Organizational Conflict Resolution
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XVII International Scientific Conference on Industrial Systems (IS'17) Novi Sad, Serbia, October 4. – 6. 2017. University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department for Industrial Engineering and Management Available online at http://www.iim.ftn.uns.ac.rs/is17 Organizational conflict resolution Bojana Jokanović (Assistant and PhD student, Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, [email protected]) Ivana Tomić (PhD student, Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, [email protected]) Ljubica Duđak (Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia, [email protected]) Abstract This paper represents an attempt to advance the understanding of organizational conflicts. The main purpose of this paper work is to identify different types, major causes of conflict and the methods used to solve workplace conflicts. Conflict is a disagreement. Conflicts develop in every workplace in today’s business environment. It generally involves the clash of ideas, interests, or personalities. Wherever there is communication, there are conflicts and conflict management is inevitable job but also a challenge for every manager. People have various personalities, ideas, attitudes, needs. Those differences sometimes leads to conflict. If conflict remain unaddressed, they can have a negative influence on productivity and organizational agility. Conflict resolution is a necessary component of the workplace, and those in a leadership position must be skilled in conflict resolution techniques. Key words: causes; conflict; conflict resolution; organization 1. INTRODUCTION empirical studies have not confirmed the view of theorists. Over time, organizations have become less centralized and the workers were connected and Conflict represents an indivisible part of life. Each of us dependent on the work of each other. Since then, the possesses our own opinions, ideas and sets of beliefs. conflict in the workplace has become increasingly We have our own ways of looking at things and we act visible in organizations. As the organization became according to what we think is proper. Some people may more decentralized structured, workers become view conflict as a negative, unfavourable situation, dependent, and is responsibility for decision making which must be avoided. At the other hand, some people increase [1,2]. These changes contributed to the may see it as a fact, which must involve management. emergence of new types of conflicts that can arise Others think about conflict as an opportunity for between different groups of workers. The workforce is personal growth. Since conflicts arise at all levels of the also becoming more diverse. Among the employees in organization, in recent decades, their study has become organizations, more were women, foreigners, ethnic a subject of interest to many practitioners and theorists. minorities, people who come from different educational Because conflict is seemingly inevitable, evidently it is and cultural backgrounds. This diversity has inevitably an imperativ for managers to be able to recognize the led to the emergence of different types of conflicts in the source of the conflict, to view it’s constructive as well as workplace in relation to the period in which the destructive potential, to learn how to manage conflict organization had largely homogeneous workforce [3,4]. and to apply conflict resolution technique in a practical way. 2. TYPES OF CONFLICT Until the ’90s of the 19th century, the literature viewed In the literature there are many definitions of conflict conflict as counterproductive phenomenon. Theorists and none of them unique. Generally, conflict represents have proposed that organizational conflict can be a perceived disagreement of interest between constructive, under certain circumstances. However, individuals or groups. According to Coser [5] conflict is IS'17 446 Jokanović et al. a struggle over values and claims to scarce status, fuel this type of conflict. Some of these factors power and resources in which the aims of the may include a rivalry in resources or the opponents are to neutralize, insure or eliminate the boundaries set by a group to others which rivals. Also, it is defined from communication establishes their own identity as a team. perspective as an expressed struggle between at least There are two kinds of intragroup conflict [7]: two interdependent parties who perceive opposed task conflict and relationship conflict. Task goals, scarce rewards and interference from other conflict is a perception of divergence among parties in achieving their goals [6]. group members or individuals about the content On the basis of involvement, conflict can be classified of their decisions, and involves differences in into the following four types: viewpoints, ideas and opinions. Examples of task conflict are conflicts about the distribution Interpersonal conflict represents a conflict of resources, about procedures or guidelines, between two individuals - colleagues, and about the interpretation of facts. employees and managers, or between the Relationship conflict is a perception of management and the executive director (CEO). interpersonal incompatibility, and includes People are different from one another, there are annoyance and animosity among individuals. varied personalities which usually results to Examples of relationship conflict are incompatible choices and opinions. Obviously, disagreements about values, personal or family it is a natural case which can eventually help in norms, or about personal taste personal growth or developing relationships with others. When interpersonal conflict gets Intergroup conflict may occur between the too destructive, calling in a mediator would help various groups, and in particular between the so as to have it resolved. various departments and divisions (sales, marketing, finance), between the syndicate and Intrapersonal conflict occurs within an the management, or between the supplier who individual, it comes from the people supplied the same organization. For example. themselves. For example, intrapersonal or classic conflict between departments is famous personal conflict could occur when the misunderstanding between marketing and employee finds that he has to perform a task for finance departments - the first always need which he is not enough competent. He more money for advertising, and finance are becomes anxious, unsure of himself. The considered to be superfluous. Suppliers are experience takes place in the person’s mind. often in conflict with respect to products with Hence, it is a type of conflict that is quality. psychological involving the individual’s On the basis of results, within an organization, conflict thoughts, values, principles and emotions. can be: Intragroup conflict happens among Constructive or functional and individuals within a team. The Destructive or dysfunctional. misunderstandings among these individuals lead to an intragroup conflict. It is arises from If conflicts are a threat to efficient operations, prevent interpersonal disagreements (e.g. team progress and success of the organization, then they are members have different personalities which destructive or dysfunctional. On the other hand, if may lead to tension) or differences in views and conflicts are contributing to the success and prosperity ideas (e.g. in a presentation, members of the of the organization, then we are talking about functional team might find the notions presented by the or structural conflict. one presiding to be erroneous due to their Functional conflict is conflict or tension within a group differences in opinion). Within a team, conflict that leads to positive results. Conflict is constructive can be helpful in coming up with decisions when it results in clarification of important problems and which will eventually allow them to reach their issues, results in solutions to problems, involves people objectives as a team. However, if the degree of in resolving issues important to them, causes authentic conflict disrupts harmony among the members, communication, helps release emotion, anxiety, and then some serious guidance from a different stress, builds cooperation among people through party will be needed for it to be settled. learning more about each other; joining in resolving the Intergroup conflict takes place when a conflict, and helps individuals develop understanding misunderstanding arises among different teams and skills. within an organization. For instance, the sales Destructive conflict. The basic features are: the inability department of an organization can come in of groups whose members are in conflict to find a conflict with the customer support department. solution to the problem or to find solutions that are of This is due to the varied sets of goals and poorer quality, actors in the conflict are apathetic or interests of these different groups. In addition, increasingly aggressive and hostile towards each other, competition also contributes for intergroup the energy is located at conflict and not in solution, conflict to arise. There are other factors which making difficult to permorming work tasks. These IS'17 447