CB-MBA609-261013: Conflict in Organizations, Good or Bad

Read about conflict in organizations and think of conflicts within your organization. Take notes on the criteria you use to decide whether the conflict is good or bad. How can you use this information to guide your actions as a leader? As you read, what benefits of conflict come to mind? When is conflict considered good or bad? Think of the results in the organization.

Management of Conflict

When determining how to manage conflict, we tend to utilize different styles depending on the situation:
- Avoidance - Non-confrontational: walking away from the situation
- Accommodation - Non-confrontational: setting aside your needs for the needs of the other party
- Competition - Win/lose: your loss is the other party's gain; tactics include: forcing, low-balling, time constraints, deception, etc.
- Compromise - Splitting the difference: (i.e. flipping a coin, cutting something in half)
- Collaboration - Win/win: both parties mutually benefit, and creative alternatives are achieved.

Responding to Conflict

New Directions for Conflict Management

Bargaining/Negotiation
Third-Party Conflict Resolution

Bargaining/Negotiation

Negotiation: an interpersonal decision-making process necessary whenever we cannot achieve our objectives single-handedly
Ex. Buying a car; buying a house; things at work
Integrative Bargaining
Distributive Bargaining

Differences Between Distributive & Integrative Bargaining

Distributive	Integrative
Claim Value (win-lose) Positional/ Rights/ Power Goal: Individual Gain Single Issue No future relationship	Create Value (win-win) Principled / Interest Goal: Mutual & Individual Gain Multiple Issues Long-term relationship

Third-Party Conflict Resolution

Managerial Conflict Resolution
Outside Conflict Resolution

Managerial Conflict Resolution

Roles:

Inquisitor
Judge
Advisor
Motivator
Investigator
Restructurer
Problem solver
Procedural marshal

Outside Conflict Resolution

Mediators - help parties facilitate the dispute but hold no decision power
Arbitrators - makes binding decisions based on the proposals and arguments of the parties involved in the conflict

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