MODULE 5: CONFLICT IN ORGANIZATIONS II. TYPOLOGIES OF CONFLICT
Is conflict always bad? Contemporary perspectives
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Inventory differentiate types of conflict based on their effects or
outcome:
WHAT IS CONFLICT? 1. Functional conflict supports the goals of the group and
Western organizational literature provides multiple improves its performance, and is thus a constructive form of
definitions of conflict. They converge on the depiction of conflict.
conflicts as natural, pervasive, inevitable, and inherent in ➢ For example, a debate among members of a work team
organizations (Sweeny and Carruthers 1996, Sheppard 1992, about them efficient way to improve productivity can be
Kold and Putman 1992). functional if unique points of view are discussed and
The following highlights three definitions or compared openly.
perspectives on conflict in organizations: ➢ Moderate levels of conflict can stimulate new
● Conflict is The presence of goal incompatibility between ideas,increase friendly competition, and increase team
or among interdependent individuals or groups (Brett 1984) effectiveness (Jehn & Mannix, ; Jeong, ). Furthermore,
such that one individual or group interferes in another moderate conflict can reduce the risk of much larger
individual’s or group’s achievement of goals (Duryea 1992). conflicts.
● Conflict is the presence of real or perceived competing 2. Dysfunctional conflict hinders group performance. It is a
unsatisfied needs and interests of two or more parties such highly personal struggle for control that distracts from the
that a rivalry occurs when one tries to outdo or exclude the task at hand in a team that is dysfunctional. This usually
other (Deutsch 1973, Fisher and Ury 1983, Moore 1986). occurs when one or both parties feel a loss of control due to
the actions of the other party and has its greatest effect on
Moore identifies three general types of needs or team performance when the task being performed is
interests: complex.
(1) substantive interests, which are tangible and
measurable needs such as money, workspace, and health TYPES OF CONFLICT.
benefits, One means of understanding conflict is to identify the type
(2) procedural interests, which is the way decisions are of disagreement, or what the conflict is about. Is it a
made or problems resolved, and include the need for disagreement about goals? Is it about people who just rub
participation, transparency as well as the clear and orderly one another the wrong way? Or is it about the best way to
process of decision-making, and get things done? Although each conflict is unique,
(3) psychological interests, which include the need to be researchers have classified conflicts into three categories:
trusted, respected, and recognized. relationship, task, or process.
● Conflict is discord within, between, and among 1. Relationship conflict: Conflict based on interpersonal
individuals or groups due to organizational factors (Kolb relationships. Studies demonstrate that relationship conflicts,
and Putman 1992). This type of conflict is becoming more at least in work settings, are almost always dysfunctional. It
inevitable and prevalent in organizations given the appears that the friction and interpersonal hostilities
challenges of increasing globalization and markets, the inherent in relationship conflicts increase personality
speed of changes brought about by the advancement of clashes and decrease mutual understanding, which hinders
information technology, and the increasing diversity of the the completion of organizational tasks.
workforce. 2. Task conflict: Conflict over content and goals of the
It is important to note that the level of conflict that work. Some researchers have argued that the strength of
occurs is a function of the importance of the goal, conflict is important: if task conflict is very low, people
behavior, or relationship. That is, one person ’ s aren’t really engaged or addressing the important issues; if
behavior may force a change in another ’ s, but if the task conflict is too high, infighting will quickly degenerate
change in behavior is not important to the individual into relationship conflict. Moderate levels of task conflict
(e.g., waiting for one’s turn), the conflict will be less may thus be optimal.
severe than in a situation in which the change is 3. Process conflict: Conflict over how work gets done.
important (e.g., a promotion or a person’s reputation). Researchers found that process conflicts are about
delegation and roles. Conflicts over delegation often
, revolve around the perception that some members are identification can facilitate the design of conflict
shirking, and conflicts over roles can leave some group interventions for resolving or managing conflict.
members feeling marginalized. Thus, process conflicts
often become highly personalized and quickly devolve into III. THE CONFLICT PROCESS
relationship conflicts. It’s also true, of course, that arguing The conflict process has five stages: potential opposition or
about how to do something takes time away from actually incompatibility, cognition and personalization, intentions,
doing it. behavior, and outcomes (see diagram below):
LOCI OF CONFLICT. Another way to understand
conflict is to consider its locus, or the framework within
which the conflict occurs. (Cox, 2003)
different
·
views
-
Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
The first stage of conflict is the appearance of conditions—
-
causes or sources—that create opportunities for it to arise.
SOURCES OF CONFLICT. Another typology of conflict These conditions need not lead directly to conflict, but one
based on its sources is presented in a conflict analytical of them is necessary if it is to surface. We group the
framework called the Circle of Conflict (Moore 1986). This conditions into three general categories:
framework identifies five possible sources of conflict as 1. Communication: There are opposing forces that arise
-
shown the figure below: from semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and “noise”
in the communication channel.
2. Structure: The term structure in this context includes
variables such as size of the group, degree of specialization
-
in tasks assigned to group members, jurisdictional clarity,
member – goal compatibility, leadership styles, reward
systems, and degree of dependence between groups
3. Personal variables: include personality, emotions, and
-
values.
-
Stage
In using the above typologies in identifying an
organizational conflict, one can create a picture of what the
conflict is about, why it came about, where it is located.
And what its actual and potential outcomes are. This
·
-
Is conflict always bad? Contemporary perspectives
Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Inventory differentiate types of conflict based on their effects or
outcome:
WHAT IS CONFLICT? 1. Functional conflict supports the goals of the group and
Western organizational literature provides multiple improves its performance, and is thus a constructive form of
definitions of conflict. They converge on the depiction of conflict.
conflicts as natural, pervasive, inevitable, and inherent in ➢ For example, a debate among members of a work team
organizations (Sweeny and Carruthers 1996, Sheppard 1992, about them efficient way to improve productivity can be
Kold and Putman 1992). functional if unique points of view are discussed and
The following highlights three definitions or compared openly.
perspectives on conflict in organizations: ➢ Moderate levels of conflict can stimulate new
● Conflict is The presence of goal incompatibility between ideas,increase friendly competition, and increase team
or among interdependent individuals or groups (Brett 1984) effectiveness (Jehn & Mannix, ; Jeong, ). Furthermore,
such that one individual or group interferes in another moderate conflict can reduce the risk of much larger
individual’s or group’s achievement of goals (Duryea 1992). conflicts.
● Conflict is the presence of real or perceived competing 2. Dysfunctional conflict hinders group performance. It is a
unsatisfied needs and interests of two or more parties such highly personal struggle for control that distracts from the
that a rivalry occurs when one tries to outdo or exclude the task at hand in a team that is dysfunctional. This usually
other (Deutsch 1973, Fisher and Ury 1983, Moore 1986). occurs when one or both parties feel a loss of control due to
the actions of the other party and has its greatest effect on
Moore identifies three general types of needs or team performance when the task being performed is
interests: complex.
(1) substantive interests, which are tangible and
measurable needs such as money, workspace, and health TYPES OF CONFLICT.
benefits, One means of understanding conflict is to identify the type
(2) procedural interests, which is the way decisions are of disagreement, or what the conflict is about. Is it a
made or problems resolved, and include the need for disagreement about goals? Is it about people who just rub
participation, transparency as well as the clear and orderly one another the wrong way? Or is it about the best way to
process of decision-making, and get things done? Although each conflict is unique,
(3) psychological interests, which include the need to be researchers have classified conflicts into three categories:
trusted, respected, and recognized. relationship, task, or process.
● Conflict is discord within, between, and among 1. Relationship conflict: Conflict based on interpersonal
individuals or groups due to organizational factors (Kolb relationships. Studies demonstrate that relationship conflicts,
and Putman 1992). This type of conflict is becoming more at least in work settings, are almost always dysfunctional. It
inevitable and prevalent in organizations given the appears that the friction and interpersonal hostilities
challenges of increasing globalization and markets, the inherent in relationship conflicts increase personality
speed of changes brought about by the advancement of clashes and decrease mutual understanding, which hinders
information technology, and the increasing diversity of the the completion of organizational tasks.
workforce. 2. Task conflict: Conflict over content and goals of the
It is important to note that the level of conflict that work. Some researchers have argued that the strength of
occurs is a function of the importance of the goal, conflict is important: if task conflict is very low, people
behavior, or relationship. That is, one person ’ s aren’t really engaged or addressing the important issues; if
behavior may force a change in another ’ s, but if the task conflict is too high, infighting will quickly degenerate
change in behavior is not important to the individual into relationship conflict. Moderate levels of task conflict
(e.g., waiting for one’s turn), the conflict will be less may thus be optimal.
severe than in a situation in which the change is 3. Process conflict: Conflict over how work gets done.
important (e.g., a promotion or a person’s reputation). Researchers found that process conflicts are about
delegation and roles. Conflicts over delegation often
, revolve around the perception that some members are identification can facilitate the design of conflict
shirking, and conflicts over roles can leave some group interventions for resolving or managing conflict.
members feeling marginalized. Thus, process conflicts
often become highly personalized and quickly devolve into III. THE CONFLICT PROCESS
relationship conflicts. It’s also true, of course, that arguing The conflict process has five stages: potential opposition or
about how to do something takes time away from actually incompatibility, cognition and personalization, intentions,
doing it. behavior, and outcomes (see diagram below):
LOCI OF CONFLICT. Another way to understand
conflict is to consider its locus, or the framework within
which the conflict occurs. (Cox, 2003)
different
·
views
-
Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
The first stage of conflict is the appearance of conditions—
-
causes or sources—that create opportunities for it to arise.
SOURCES OF CONFLICT. Another typology of conflict These conditions need not lead directly to conflict, but one
based on its sources is presented in a conflict analytical of them is necessary if it is to surface. We group the
framework called the Circle of Conflict (Moore 1986). This conditions into three general categories:
framework identifies five possible sources of conflict as 1. Communication: There are opposing forces that arise
-
shown the figure below: from semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and “noise”
in the communication channel.
2. Structure: The term structure in this context includes
variables such as size of the group, degree of specialization
-
in tasks assigned to group members, jurisdictional clarity,
member – goal compatibility, leadership styles, reward
systems, and degree of dependence between groups
3. Personal variables: include personality, emotions, and
-
values.
-
Stage
In using the above typologies in identifying an
organizational conflict, one can create a picture of what the
conflict is about, why it came about, where it is located.
And what its actual and potential outcomes are. This
·
-
