Conflict Management Assessment
Introduction
Changes are considered as inevitable, this can also be applied in management and other aspects of any business and organization. Due to the huge development in the entire business sector, as well as globalization, it had a great impact in the process of managing the human resource.
Due to globalization that enables multicultural organizations, differences in cultures, beliefs as well as behavior can be observed in many of organizations, more particularly, those international companies. Due to the cultural differences, disagreements, debates, differing perspective as well as justice struggles have become predictable in all of companies and organizations in the world (Pammer & Killian 2003, p. 3).
Conflict
When two or more principles, point of views as well as beliefs are clashing in nature, and haven’t been aligned or agreed about yet, it is called conflict (McNamara 2008).
There are different problems and dangers that are associated with the conflict management. First is that it can affect the productivity of the employees and staffs of a given organization or company. Furthermore, it can also lower the morale as well as motivation of the employees. It can also cause more and continued conflicts that will worsen the situation, and lastly, it can cause different unsuitable behaviors and actions (McNamara 2008).
On the other hand, conflict also has its positive side. It can help to raise and eventually address the different problems that are happening in the organization. It can also help to increase the productivity by energizing the employees to be on the most appropriate issues. It can also pushes employees to participate in different activities by bringing out their real self as well as their best. Above all, conflict can help employees to learn the process of recognizing as well as learning the advantages of the employees’ differences (McNamara 2008).
The said advantages and disadvantages of conflicts, shows that it is inevitable. Therefore, conflict cannot be considered as a problem, but when a specific conflict is not managed properly, it becomes a huge problem.
Causes of Conflict in Organization
Identification of Group and Inter-group Bias
There are different studies, which show that the identification in a particular group as well as class of individual can cause conflict in the organization. Many of organizations are assigning the place of their employees based on random manner or based on their inconsequential characteristics like the color of their eye.
A person when assign to a given group, even without that much interaction with his or her team mates will develop positive perspective regarding his or her group, on the other hand, he or she will develop not enough perspective regarding other groups. The said situation will cause inter-group bias. Self-esteem is considered as one of the primary factor that can cause to disassociation of an individual with other groups. This can be seen in different situation, such as some groups, due to their confidence regarding their groups believe that they are superior in terms of attendance and performance against other groups (California State Polytechnic University 2008). This condition will cause other serious problems such as goal inconsistency. Goal inconsistency can be considered as one of the most important conflict that happens in different organizations, more specifically those organizations that are operating in different part of the globe, and has its department with autonomous management. This can happen when two or more departments or group are not communicating properly, and they are not properly informed regarding the overall goals of the organization. The said situation can affect the performance of the organization, due to the fact that the actions and decisions are not consistent with the vision of the organization. Furthermore, it can also cause all the parties or entities involved to compete over the limited resources. The said situation shows that the group relationships are also important aside from individual relationship within a given group.
Interdependence
Interdependence can happen when an individual and groups are mutually dependent on each other in order to accomplish their own goals. The said situation can cause conflict because; each and every group must interact in order to coordinate their interests and goals. Furthermore, each group has their power over the other. Interdependence can again cause inconsistency in goals and activities (California State Polytechnic University 2008).
Status Differences
The differences in the status can somewhat and somehow cause conflict in the organization. This is due to the fact that, it is already part of the organizational culture that the higher status employees are the one that are giving orders as well as controls the tasks towards the lower status employees. On the other hand, there are some conditions, where in those lower status employees are the one that are controlling the tasks of the higher status such as the waitress that are ordering the chef what to cook. On the other hand, in the real world it can impact the relationship of employees. For example, a secretary or encoder already has his or her knowledge and mastery regarding different document application and system that is why he or she needs to teach the old executives regarding its usage and features, some of the executives are finding it degrading (California State Polytechnic University 2008).
Cultural Differences
Culture is considered as one of the most influential aspects in the entire conflict management areas. This is due to the fact that when two or more different cultures interact and develop in a given organization, it can cause opposing beliefs and principles that can cause explicit conflict.
This is due to the fact that there are beliefs and values of one person or group that can be contrast for others.
Vagueness
Uncertainty and unclear goals, control, as well as the criteria for performance can cause different conflict. This can cause the breakdown of the different interaction and connection of different entities in the organization. Furthermore, it can also cause difficulty in the assign praises, rewards and reprimand for those who have performed well and not.
Limited Resources
Limitations of different resources such as money, management support as well as use of technologies can cause conflict inside the organization. This is due to the fact that each and every employees and groups will compete for the limited resources, this will often, lead to misunderstanding as well as improper use of power and authority.
Conflict Management Styles
Conflict management styles are important in the process of managing different conflicts and problems regarding the relationships and connections of each individuals and groups inside the organization. The following are the 5 different modes that can be used in order to respond to the conflict situations:
The Competing Shark
Shark is using the forcing or competing that is characterized by assertive, autocratic, authoritative and uncooperative leadership styles. Those who are using this style are considered as highly goal-oriented that pursue his or her own concerns at the expense of other people, creating a win-loss situation. Furthermore, the relationship or connection are not that important, thus uses aggressive behaviors in order to resolve the conflict.
Shark can be used when there is a personal difference that are involved in the conflict and is difficult to alter. It can also be applied when promoting intimate or even supportive relationships is not that critical. Furthermore, it can also be done when others are likely to take advantage of the noncompetitive behaviors of others. Above all, it can be implemented when the declaration of the conflict is urgent, and the decision about it is important in crisis that is currently faced by the company.
The main advantage of the shark is that when the decision that had been done is appropriate, the result will be an improved decision minus the negotiation. On the other hand, the main disadvantage is that it can raise lack of sympathy and dislike towards the person who’s using it (Psychology of Human Relations n.d.; Thomas & Kilmann 1974).
The Avoiding Turtle
Turtle is adopting the unassertive or withdrawing and uncooperative conflict management style. The person does not pursue his own concern as well as the concern of other individuals. Furthermore, turtles do not deal with the conflict but hide and ignore it. The said situation can cause the formation of tactfully avoiding a problem that will delay another issue until a better time, therefore, turtles have a propensity to surrender his or her personal goals and show inactive actions that create lose-lose situations.
Turtle style can be used when the stakes are not that high or the issue is not that important. It can also be useful when a confrontation will affect, in negative way, the working relationship inside the organization. Furthermore, it can also be applied when there is a little possibility in satisfying the needs and demands of the manager. Turtle style is also applicable when the process of gathering information and facts is more vital than immediate decision. Above all, it can be used when other can resolve the conflict in more effective way and the needed time to solve the conflict will cause delays.
The main advantage of the turtle style is that it can maintain the relationships that can possibly hurt by the conflict declaration. On the other hand, its main flaw is that, the conflict will remain inside the organization, and overuse of it can lead to others taking it for granted (Psychology of Human Relations n.d.; Thomas & Kilmann 1974).
The Collaborating Owl
Owl uses both assertive and cooperative conflict management styles. This is considered as the opposite of the turtle. The owl attempts to work with others in order to find different solutions that will satisfy the needs of all the involved parties, therefore, the owls, views the conflict as a win-win situation, by focusing on the deeper issues that are connected with the needs as well as wants of the different involved individuals and groups. It will involve the issues regarding the disagreement from different perspective.
Owl style can be used when the maintenance of the relationships is vital, and the time is not an important concern. Furthermore, it can also be applied when a peer conflict is involved, and when trying to established commitment by the process of building the agreement. Above all, it can be used during the process of learning and trying the mergence of the different perspective.
The main advantage of owl style is that it can feed the needs and demands of all the parties involved, therefore, the negative feelings and emotions will be eliminated. The main disadvantage is that it is in great needs of time as well as effort from all the involved parties (Psychology of Human Relations n.d.; Thomas & Kilmann 1974).
The Compromising Fox
Compromising conflict management style is being used in this one, where in the main concern focuses on the goals and the relationships and interactions. Furthermore, compromising involves the willingness to forgo some aspects of personal goals at the same time as influencing others to forgo some parts of theirs. The main goal of the fox is to find some of the measures as well as solutions that will fully or partially fulfills the demand of the entities who are involved. It can result into assertive and cooperative that can be, win-lose or lose-lose.
Fox style can be used when there is a complex and vital issues, but there are no comprehensible solutions, and when all of the people that are involved in the conflict are equal in terms of power and have strong interests regarding the different solutions. Above all, it can also be used when there is no need for a hurry.
The main advantage of this style is that it maintains healthy relationship, at the same time, removing the conflict. The main disadvantage is that the process of compromising can establish less than the anticipated result as well as game playing (Psychology of Human Relations n.d.; Thomas & Kilmann 1974).
The Accommodating Teddy Bear
The smoothing or the accommodating conflict management style is used with connection and focus on the human relationships. Primarily, this style ignore the personal goals and find solutions to the conflict by giving way to others, thus it will create a win-lose or unassertive and cooperative results.
This can be used when the process of sustaining the connection overshadows other reflections. It is also applicable when the proposals as well as transformations are not that significant to the accommodator. Above all, when reducing different losses in conditions where outmatched, and time is restricted or when the agreement and constancy are vital.
The main advantage of the style is it preserves and keeps the good relationships, while, on the other hand, it can affect the productivity, and the person that is using this style can be taken advantage of (Psychology of Human Relations n.d.; Thomas & Kilmann 1974)
Conclusion
There is no doubt that conflict is already a part of organization, from the day it was established, as well as its everyday operations. Conflict is considered as inevitable aspects of the entire organization that is why there is a great need for conflict management. In addition, there are different styles and methods that can be used in order to manage different conflicts, all of the said styles can be applied for different situations, structures and culture by different types of organizations. There are different edge as well as flaws that are associated with different styles, and it will depends on the organization, most specifically, the conflict manager, to use those disadvantages for the benefits of the company.
The different types of conflict management can be helpful for students, because it can help them to prepare regarding the real world, by letting them have a glimpse or sight of what is going on, in the real world. Furthermore, it can help them to be ready, regarding what to do and not to do, in order to maintain good relationship and connection inside the organization.
All of the information and results of this study can be used for further studies regarding the application of different conflict management styles current conditions of different companies and organizations.
References
A Definition of Conflict, California State Polytechnic University, Pamona, viewed 5 August 2008, <http://www.csupomona.edu/~msharifzadeh/chapter11.html>
Conflict, Psychology of Human Relations, viewed 5 August 2008, < http://webhome.idirect.com/~kehamilt/ipsyconf.html>
De Dreu, C & van de Vliet, E 1997, Using Conflict In Organizations, SAGE
McNamara, C 2008, Basics of Conflict Management, Free Management Library, viewed 5 August 2008, <http://www.managementhelp.org/intrpsnl/basics.htm>
Pammer, W & Killian, J (eds) 2003, Handbook of Conflict Management, Marcel Dekker, New York
Thomas, K & Kilmann, R 1974, Conflict and Conflict Management, Ralph Kilman, viewed 5 August 2008, <http://www.kilmann.com/conflict.html>
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