PPD - Conflict

• "Fundamental force governing all aspects of life" - Buchanan & Huczynski
• A State of mind 
• Has to be perceived
• Based on difference in interest/values
• Can occur between individs/groups

Can come from: 

• Power/politics
• Leadership styles/decision makin
• Structural/cultural change 
• Poor management 
• Lack of understanding of motivation/needs

BAD (De Dreu 2008) 

• Conflict always harmful
• Positive outcomes outweighed by negative
• Needs to be managed to avoid negative consequence

GOOD (Tjosvold 2008) 

• Inevitable
• Lead to better understanding of people
• Should be welcomed/managed

Understanding/impact conflict has depends on FOR 

FOR = "person's perception & interpretations of events, assumptions of reality, attitudes towards what is possible & conventions regarding correct behaviour" (Buchanan & Huczynski 2012) 

Determines

• What you notice in environment
• How you interpret noticed events
• How you expect other to behave
• How you behave

Unitarist

• Business - harminous, cooperative, committed & loyal workers
• Conflict harmful - AVOID! 
• More interest in resolution than cause 
• Failure of coordination/ deviant staff

Radical

• Inevitable consequence of exploited employee relationships
• Workplace full of conficts
• Managers = controllers who exploit employees
• Conflict can't be resolved by technique

Pluralist

• Business made up of different groups w/ different issues - conflict inevitable
• Provides 'relationship regulation'
• All groups understand compromise/negotiation essential
• Resolved through compromise
• Acts as safety value

Interactionist

• Conflict = Positive/necessary for effective performance
• Should be encouraged when emerges
• Encourages self-criticism. change & innovation

• Communication
• Restructuring company
• Brining in outsiders
• Debate provoker
• Debate
• Leadership style

Objective - end conflict between disagreeing parties

• People react to conflict in different ways

Thomas (1976) - based on 2 dimensions: 

• How assertive/unassertive party is in pursuing own concerns
• How cooperative/uncooperative each is in satisfying concerns of each other

• Operates from position of power
• Get your way -"I know whats right, don't question my judgement"
• Rational - better to risk causing hurt feelings than abandon issues
• Outcome- feel vindication, other party feels defeated/humiliated
• High assertiveness, low cooperativeness

• Avoid having to deal w/ conflict
• "I'm neutral on that issue, let me think about it" 
• Delegates controversial decisions, accepts default decisions, not wanting to hurt feelings 
• Rationale - Disagreements bad as cause tension
• Outcome - Interpersonal probs not resolved, long term frustration
• Low assertiveness, low cooperation

• Don't want to upset others
• "How can I help you feel good about this?" 
• Know when to give up, persuaded too easily
• Rationale - Maintaining harminous relationships = top priority
• Outcome - Others likely to take advantage
• Low assertiveness, high cooperation

• Solve problem together 
• "Thats my position, whats yours?" 
• Committed to finding best possible solution
• Rationale-  Each position important though not necessarily equally valid. Emphasis on quality of outcome/fairness of decison making. 
• Outcome - The problem most likely to be resolved
• High assertiveness, High cooperation
• Acknowledges everyones important

• Reach agreement quickly
• "lets search for a solution we can both live with"
• Everyone expected to give up something
• Rationale - Prolonged conflict distract from work/causes bad feelings
• Outcome - People go for quickest solution, not most effective
• Same level of Assertivenss & Cooperativeness

• Maintains contact/communication, doesn't control agreement
• Influences conflict process/guides towards solution
• Both sides come to agreeement
• Each party states problem, others view, accuracy confirmed

• Listen to more than just words
• Make resolution priority
• Focus on present
• Be willing to forgive
• Know when to let go 

Ability to understand thoughts/feelings of others & manage relationships accordingly

Goleman (2006) Social intelligence is special set of capabilities:

• Social awareness - What we sense about others
• Social facility - How we act on that awareness

Developed w/ training & experience

• Extremely common during times of change
• Within business - important to approach in structured way 
• Change - brings out extreme emotions