conflict management in project teams
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Defining conflict........................................................................................................................2
Sources of conflict......................................................................................................................3
Conflict in teams........................................................................................................................6
Sources of conflict in project teams.......................................................................................8
Conflict management.................................................................................................................9
Conflict management in teams.................................................................................................11
Conclusion................................................................................................................................13
eferences................................................................................................................................1!
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Introduction
"at# and "a$n %19&8' (itnessed t$at e)er* facet of organi#ational life t$at generates order
and direction of effort must o)ercome tendencies to action+ and in t$at fact lies t$e propensit*
to(ards conflict. ,ndeniabl*+ conflict+ (or-+ and organi#ations are so strongl* intert(ined
t$at some $a)e concluded t$at t$ere are no organi#ations de)oid of conflict+ and t$at conflict
cannot eist (it$out people being mutuall* dependent for ac$ie)ing t$eir goals as /feffer
%199&' and /ond* %196&' agree. 0it$ t$is illumination+ it becomes apparent t$at t$e
performance of project managers is reliant on t$e output of t$e project team ($ic$ is a group
of indi)iduals (it$ different needs+ bac-grounds and epertise.
T$e smoot$ operations of a project team becomes more c$allenging (it$ increased project
compleit*+ a di)erse mi of s-ills and cultural di)ersit*. It follo(s t$at distincti)e
consideration must be gi)en to t$e ualit* of t$e interpersonal s-ills and team d*namics
(it$in t$e project team to understand and influence its producti)it* in a project en)ironment.
T$is paper (ill discuss conflict in general+ its main sources and focus on conflict in teams
and $o( t$is can be managed. T$e statement t$at conflict is a c$allenge most project
managers reuire to $andle ($en managing+ leading and controlling project teams is neit$er
true nor false. T$is paper (ill argue t$at conflict is in$erent in project teams and in itself
neit$er good nor bad. It is $o( people respond to it t$at matters for project success.
Defining conflict
De Dreu et al. %1999' understood conflict as a de)elopment t$at arises ($en an indi)idual or
group percei)es differences and opposition bet(een itself and anot$er indi)idual or group
about interests and resources+ beliefs+ )alues+ or practices t$at are of )alue to t$em. It is a
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process t$at begins ($en one part* obser)es its interests+ norms and )alues+ or opinions and
)ie(points being opposed+ $urt+ or countered b* anot$er part*. T$is process can end in
obser)ation or escalate in o)ert action so conflict can be simmering (it$in an indi)idual or
entit* or become manifest.
/ond* %196&' t$en distinguis$ed latent from manifest conflict. In t$at )ie(+ latent conflict
pertains percei)ed and felt conflict+ and refers to intraperson or intragroup states. anifest
conflict+ in contrast+ includes constructi)e negotiations as (ell as outbursts of )iolence+ and
t$us refers to interperson or intergroup d*namics. Conflicts can be anal*sed at t$ree le)els4
indi)idual+ group or team and organisational. In all t$ree+ common sources of conflict are
obser)ed. T$is paper (ill+ $o(e)er+ limit itself to group and organisational le)els of anal*sis.
Sources of conflict
T$ree root causes of conflict t$at are ubiuitous across all le)els are %a't$e ageold economic
uestion of resource scarcit*+ %b' a searc$ for maintaining and promoting a positi)e )ie( of
t$e self %selfesteem and selfactualisation'+ and %c' a desire to $old consensuall* s$ared and
sociall* )alidated opinions and beliefs i.e. a sense of belonging. esources (it$in
organi#ations are limited and finite+ and t$e access to5as (ell as t$e a)ailabilit* and
distribution of5scarce resources constitutes one major cause of conflict at all le)els of
anal*sis. It is political. Indi)iduals (it$in a team bargain time offtas-+ personnel demand a
greater s$are of t$e team bonus because t$e* identif* t$eir inputs as surpassing t$ose of some
colleagues.
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De Dreu 7an "leef %2!' note t$at at t$e group le)el of anal*sis+ conflict ma* be rooted
in po(er differences and leaders$ip st*le ($ile e$n et al. %28' reports $eterogeneit* in
group composition as a li-el* cause. T$e (orld is constantl* c$anging (it$ tec$nolog* and
inno)ation being -e*. : )ariet* of c$anges in t$e (orld of (or- and organi#ations are t$e
conseuence. T$is scenario sets t$e stage for conflict. ;irst+ conflicts are more probable to
surface due to t$e gro(ing pressures to c$ange+ adapt+ and inno)ate (it$ associated surges in
(or-load+ job insecurit*+ role conflict+ misunderstandings+ and related grie)ances as se)eral
aut$ors suc$ as :nderson et al. %2!'< anssen %23'< and /eterson =e$far %23'$a)e
s$o(n. Secondl*+ as a result of globali#ation of economies and immigration at a
progressi)el* larger scale+ organi#ations content (it$ an eceedingl* assorted (or-force.
T$is is a condition t$at is ripe for conflict.
: t$ird source is t$e gro(ing use of Internet and noncollocated interactions in ($ic$
emplo*ees lin- on )irtual net(or-s increasing demands on communication processes and
easil* e)o-es misunderstanding and irritation as discussed b* ;riedman Currall %23'.
;ourt$+ and lastl*+ t$e inclination to(ards organising (or- in predominantl* semi
autonomous teams produces greater interdependenc* among emplo*ees+ undercuts t$e
traditional po(er relations and $ierarc$ical command> control t*pical of traditional
organi#ations+ and necessitates sop$isticated le)els of selfmanagement and selfregulation.
/feffer %199&' recognises t$at negotiation and conflict management s-ills become
indispensable in suc$ contets.
0$ile conflicts are in$erent in an* administrati)e structure t$eir manifestation rests upon
eit$er %or bot$' of t(o reasons. ?ne is born of indi)idual response to incenti)es. In t$e pursuit
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of t$eir immediate and s$ortrange selfinterests+ indi)iduals or groups calculatingl* or
inad)ertentl* $urt collecti)e interests including t$ose of interdependent ot$ers. ?strom
%1998' discerns t$at suc$ selfcentred c$oices are unli-el* to be condoned since a
considerable section of t$e population is (illing to punis$ noncooperators e)en at a cost to
t$emsel)es. In support+ it is obser)ed t$at interdependence+ an essential c$aracteristic of a
team+ is mied moti)e in nature as obser)ed Sc$elling %196'. T$is implies t$at t(o different
moti)ations are present in an* team4 t$e @proselfA moti)ation to ac$ie)e a $ig$ utilit* or
outcome for oneself+ and t$e @prosocialA moti)ation to ac$ie)e a $ig$ utilit* or outcome for
t$e team as a ($ole.
T$e predicament of c$oosing bet(een t$e prosocial and t$e proself moti)es is settled b*
personal dispositions of team members and contetual demands ($ic$ lead team members to
put more (eig$t on eit$er of t$e t(o moti)es at an* moment as intimated b* De Dreu et al.
%2'. :dditionall*+ o)er time+ team members pacif* some of t$e tension bet(een t$e t(o
moti)es b* signif*ing Benlig$tened selfinterest+ ($ic$ is t$e compre$ension t$at oneAs o(n
interests are best ser)ed in t$e long run b* considering t$e interests of ot$ers. =eersma et al.
%23' demonstrates t$e conseuences of super)isor communication s-ills and t$e re(ard
structure under ($ic$ teams function. 0$ile team re(ards+ in ($ic$ t$e pri#es t$at one team
member recei)es are positi)el* associated (it$ $is or $er group membersA re(ards+ induce a
prosocial dri)e+ indi)idualbased incenti)e structures+ in ($ic$ recompense is contingent on
$o( (ell a team member does indi)iduall*+ tend to induce a @proselfA moti)e.
Secondl*+ (it$in nested social dilemmas+ conflicts o)er resources emerge because of
premature suspicion+ misunderstanding+ incomplete information+ or lac- of insig$t. T$is
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means t$at resourcebased conflict ma* be t$e result of %o(n and ot$ersA' misinterpretation of
%ot$erAs and o(n' intentions and actions. T$is is could be t$e securit* dilemma or greed
element as discussed b* "asfir in otberg %2!'. T$e securit* dilemma (as discussed at
lengt$ b* /osen in =ro(n %1993'.
Conflict in teams
e$n et al. %28' focused c$iefl* on t(o t*pes of conflict related to group composition+
relations$ip and tas- conflict. Tas- conflicts are incongruities among group membersA ideas
and opinions about t$e tas- being performed+ suc$ as di)ergences regarding an organi#ationAs
current strategic position or determining t$e correct data to include in a report. Tas- conflict
($ic$ is fiated on contentrelated issues+ as s$o(n b* t$is researc$+ can augment
performance ualit*. =eersma et al. %28' s$o( t$at t$e traditional conception is t$at
conflict is bad and al(a*s $as a negati)e influence on projects or organi#ations. T$is
understanding argues t$at performance declines as t$e le)el of conflict increases.
7erma %1996' comments t$at t$e predominant reaction of traditional managers $as been to
subdue conflict b* using an aut$oritarian approac$. Ee goes to contrast t$is (it$ t$e
be$a)ioural or contemporar* )ie(+ also -no(n as t$e $uman relations )ie( ($ic$ contends
t$at conflict is natural and ineluctable in all organi#ations. It postulates t$at conflict ma* $a)e
a positi)e or a negati)e result. T$is approac$ promotes acceptance of conflict and )indicates
its presence. In t$is lig$t+ project managers s$ould focus on $andling conflict effecti)el*
rat$er t$an simpl* suppressing it or eliminating it.
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7erma %1996' discusses t$e t$ird )ie(+ t$e interactionist outloo-+ as t$e current t$eoretical
perspecti)e on conflict ($ic$ proposes t$at conflict is reuired to increase performance.
0$ile t$e be$a)ioural approac$ accepts conflict+ t$e interactionist )ie( encourages conflict
on t$e basis t$at a $armonious+ peaceful+ tranuil+ toocooperati)e project organi#ation is
prospecti)el* becomes inert+ apat$etic+ stagnant and nonresponsi)e to meet t$e c$allenges of
transformation and modernisation. T$is attitude $eartens managers to maintain an ongoing
minimum le)el of conflict enoug$ to -eep projects selfcritical+ )iable+ creati)e and
inno)ati)e.
7erma %199&' epresses t$at conflict can occur at four le)els in a project. Intrapersonal
conflict referring to role conflict ($ic$ stems from unfulfilled personal or professional
epectations (it$in t$e indi)idual. T$is le)el of conflict ma* not affect t$e project+ if it does
not s(a* ot$er project participants negati)el*. Interpersonal conflict can occur bet(een
particular team members or bet(een one person and t$e entire group. It is usuall* a result of
dissimilarities in personalit*+ st*le+ communication s-ills+ or competing personal ambitions.
T$irdl*+ intragroup conflict is about conflict bet(een a single person and a group of people.
Fastl*+ intergroup conflict can arise amongst groups of people (it$in t$e project team or
bet(een t$e project team and groups outside t$e project.
0$en project teams are built+ most of t$em go t$roug$ four predicable stages of
de)elopment4 ;orming %floundering'+ Storming %conflict'+ Gorming and /erforming. T$is
paper focuses on t$e second stage. 0$ile during t$e forming stage+ project teams progress to
confronting t$e issues and ot$er team members in order to acuire control and understand
t$eir roles+ objecti)es and relations$ips. Gormall* t$is $appens regardless of ($at is done or
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($et$er an* leaders$ip is applied or not. In t$e storming stage+ issues start becoming serious.
Conflicts ma* emerge o)er relati)e primacies+ responsibilities+ tas- be$a)iours+ and t$e role
of t$e project team leader especiall* pertaining to tas- direction and guidance. Clas$es o)er
leaders$ip roles and struggles o)er goals are leading t$emes t$at ma* breed emotional tension
and subseuentl* some team members ma* (it$dra( or become detac$ed. T$e project
manager must resol)e conflict during t$is stage rat$er t$an ignore or uas$ it. Suppressing
conflict ma* create acrimon* and antipat$* t$at (ill persist after team members tr* to initiate
t$e conflict b* articulating t$eir emotions and differences. 0it$dra(al ma* con)e* t$e
message t$at t$e project manager does not care ($ic$ (ill cause team members to mistrust
t$e leader.
Sources of conflict in project teams
In t$eir sur)e*+ T$am$aim and 0ilemon %19&' identified se)en sources of conflict t$at (ere
ran-ed as follo(s4
1. Sc$edules %tas- uncertaint* and information reuirements'
2. /riorities %goal incompatibilit* and differences in time $ori#on'
3. Euman resources %staffing and resource allocation'
!. Tec$nical issues %tec$nical opinions and performance tradeoffs'
. :dministrati)e problems %managerial and administrati)e issues outlining $o( t$e project
(ill be managed4 ma* include role uncertaint*+ aut$orit* and responsibilit* of eac$ project
participant+ and reporting relations$ips'
6. /ersonalit* %interpersonal disagreements'
&. Cost.
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egardless+ t$e principal sources and intensities of conflict )ar* o)er t$e life c*cle of t$e
project. :s esprit de corps de)elops and t$e project team gains co$esion+ it tends to adopt a
B(e outloo- and ma* consider ot$er staff as Bt$e*. Some of t$is attitude is useful for
effecti)e team building but it ma* lead to conflict. Eellreigel et al. %1992' obser)ed t$at t$is
is mostl* pre)alent ($en t$e project team starts to blame Bt$em for e)er* project problem+
creating a )icious c*cle of conflict.
=arric- et al. %1998' conducted a stud* among 1 (or- teams and found t$at teams (it$ a
particularl* displeasing member and teams (it$ a lo( a)erage team score on amicabilit*
eperienced more conflict+ (ere less co$esi)e+ and performed less effecti)el* according to
t$eir super)isors t$an teams t$at did not $a)e suc$ a disagreeable person in t$e team or $ad a
$ig$er a)erage agreeableness score. In sum+ Sc$ul#Eardt et al. %28' establis$ s$o(ed t$at+
in cases ($ere t$e best c$oice is not apparent at t$e conception+ group decision ualit*
benefits from dissent. T$e* discuss comparable effects of dissent on t$e ualit* of group
problem sol)ing from ot$er literature. In addition+ t$e* cite researc$ )alidating dissent to be
)aluable to t$e accurac* of group judgments. Got unepectedl*+ t$e benefit obtained from
dissent is larger if at least one of t$e members (it$ dissenting opinions fa)ours t$e best
solution at t$e beginning of t$e discussion. Ge)ert$eless+ one stud* in t$eir paper s$o(ed t$at
dissent facilitates decision ualit* if none of t$e dissenting indi)idual preferences is correct.
In t$eir (ords+ @under conditions of dissent+ t$ree blinds toget$er mig$t be able to see.A
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Conflict management
Conflict management is ($at parties5indi)iduals+ groups+ or organi#ations5($o eperience
conflict intend to do as (ell as ($at t$e* actuall* do+ (rote 7an de 7liert %199&'. :
conseuence of t$is notion is t$at (or- teams and (or- units tend to de)elop a conflict
culture. De Dreu and Helfand %28' discuss se)eral studies t$at found t$at teams (it$ )alue
and relations$ip conflicts performed better to t$e le)el t$at t$e members of t$ese teams
a)oided t$ese conflicts and did not attempt to manage t$em. In sociocogniti)e conflicts+
($ere trut$finding and learning occurs+ asserti)eness and persuasi)e reinforcement of oneAs
position ma* be a muc$ more acceptable and effecti)e strateg* t$an it is in resourcebased
conflicts of interest or in identit*based )alue conflicts. Certainl*+ groupdecisionma-ing
researc$+ suc$ as Sc$ul#Eardt et al. %28'+ $as consistentl* e$ibited t$at adding tas-
related dissent and de)ilAs ad)ocates to t$e team impro)es creati)it*+ inno)ation+ and decision
ualit*.
Ideological and )aluebased conflicts reuire different t*pes of management strategies and
solutions. :ut$ors $a)e agreed t$at people endea)our to up$old t$e self t$roug$ promotion+
en$ancement+ and protection of t$e self)ie(. Sedi-ides Strube %199&' and Steele %1988'
see t$is rooted in t$e $umansA general struggle for a positi)e self)ie(. /eople are stirred to
persuade t$emsel)es and rele)ant ot$ers t$at t$e* are (ort$*+ attracti)e+ capable+ and moral
indi)iduals+ and to accomplis$ t$is+ a )ariet* of cerebral and be$a)ioural tactics and
strategies are emplo*ed as realised b* Tesser et al. %1996'. =orne of t$e indi)idualAs *earning
to progress+ ad)ance+ and sustain a positi)e sense of t$emsel)es+ in conflict situations+ t$e*
tend to de)elop an o)erstated )ie( of t$eir o(n cooperati)eness and t$eir counterpartAs
$ostilit*. T$is selfabsorbed bias increases t$e possibilit* of stalemates in labour>
management disputes in =abcoc- et al. %199'. ;urt$ermore+ oAa# et al. %22' report t$at it
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raises deleterious perceptions and e)aluations of counterparts and t$eir conflict resolution
be$a)iour in intergroup conflicts leading to a securit* dilemma of sort. :dditionall*+ De Dreu
et al. %199' ad)ise t$at t$is misinterpretation lessens t$e ualit* of settlements in
interpersonal negotiations.
T$e ualit* of outputs from dispute resolution is a -e* determinant on subseuent interaction
processes and performancerelated issues. In one instance+ t$e part* ($o gains t$e upper
$and in t$e conflict percei)es its po(erbase as reinforced and accordingl* can operate more
effecti)el* in future endea)ours. Integrati)e+ (in>(in solutions fas$ion order and stabilit*+
nurture social accord+ increase t$e spirit of selfefficac* ($ile decreasing t$e probabilit* of
future conflict+ and encouraging economic prosperit*. =otc$ed agreements+ or impasses+
lea)e parties dissatisfied+ create frustration and anno*ance fuelling ne( conflict and
bitterness.
Conflict ma* affect interpersonal+ or grouple)el effecti)eness t$roug$ learning to cooperate+
e)ol)ing relations$ips+ or reac$ing $ig$ualit* group decisions. Sc$ul#Eardt et al. %28'
discuss literature s$o(ing t$at group performance ma* be undermined because conflict
$arms efficient coordination or undercuts t$e trust needed to communicate effecti)el* and to
s$are tas-rele)ant information. Conflict mig$t increase group performance+ ne)ert$eless+
because it leads people to reconsider t$eir (or-ing assumptions and to attac- decision
problems from multiple perspecti)es. It $as been presented t$at relations$ip conflict $as
ad)erse effects and is liable for repercussions suc$ as increased turno)er+ $ig$ rates of
absenteeism+ diminis$ed satisfaction+ lo( le)els of percei)ed performance+ pitiable objecti)e
performance+ lac- of creati)it*+ and lo( commitment.
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Conflict management in teams
T$omas and Sc$midt %19&6' as uoted in Holdman et al. %28' found t$at managers de)oted
up to a fift$ of t$eir time resol)ing conflicts. Conseuentl*+ if organi#ations intend to utili#e
dissension in order to en$ance creati)it* and performance+ t$e most direct (a* to do so is to
compose teams t$at are di)erse (it$ regard to group membersA initial opinions. Conflicts are
ine)itable in a project en)ironment. T$e success of project managers in team building and
managing a project often depends a great deal on t$eir abilit* to resol)e conflict. 0$en
project team members interact during t$e course of completing t$eir tas-s and
responsibilities+ t$ere is al(a*s a potential for conflict. In fact+ it is )irtuall* impossible for
people (it$ di)erse bac-grounds+ s-ills+ and norms to (or- toget$er as a team to meet project
objecti)es (it$out conflict. cS$ane %199' counsels t$at in $andling conflict in a team
en)ironment+ it is of assistance to t$e project manager to remember a fe( lessons discussed
belo(.
/roject teams are epected to be d*namic+ )ibrant and $ig$ performing from t$e )ariet* in
terms of bac-grounds+ epertise and interests among team members. Conflict is natural and
s$ould be managed to impro)e creati)it*. Transparenc* in discussions in a team can $one t$e
di)ergent opinions+ present additional options+ and pro)ide necessar* c$ec-s and balances.
/eople s$ould not be ta-en to be one (it$ t$eir issues. Despite an* ab$orrence on a personal
le)el+ eac$ team member s$ould focus on t$e merits and demerits of t$e subject matter rat$er
t$an on personalities.
In a real team en)ironment+ project team members do not blame ot$ers
for a problem or a failure but focus primaril* on finding solutions.
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7erma %1996' points out t$at t$e application of conflict resolution tec$niues can lead to
eit$er of t(o outcomes. : functional outcome is one t$at satisfies t$e parties in)ol)ed in t$e
conflict and increases o)erall project performance ($ile a d*sfunctional outcome creates
dissatisfaction. Tjos)old %1991' opines t$at t$e first step in managing conflict is an abilit* to
understand and correctl* diagnose it. Conflict management t$en consists of an anal*tical
process< a selection of interpersonal st*le+ communication and negotiating sc$emes< and t$e
de)elopment of trust and respect.
Conflict management tec$niues range from stimulating an appropriate le)el of conflict<
altering structural configurations< emplo*ing )arious interpersonal st*les to c$oosing an
appropriate conflict resolution approac$. :llison %19&1' notes e)idence t$at+ in some
situations+ an increase in conflict actuall* impro)es performance. 0omac- %1988' realises no
one st*le of conflict management can be prescribed since indi)iduals tr* to manage
interpersonal conflict in a )ariet* of (a*s. =la-e and outon %196!' presented fi)e general
tec$niues for resol)ing conflict4 0it$dra(ing+ Smoot$ing+ ;orcing+ Compromising and
/roblem sol)ing also referred to as negotiating. T$ese are similar to t$e T$omas"ilmann
model in T$omas and "ilmann %19&!'.
T$e project manager must anal*se t$e situation and select t$e appropriate mode for managing
conflict (it$in t$eir project organi#ations in order to create a climate conduci)e to ac$ie)ing
a constructi)e outcome. T$e project managers sur)e*ed b* T$am$ain and 0ilemon %19&'
felt t$at personalit* conflicts (ere often disguised as conflicts o)er ot$er issues+ suc$ as
tec$nical issues and manpo(er. T$ese disguises (ill persist if project managers onl* deal
(it$ facts. T$e* s$ould deal (it$ feelings as (ell.
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Conclusion
Ine)itabl*+ conflicts arise regarding di)ergent ideas+ interests+ or )alues $eld b* indi)idual
team members. 7erma %199&' (rites t$at ($et$er a conflict is constructi)e or destructi)e in a
project en)ironment depends upon $o( t$e project manager and members of t$e project team
interpret t$e conflict and deal (it$ it. Conflicts in t$emsel)es are )alueneutral. T$oug$ t$e
contemporar* )ie( assumes t$at conflict is ine)itable bet(een $umans and s$ould be
managed+ t$e interactionist goes furt$er to suggest t$at conflict is a necessar* part of (or-
and t$erefore s$ould be stimulated to foster creati)it* and inno)ation. T$e traditional )ie(
t$at conflict is an un(anted conseuence onl* persists because institutions t$at $a)e a strong
influence on our societ* concur (it$ t$is )ie(. T$is is e)ol)ing+ $opefull*.
T$e prime purpose of e)er* project manager s$ould be to manage conflict constructi)el* to
en$ance project team performance and accomplis$ project objecti)es efficaciousl*. T$is can
be ac$ie)ed b* understanding t$e conditions leading to conflict+ t$e probable results of
conflict+ and t$e )arious met$ods of dealing (it$ conflict in an organi#ational or in a project
en)ironment. 7erma %1996' finds t$at t$e best solution for managing project conflicts is t$e
confronting or negotiation+ mode. Since project management in)ol)es sol)ing problems as
t$e project progresses t$roug$ its life c*cle+ t$is t*pe of conflict management is )er*
practical. Jac$ conflict situation is+ nonet$eless+ uniue. T$erefore+ it is difficult to prescribe
t$e best conflict resolution approac$ due to t$e man* )ariables and t$e d*namic nature of
conflict. J)en t$oug$ conflict is ubiuitous in project management+ it $as to be )ie(ed as a
pat$(a* to success rat$er t$an a c$allenge to s$un. T$is paper argues t$at conflict is not a
c$allenge for project managers but an opportunit*.
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