4. conflict & resolution mechanism

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The above model presents conflict as a series of stages namely latent conflict; perceived conflict;

felt conflict; manifest conflict and conflict aftermath.

Latent Conflict

Each episode of conflict starts with a latent conflict but the actual conflict has not emerged.

Factors such as competition for scarce resources, competition for positions in the organisation

exist which could become conflicts.

Perceived conflict

This conflicts results in due to the parties misunderstanding of each other true position. One

party perceives the other to be likely to thwart or frustrate his goals.

Felt conflict

When the conflict makes one tense or anxious, the conflict is a felt conflict because the

difference are personalized or internalized.

Manifest conflict

This is the stage for open confrontation. It takes the form of conflictual behaviour including

aggression, sabotage, apathy etc. all of which reduce organizations effectiveness.

Conflict resolution

When conflict is resolved in some form, it is called conflict resolution.

CONFLICT

AFTER MATH

LATENT

CONFLICT

PERCEIVED

CONFLICT

FELT CONFLICT MANIFEST

CONFLICT

CONFLICT

RESOLUTION


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Conflict aftermath

The aftermath of conflict may be either positive or negative for the organisation depending on

how the conflict is resolved. If the conflict is genuinely resolved, it can lead to more enduring

relationship between parties; if the conflict is merely suppressed but not resolved, the latent of

conflict may be aggravated and explode in more violent and serious forms. This is called

conflict aftermath,

Conflicts may take following forms:

CONFLICT

Individual conflict

Inter-individual conflict

Inter-individual or inter-personal conflict involves two or more individuals who hold polarized

points of view. The most common reasons for inter-personal conflicts are personality differences,

perceptions, clashes of values and interests, and competing for scarce resources.

Intra-individual conflict

Individual Conflict Group Conflict Organizational Conflict

Inter-individual

conflict

Intra-individual

conflict

Inter-

organization

al conflict

Intra-

organizatio

nal conflict

Inter-group

conflict

Inter-group

conflict


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Intra-individual conflict is internal to the person and probably the most difficult type of conflict

to analyze. Basically, intra-personal conflict can be related to two things; conflict arising due to

divergent goals or conflict arising from out of multiple roles to be played.

Goal conflict occurs when a goal that an individual is attempting to achieve has both positive and

negative features. Generally three separate types of goal conflicts are indentified.

Approach-approach conflict: A person wants the positive situations but can have onlyone.

Approach-avoidance conflict: In this form of goal conflict the person attempts to achievea goal that has both positive and negative aspects but wants to avail of positive and

negative.

Avoidance-avoidance conflict: This type of conflict can be resolved because a personfaced two negative goals and he may not choose either of them and may simply leave thesituation.

Role conflict is the result of divergent role expectations. It exits when the expectations of a job

are mutually different or opposite and the individual cannot meet one expectation without

rejecting the other. An individual confronting with role conflict will experience psychological

stress leading to emotional problems, resulting in poor performance.

Group conflict

Inter-group conflict

Every group is in atleast partial conflict with every other group it interacts with. The groups

differ in goals, work activities, power and prestige. The sources of intergroup conflict are

incompatible goals, task interdependence, resource allocation, competitive incentive and reward

system, differences in values or perception etc.

Intra-group conflict

Intra-group conflict is essentially same as the bases of inter-individual conflict.

Organizational conflict

Inter-organizational conflict

The bases to inter-organizational conflicts are essentially the same as the bases on inter-oup

conflict. The types of inter-organizational conflict are between management and government,

management and management, union and government etc.


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Intra-organizational conflict

Intra-organisational conflict are mainly three kinds:

Horizontal conflict: It refers to conflict between employees of departments a the samehierarchical level in an organization.

Vertical conflict: If refers to any conflict between different hierarchical levels in anorganisation. It occurs usually in superior-subordinate relations. The reasons for vertical

conflicts are inadequate communication, differences in interest, perception and attitudes

between position holders occupying different levels.

Line and staff conflict: It refers to conflict between line managers and staff specialists.

Conflict has to be resolved as soon as the optimum level is crossed and before dysfunctional

consequences start occurring. Following are some of the techniques employed to resolve conflict.

Dominance through position

Quiet often managers use positional authority to fire a lower ranking subordinate they consider to

be a trouble-maker. Individuals, in organisation, with rare exception, recognize and accept the

authority of their superiors as an acceptable way or resolving conflicts. Although they may not

be in agreement with these decisions, the abide by them.

Appeals procedures

The people in disagreements may appeal to higher authority to help them to arrive at a solution

by resolving the problem satisfactorily.

Liaison groups

To arbit differences between two warring factions, an arbitrator can be appoint who can use this

expertise and persuasion to achieve coordination and get people together.

Reduce interdependence

On way to resolve conflict is to reduce interdependences. Departments may be provided with

resources that are independent of those provided for other departments.


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Thompson suggested five styles such as competiting, avoiding, accommodating, collaborating

and compromising to resolve conflicts.

If two parties experience conflicts, each one could be more concerned above their own self or

could be more concerned for the other.

When the concern for self is very low they could be very unassertive. If the concern for he self

is very high, they could be very assertive.

If their concern for the other is low, they would tend to the non-cooperative. If the concern for

the other it high, they could be co-operative.

In a conflicting situation:

If an individuals concern for self and others is low, he will avoid the conflict; If he has high concern for himself and low condern for others he will compete; If he has high concern for himself and for others, he will collaborate; If he has high concern for other but low concern for himself, he will accommodate; If he has medium level of concern for both himself and the other, he will go for

compromise.

All the five styles have its own advantage and disadvantages and a suitable style depends upon

both the nature of the individual and the situational factors.

ACCOMMODATE COLLABORATE

COMPROMISE

AVOID COMPETE

Concernforothers

High

Low

Low


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4. conflict & resolution mechanism

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