Decision-making itself is a fundamental source of conflict because it invariably involves considerations or pressures. But most of the conflicts are embedded in a multi-dimensional matrix of interests. Each conflict usually involves a complete set of interests. It can be properly identified only by a profile or vector or different points. The factors affecting the sources of conflict are: 1. Informational Factors. These exert their influence when various points of view have been developed on the basis of different part or have a limited knowledge. 2. Perceptual Factors. These exert their influence when the persons have different images of the same stimulus. Because of perception each will attend to add select from the informational available, those items which he thinks important. Each will interpret the information in a somewhat different manner. The picture, which he gets from his own experience, is unique to him. Thus it is not surprising that the same basic facts may produce distinctive perceptual pictures in the minds of different individuals. 3. Role Factors. Role factors influence the Source of conflict because each individual occupies a certain position or status in the society or in the organization. The fact that he occupies such a position or status may put certain constraints on him if the discussion is related to his role. 7. Negative and Positive Aspects of Conflict The negative potentials of conflict are quite obvious. Just as internal conflict within an individual can destroy his ability to function, similarly internal conflict within an organization may result in some sort of blocks in decision-making. For those who want to destroy an organization or its effectiveness, there is probably no more effective method than the promotion of internal conflict. The destructive possibilities of inter-organizational conflicts are even more apparent. It may result in unnecessary competition and may put the existence of a small organization in danger. Conflicts do not always constitute a bad thing. Whether conflict is desirable or not, depends upon what purpose is served by conflict. For instance, conflict may provide an opportunity for releasing tension which otherwise would remain suppressed. Conflicts also provide opportunity for review of existing positions and making better alternatives acceptable to the parties concerned. Though a conflict may threaten the emotional well being of individual persons, it may also be a positive factor in personal character development. Therefore it is difficult to say whether conflict is functional or dysfunctional. 8. Why Conflicts Arise Tensions and conflicts may arise due to many factors such as economic, social and psychological. Psychological factors no doubt contribute predominantly. For instance, feeling of insecurity is a patent cause of tension and conflict. It is generally the case that fears of security is 20% financial and 80% emotional. Personal earning is not solely the answer to present days growing search for security. Self-knowledge and recognition, besides a source of livelihood, will probably ensure better security (Ahuja, 2005 890) Conflicts may arise due to lack of consideration, lack of appreciation, misunderstanding or bad handling of situations and problems. Though twentieth century has been credited with having made unprecedented advances in science and technology, the vast field of human relations still remains unexplored to a good extent. Nevertheless, some industrial enterprises with a view to improve efficiency and effectiveness and to reduce conflict are becoming increasingly conscious of it and want to promote harmonious work relationships. As a result of this consciousness and search we find today greater emphasis on human relations that ever before. Effects of conflict from the scenario Positive Negative Positive (i) Opens up an issue (ii) Avoid group think (iii) Stimulant for change (iv) Increases involvement (v) More spontaneity in communication (vi) Improves problem solving quality (vii) Initiates growth (viii) Fosters creativity (ix) Strengthens relationships on resolution (x) Leads to cohesion and satisfaction Negative (i) Tensions / diverts attention (ii) Diversion of energy (iii) Deepens differences (iv) Suspicion and mistrust (v) Polarization (vi) Destroys morale (vii) Irresponsible behavior (viii) Creates enemies within (ix) Leads to instability and chaos 9. Alternative Approach of Conflicts Resolution Since the conflicts in organizations may have serious consequences, so we must know how to approach to the resolution of conflict. R Blake has suggested three alternative approaches to the problem of dealing with conflict: (a) "Conflict is inevitable; agreement is possible." On this view, one may decide to fight it out. This would result in win-lose power struggle. Such a struggle may appear beneficial to the winner immediately following the struggle, but the main issues of conflicts can hardly be solved this way. Alternatively, the parties may depend on third party judgment or on fate. But still the main issues are likely to remain unresolved. (b) "Conflict may not be inevitable, and agreement is not possible." On this assumption, the parties may decide to withdraw from interaction or become indifferent to the problems they face. This approach may also provide temporary satisfaction and benefits to some, but may not lead to any meaningful resolution of conflict. (c) "Although conflicts may arise in various situations, agreement is possible." This is regarded as the most positive approach to deal with conflicts. Here both parties would recognize that there is a need for solving the problem that has arisen. On this premise the parties may begin interacting with each other. The problem may first be identified and then ways and means devised to solve it. A typical example of this method is collective bargaining. By negotiating and frank bargaining it may be possible for the parties to arrive at solutions, which are less temporary and more widely acceptable. Moreover, negotiations provide opportunities to groups and persons to understand each other’s strength and weakness, abilities and constraints. Such understanding may be useful in containing or solving future conflicts more easily and efficiently. 10. CONCLUSIONS The transformation of conflict into problem solving situation may also help to deal with some of the feelings, which often accompany disagreement, frustration, resentment and hostility. The manager using this approach may help to channelise the energy generated by feelings into creative, rather than into destructive activities. For this, he should clarify the nature of conflict and give recognition to the feelings of individuals involved. 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