Leadership and Organization

Behavior
Class: BBA VI
By: Dr. Hafsah Zahur
Assistant Professor
NUML, Management Sciences Dept.

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 Lecture 7 Outline
• Conflict
• Views on Conflict
• Functional vs. Dysfunctional
• Types of Conflict
• Levels of Conflict
• Sources of Conflict
• Conflict Process
• Negotiation
• Bargaining strategies / Negotiation strategies
• Negotiation Process
• Issues in Negotiation
• Third party Negotiation
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 Conflict
• Conflict Defined
– A process that begins when one party perceives that
another party has negatively affected, or is about to
negatively affect, something that the first party cares
about
• That point in an ongoing activity when an interaction “crosses
over” to become an interparty conflict
– Encompasses a wide range of conflicts that people
experience in organizations
• Incompatibility of goals
• Differences over interpretations of facts
• Disagreements based on behavioral expectations
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• According to Joe Kelly , “ Conflict is defined as
opposition or dispute between persons, groups or
ideas ”.
• According to Follett, “ Conflict is the appearance of
difference , difference of opinions, of interests ”

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 Transition in Conflict Thought
• Traditional View of Conflict :The belief that all conflict is harmful
and must be avoided
• Human Relations View of Conflict :The belief that conflict is a
natural and inevitable outcome in any group
• Interactionist View of Conflict: The belief that conflict is not only
a positive force in a group but that it is absolutely necessary for a
group to perform effectively

Causes
Causes
•• Poor
Poorcommunication
communication
•• Lack
Lackofofopenness
openness
•• Failure
Failuretotorespond
respondtoto
employee
employeeneedsneeds 6
 Views on conflict
• Traditional view: The early approach to conflict assumed that all
conflict was bad. Conflict was viewed negatively, and it was used
synonymously with such terms as violence, destruction.
• Human Relations view: The human relations position argued that
conflict was a natural occurrence in all groups and organizations.
Since conflict was inevitable(which cannot be avoided) it is accepted
and there are even times when conflict may benefit a group’s
performance.
• Interactionist View( Modern View): This view is based on the belief
that conflict is not only a positive force in a group but is also
necessary for a group to perform effectively. This approach
encourages group leaders to maintain an ongoing minimum level of
conflict – enough to keep the group viable, self-critical and creative.
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 Views on conflict
Traditional View Current View

1. Conflict is avoidable. 1. Conflict is inevitable.

2. Conflict is caused by management 2. Conflict arises from many
causes,
error in designing organizations or by including organizational
structure,
trouble makers. unavoidable differences in goals,
differences in perceptions and values
of specialized personnel and so on.
3. Conflict disrupts the organization 3. Conflict contributes and
detracts from
and prevents optimal performance. organizational
performance in varying degrees.
4. The task of the management is to 4. The task of the management is
to manage eliminate conflict. the level of conflict and its
resolution
for optimal organizational performance.
5. Optimal organizational performance 5. Optimal organizational
performance requires the removal of conflict. Requires a
moderate level of conflict. 8
 Functional versus Dysfunctional Conflict
Functional Conflict
Conflict that supports the goals of the group and improves its
performance. Lead to increased awareness of problems that need to
be addressed result in broader and more productive searches for
solutions generally facilitate positive change, adaptation, and
innovation

Dysfunctional Conflict
Any confrontation or interaction between groups that harms the organization or
hinders the achievement of organizational goals
Management must seek to eliminate dysfunctional conflict
.

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Types of Conflict

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Level of Conflict

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 Sources of Conflict
– Incompatible Evaluation or reward system: workers
are evaluated for one thing, but are told to do
something different.
• Groups rewarded for low cost but firm needs higher service.
– Scarce Resources: managers can conflict over
allocation of resources.
• When all resources are scarce, managers can fight over
allocations.
– Status inconsistencies: some groups have higher
status than others.
• Leads to managers feeling others are favored.

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Conflict Process

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 Stage I: Potential Opposition or
Incompatibility
• Communication
– Semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and “noise”
• Structure
– Size and specialization of jobs
– Jurisdictional clarity/ambiguity
– Member/goal incompatibility
– Leadership styles (close or participative)
– Reward systems (win-lose)
– Dependence/interdependence of groups
• Personal Variables
– Differing individual value systems
– Personality types
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Stage II: Cognition and Personalization

Conflict
ConflictDefinition
Definition

Negative
NegativeEmotions
Emotions Positive
PositiveFeelings
Feelings

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 Stage III: Intentions

Cooperativeness:
Cooperativeness:
• • Attempting
Attemptingtotosatisfy
satisfythe
the
other party’s concerns.
other party’s concerns.
Assertiveness:
Assertiveness:
• • Attempting
Attemptingtotosatisfy
satisfy
one’s
one’sown
ownconcerns.
concerns.

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Dimensions of Conflict-Handling Intentions

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Stage III: Intentions (cont’d)

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Stage III: Intentions (cont’d)

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Stage IV: Behavior

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Stage IV: Conflict Resolution Techniques
• Conflict Resolution • Conflict Stimulation
Techniques
Techniques
• – Problem solving
• – Sub-ordinate goals • – Bringing in outsiders
• – Expansion of resources • – Communication
• – Avoidance • – Restructuring the
• – Smoothing
organization
• – Compromise
• – Authoritative command
• – Appointing a devil’s
• – Altering the human variable advocate
• – Altering the structural
• variables
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 Stage V: Outcomes
• Functional Outcomes from • Dysfunctional Outcomes
Conflict
– Increased group performance
from Conflict
– Improved quality of decisions – Development of
– Stimulation of creativity and discontent
innovation – Reduced group
– Encouragement of interest and
curiosity effectiveness
– Provision of a medium for – Retarded communication
problem-solving – Reduced group
– Creation of an environment for
self-evaluation and change
cohesiveness
• Creating Functional Conflict – Infighting among group
– Reward dissent and punish conflict members overcomes
avoiders group goals
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Negotiation

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Bargaining Strategies

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Staking Out the Bargaining Zone

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 The
Negotiation
Process

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 Issues in Negotiation
• The Role of Personality Traits in Negotiation
– Traits do not appear to have a significantly direct effect on
the outcomes of either bargaining or negotiating
processes.
• Gender Differences in Negotiations
– Women negotiate no differently from men, although men
apparently negotiate slightly better outcomes.
– Men and women with similar power bases use the same
negotiating styles.
– Women’s attitudes toward negotiation and their success as
negotiators are less favorable than men’s.
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Third-Party Negotiations

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Third-Party Negotiations (cont’d)

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 Conflicting Topics
1. Love Marriage Vs. Arrange Marriage
2. Co-education For or Against
3. Poetry is the waste of Time For or Against

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Exercise
Exercise “Conflict
“Conflict and
and Negotiation”
Negotiation”
Exercise “Conflict and Negotiation”
Phase 1, The entire class is divided in Group A and Group
B;
Phase 2, Groups A and B jot the points on separate
sheets to study only for five minutes and they will be
taken back.
Phase 3, Groups A and B will take up positions.
discussion
Phase 4, Groups A and B will start negotiations. Allotted
time: 15 minutes.
Phase 5, Moderator to prepare board, sub-group names
allotted.
Phase 11, Class Discussion and instant grading.
Exercise 5 carries total six marks and will be included and
graded this semester.
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Exercise
Exercise :: “Conflict
“Conflict and
and Negotiation”
Negotiation” (cont’d)
(cont’d)
Observe the following points during your negotiation
process:
1. How did the negotiations begin?
2. Who came up with the solution?
3. Who was more powerful and stronger?
4. Who got the better deal?
5. Did you manage time?
6. How did you conclude the negotiations?
7. How many melons went to whom (Who Wins)?
8. Had the negotiators done their work properly?

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