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PowerPoint Presentation by Rajeesh Viswanathan

Jansons school of Business

PowerPoint Presentation by Rajeesh Viswanathan

Jansons school of Business

Organization Theory

Structure, Design, and Applications

Organization Theory

Structure, Design, and Applications

Third Revised EditionThird Revised Edition

Stephen P. Robbins and Mary MathewStephen P. Robbins and Mary Mathew

C H A P T E R

15C H A P T E R

15PART IV: APPLICATIONS: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN

ORGANIZATION THEORYPART IV: APPLICATIONS: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN

ORGANIZATION THEORY

Managing Organizational ConflictManaging Organizational Conflict

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

1.1. Define conflict.Define conflict.

2.2. Contrast the traditional and inter-actionist views of conflict.Contrast the traditional and inter-actionist views of conflict.

3.3. List the major sources of organizational conflict.List the major sources of organizational conflict.

4.4. Outline the primary techniques for resolving structural conflicts.Outline the primary techniques for resolving structural conflicts.

5.5. Identify situations when management should stimulate conflict.Identify situations when management should stimulate conflict.

6.6. List several techniques for stimulating conflict.List several techniques for stimulating conflict.

IntroductionIntroduction

Conflict is an inevitable part of part of Conflict is an inevitable part of part of organizational life, stemming as much organizational life, stemming as much from structural characteristics as from from structural characteristics as from incompatible personalities incompatible personalities

The attributes that make conflict a The attributes that make conflict a constant reality are scarce resources, constant reality are scarce resources, employees with diverse interest and employees with diverse interest and outlookoutlook

Defining Conflict Defining Conflict

It is a process in which an effort is It is a process in which an effort is purposely made by A to offset the efforts purposely made by A to offset the efforts of B by some form of blocking that will of B by some form of blocking that will result in frustrating B in attaining his or her result in frustrating B in attaining his or her goals or frustrating his or her interests. goals or frustrating his or her interests.

Conflict And Organizational Conflict And Organizational EffectivenessEffectiveness

Conflict in an organization can be viewed Conflict in an organization can be viewed in two ways in two ways

- which hinder the coordination and - which hinder the coordination and teamwork necessary to achieve the teamwork necessary to achieve the organization’s goals organization’s goals

- which improves the an - which improves the an organization’s effectiveness by stimulating organization’s effectiveness by stimulating change and improving the decision making change and improving the decision making process process

The Traditional View The Traditional View

This approach treats conflict This approach treats conflict synonymously with terms as synonymously with terms as violence, violence, destruction, and irrationality. destruction, and irrationality.

The Interactionist view The Interactionist view

The conflict is functional when it initiates The conflict is functional when it initiates the search for new and better ways of the search for new and better ways of doing things and undermines complacency doing things and undermines complacency within the organization. within the organization.

change Adaptation Survival conflict

The interactionist view implies a wider role The interactionist view implies a wider role for managers in dealing with than does the for managers in dealing with than does the traditional approach.traditional approach.

The manager’s role is to create an The manager’s role is to create an environment in which conflict is healthy but environment in which conflict is healthy but not allowed to run to pathological not allowed to run to pathological extremes. extremes.

Anticonflict Values Permeate Our Anticonflict Values Permeate Our Society Society

Why is that mangers are uncomfortable Why is that mangers are uncomfortable with conflict ?with conflict ?

The answer lies in the fact that tolerance of The answer lies in the fact that tolerance of conflict is counter to most cultures.conflict is counter to most cultures.

Most culture have successfully engendered Most culture have successfully engendered in their inhabitants a in their inhabitants a ‘fear of conflict’.‘fear of conflict’.

Sources of Organizational Conflict Sources of Organizational Conflict

Mutual Task Dependence Mutual Task Dependence

This refers to the extent to which two This refers to the extent to which two units in an organization depend upon each units in an organization depend upon each other for assistance, information, other for assistance, information, compliance, or other activities.compliance, or other activities.

One Way Task Dependence One Way Task Dependence

It means that power balance has It means that power balance has shifted. shifted.

High Horizontal DifferentiationHigh Horizontal Differentiation

The greater the difference between The greater the difference between units, the greater the likelihood of conflict units, the greater the likelihood of conflict

Other factors such as interdependence Other factors such as interdependence of tasks and rewards can act retard or of tasks and rewards can act retard or stimulate the latent potential for conflict stimulate the latent potential for conflict

Low Formalization Low Formalization

Rules and regulations reduce conflict by Rules and regulations reduce conflict by minimizing ambiguity. minimizing ambiguity.

Conversely Conversely Where formalization is low, Where formalization is low, the potential for jurisdictional disputes the potential for jurisdictional disputes increases.increases.

Dependence On Common Scarce Dependence On Common Scarce Resources Resources

Conflict potential is enhanced when two or Conflict potential is enhanced when two or more units depend on a common pool of more units depend on a common pool of scarce resources such as physical space, scarce resources such as physical space, equipment, operating fund, capital budget equipment, operating fund, capital budget allocation, or centralized staff services allocation, or centralized staff services such as typing pool. such as typing pool.

Difference in Evaluation Criteria Difference in Evaluation Criteria and Reward Systems and Reward Systems

The more the evaluation and reward of The more the evaluation and reward of management emphasize the separate management emphasize the separate performance of each department of each performance of each department of each department rather than combined department rather than combined performance, the greater the conflict. performance, the greater the conflict.

Participative Decision Making Participative Decision Making

The participative process permits a greater The participative process permits a greater opportunity for the expression of existing opportunity for the expression of existing disputes. disputes.

Heterogeneity Of Members Heterogeneity Of Members

The more heterogeneous the members The more heterogeneous the members are, the less likely they are to work are, the less likely they are to work smoothly and cooperatively together.smoothly and cooperatively together.

Status Incongruence Status Incongruence

Conflict is stimulated where Conflict is stimulated where incongruencies occur in status grading or incongruencies occur in status grading or from alteration in the status hierarchy. from alteration in the status hierarchy.

Role DissatisfactionRole Dissatisfaction

This can come from a number of source, This can come from a number of source, 1) status incongruence. 1) status incongruence.

2) non – recognition2) non – recognition

Communication Distortion Communication Distortion

Conflicts arises mainly because of Conflicts arises mainly because of communication distortion communication distortion

- vertical & horizontal - vertical & horizontal

- semantic difficulties – it can be attributed - semantic difficulties – it can be attributed to the different training, background, and to the different training, background, and socialization process that the members of socialization process that the members of the unit have undergone. the unit have undergone.

Resolution techniques Resolution techniques

The five different techniques could be The five different techniques could be adopted to solve the conflictsadopted to solve the conflicts

1.1. DominationDomination

2.2. CompromiseCompromise

3.3. Integration Integration

4.4. Avoidance Avoidance

5.5. Acceptance Acceptance

Superordinate Goals Superordinate Goals

It is a common goal, held by two or more It is a common goal, held by two or more units that is compelling and highly units that is compelling and highly appealing and cannot be attained by the appealing and cannot be attained by the resources of any single unit separately. resources of any single unit separately.

Reduce Interdependence Between Reduce Interdependence Between Units Units

When mutual and one-way When mutual and one-way interdependence creates conflicts, interdependence creates conflicts, reduction of this interdependence should reduction of this interdependence should be considered as a possible solution. be considered as a possible solution.

Expanding Resources Expanding Resources

When conflict is predicted upon the When conflict is predicted upon the scarcity of a resource, the easiest manner scarcity of a resource, the easiest manner in which to resolve the confrontation, and in which to resolve the confrontation, and the most satisfying to the conflicting the most satisfying to the conflicting parties is through expansion of the parties is through expansion of the available resources.available resources.

Mutual Problem Solving Mutual Problem Solving

This technique requires the conflicting This technique requires the conflicting parties to come face to face with the parties to come face to face with the underlying causes for their conflict and underlying causes for their conflict and share responsibility for seeing that the share responsibility for seeing that the solution works. solution works.

Appeals SystemAppeals System

In this technique conflicts are handled by In this technique conflicts are handled by creating formal channels for grievances to creating formal channels for grievances to be heard and acted upon.be heard and acted upon.

Formal Authority Formal Authority

The authority that the supervisor have The authority that the supervisor have over the conflicting parties is important over the conflicting parties is important enough and its usage spread so widely enough and its usage spread so widely that it can be singled out as a separate that it can be singled out as a separate resolution technique. resolution technique.

Increasing Interaction Increasing Interaction

This technique states that continued This technique states that continued interaction will reduce the conflict. interaction will reduce the conflict.

Organizationwide Evaluation Organizationwide Evaluation Criteria & Reward System Criteria & Reward System

If separatism in evaluation and rewards If separatism in evaluation and rewards creates conflicts, management should creates conflicts, management should consider performance measures that consider performance measures that evaluate and reward units for cooperation. evaluate and reward units for cooperation.

Merging Conflicting Units Merging Conflicting Units

The conflicting units can expand its The conflicting units can expand its boundaries and absorb the source of its boundaries and absorb the source of its irrigation to resolve the conflict. irrigation to resolve the conflict.

Stimulation Techniques Stimulation Techniques

Conflict may at times, be too low. When it’s Conflict may at times, be too low. When it’s too low managers need to simulate too low managers need to simulate opposition- to create opposition- to create functional conflictfunctional conflict. .

The ways to stimulate conflict areThe ways to stimulate conflict are Communication-Communication- Managers can Managers can

manipulate communication messages and manipulate communication messages and channels in such ways as to stimulate channels in such ways as to stimulate conflict. conflict.

Heterogeneity- Heterogeneity- one way in which to one way in which to shake up a stagnant unit is to add one or shake up a stagnant unit is to add one or more individuals whose background, more individuals whose background, experience, and values vary significantly experience, and values vary significantly from those currently held by members in a from those currently held by members in a unit. unit.

CompetitionCompetition- conflict can be stimulated - conflict can be stimulated by creating competitive situations between by creating competitive situations between units. units.