Conflict Management

Conflict Management
Oct. (2009)
Lecturer: Mr. Loek Hopstaken

Reported By:
Shahzad Azam
(s24063)

Reported to:
Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences

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 Conflict Management

Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................3
What is conflict?..............................................................................................................................3
Climate of conflict:..........................................................................................................................3
Statement collapse:......................................................................................................................3
Uncertain roles:............................................................................................................................3
Lack of collaboration:..................................................................................................................4
Bureaucratic conflict:...................................................................................................................4
Management of conflict:..................................................................................................................4
Ways to manage conflict:................................................................................................................4
Analyze the conflict:....................................................................................................................4
Determine management strategy:.................................................................................................4
Compromise:................................................................................................................................4
 Assessment:.......................................................................................................................4
 Ground rules and agenda:.................................................................................................5
 Organization:.....................................................................................................................5
 Joint fact finding:..............................................................................................................5
Conciliation:.................................................................................................................................5
 Interests:............................................................................................................................5
 Options:.............................................................................................................................5
 Evaluation:........................................................................................................................5
 Written agreement:............................................................................................................5
 Commitment:....................................................................................................................5
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................5
References:......................................................................................................................................6

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 Conflict Management

Introduction:
This research shows and written to explore the core situations of conflict in an organizations or
in groups. This report includes some of the situations which are briefly described the conflict
starting or constructive atmosphere of conflict.

What is conflict?
Conflict is a natural disagreement resulting from individuals or groups that differ in attitudes,
beliefs, values or needs. It can also invent from past competitions and personality differences.
Conflicts arise when we ignore others needs, our own needs or the group's needs. Be careful not
to confuse needs with desires. 1People interpret reality differently. They identify differences in
the harshness, causes and cost of problems. How people define and use power is an important
influence on the number and types of conflicts that occur. This also influences how conflict is
managed. Conflicts can arise when people try to make others change their actions or to gain an
unfair advantage. Serious conflicts arise when people hold unsuited values or when values are
not clear. Conflicts also arise when one party refuses to accept the fact that the other party holds
something as a value rather than a preference. Many people let their feelings and emotions
become a major influence over how they deal with conflict. Conflicts can also occur because
people ignore their own or others' feelings and emotions. Other conflicts occur when feelings and
emotions differ over an exacting issue.

Climate of conflict:
Statement collapse:
Statement collapse is one of the main reasons which provide a favorable climate for confliction.
This situation mostly happen cause of lack of communication. It comes when one party present
formless information, on the other hand which create a confusion for the second party.  They see
things differently because of differences in understanding and viewpoint.

Uncertain roles:
Uncertainty over position and tasks create a situation of confliction. This type of confliction most
comes in organizations or groups. In this case there is confusion between middle and lower level
and sometime between higher and middle level2. Executives anticipate recruits at these levels to
get used to change as essential, and often expect employees simply to take the initiative when a
new situation calls for a reaction. Employees on the other hand expect clarity from senior
managers during times of change. The confusion between two parties creates doubt, which can
be make worse when organizational goals either unclear or uneven.

1
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6436190/Conflict
2
http://www.cios.org/encyclopedia/conflict/BKeyelements1.html

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Lack of collaboration:
This is also one of the main situations which create confliction. This is also mostly happens in
organization where some times employee don’t cooperate their colleagues because of some
personal confliction.3

Bureaucratic conflict:
Bureaucratic conflict presents when group members disagree about the actions to be followed in
achieving the group’s goal. In this case everybody wants to do in his own style but on the other
hand other party doesn’t want to follow this procedure.

Management of conflict:
Conflict management refers to the long-term management of willful conflicts. It is the label for
the variety of ways by which people handle objection standing up for what they consider to be
right and against what they consider to be wrong. Those ways include such diverse facts as
conversation, mock, execution, terrorism, law, mediation, and avoidance. Conflict management
is often considered to be distinct from clash decision. In order for actual conflict to occur, there
should be an expression of exclusive patterns, and tell why the conflict was expressed the way it
was. Conflict is not just about simple inaptness, but is often connected to a previous issue. The
latter refers to resolving the dispute to the approval of one or both parties, whereas the former
concerns an ongoing process that may never have a resolution.

Ways to manage conflict:

Analyze the conflict:

The first step in managing conflict is to analyze the nature and type of conflict. Which type of
conflict occur and where it happen in an organization or someone individual. Ask the point of
view of other people and then choice the exact action to solve the problem of conflict.

Determine management strategy:

Once you have a general understanding of the conflict, the groups involved will need to analyze
and select the most appropriate strategy. In some cases it may be necessary to have a neutral
facilitator to help move the groups toward consensus.

Compromise:
Initiation: One partner raises the possibility of negotiation and begins the process. If no one is
willing to approach the others to encourage them to reach an agreement, a trusted outsider could
be brought in as a facilitator.

 Assessment: Conditions must be right for negotiation to be successful. Key players must
be identified and invited. Each side must be willing to collaborate with the others.
Reasonable deadlines and sufficient resources to support the effort must exist.
Spokespersons for each group must be identified and involved.4 Parties need to determine
which issues are negotiable and which are not.
3
William W. Wilmot and Joyce L. Hocker, Interpersonal Conflict, 5th edition (copyright 1998 by The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.).
4
http://webhome.idirect.com/~kehamilt/ipsyconstyle.html

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 Ground rules and agenda: The groups must agree on ground rules for communication,
negotiation and decision making. They should agree on the objectives of the negotiation
process. An agenda of issues to be covered needs to be developed.

 Organization: Meeting logistics must be established, including agreed upon times and
places. People must be contacted and encouraged to attend. Minutes must be taken so that
information can be distributed before and after meetings.

 Joint fact finding: The groups must agree on what information is relevant to the conflict.
This should include what is known and not known about social and technical issues.
Agreement is also needed on methods for generating answers to questions.

Conciliation:

 Interests: When negotiating is sure to openly discuss interests, rather than stated

positions. Interests include the reasons, needs, concerns and motivations underlying
positions. Satisfaction of interests should be the common goal.

 Options: To resolve conflicts, concentrate on inventing options for satisfying interests.

Do not judge ideas or favor any of the options suggested. Encourage creativity, not
commitment.

 Evaluation: Only after the partners have finished listing options, should the options be
discussed. Determine together which ideas are best for satisfying various interests.

 Written agreement: Document areas of agreement and disagreement to ensure common

understanding. This helps ensure that agreements can be remembered and communicated
clearly.
 Commitment: Every partner must be confident that the others will carry out their parts
of the agreement. Discuss and agree upon methods to ensure partners understand and
honor their commitments.5

Conclusion:

A conflict situation can be induced by supporting individualistic thinking or favoring individual

competition. Individualistic thinking can be initiated in the group by including some group
members who can freely express their views, which can encourage and push others to do the
same. Competition between individuals can be enhanced by acknowledging and rewarding the
better performers. Conflict situations can also be introduced by making some organizational

5
  MEDIA TION AN D CO NFLI CT MANAG EMENT BOOK , by Gregorio Billikopf , UNI VE RSIT Y OF CALI FO RN IA
( Par ty-D irecte d Me dia tion, 2nd E dition, 2009) .

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changes, such as transferring some group members, redefining roles, and helping the emergence
of new leadership.

References:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6436190/Conflict

http://www.cios.org/encyclopedia/conflict/BKeyelements1.html

William W. Wilmot and Joyce L. Hocker, Interpersonal Conflict, 5th edition (copyright 1998

by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.).

http://webhome.idirect.com/~kehamilt/ipsyconstyle.html

  MEDIATION AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT BOOK, by Gregorio Billikopf,

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (Party-Directed Mediation, 2nd Edition, 2009).

Ongori Henry 10.3923/rjbm.2009.16.24

http://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=rjbm.2009.16.24

http://www.fao.org/docrep/W7504E/w7504e07.htm

Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC Copyright 1997-2008

http://managementhelp.org/intrpsnl/basics.htm