Conflict- Meaning and Nature
The term conflict has many connotations. There has been no shortage of definition for conflicts. Conflict must be perceived by the parties to it, whether conflict exists or not is a perception issue. For a conflict to exist therefore, it must be perceived. Robbins defines conflict as a process in which an effort is purposely made by A to offset the efforts of B by some form of blocking that will result in frustrating B in attaining his or her goals or furthering his or her interests.
However it is possible to compress the essential ingredients of conflict in a precise definition, because it occurs in many different settings and may take several froms.
In an Organisational life, conflicts occurs when two or more parties persue mutually exclusive goals, values or events. It is based on the assumption that there are two or more parties whose interests or goals appears to be incompatible.
Secondly, the conflict arises out of perceptions of two individuals and it refers to deliberate behaviour.
The conflict may exist either at latent or overt level; and conflict is different from. Competition.
When we talk about the nature of conflict we may say,
— conflict is not an organisational abnormality.
— conflict is inevitable.
— conflict is an inherent structural component in all social relations.
— conflict is neither bad nor good for Organisation.
— perfect Organisational health is not free from conflict.
— conflict is not always made by trouble makers.
— conflict is susceptible to change
— conflict is sometime desirable in Organisation.
— a minimum level of conflict is optional.
Robbins says, while the Behavioural approach accepted conflict, the interactionist view encourages conflict on grounds that a harmonious, peaceful, tranquil and co-operative group is prove to becoming static, apathetic, and non-responsive to needs for change and innovations.
Conflict is in built in any Organisation. Be it a public sector undertaking, or a philanthropic institution. Wherever human co-ordination takes place, conflict ensues.
Genesis of Conflict
Competition for scarce resources is probably the most common source of Organisational conflict. Conflict among claimants for resources can result in behaviour and consequent resource distribution which is sub-optimal for the Organization. Management’s Concern is to achieve an orderly distribution of these limited resources and avoid the unnecessary costs of the Competition.
A need for autonomy and independence will often spawn Conflict within an organizational hierarchy. When a person joins an organisation, some portion of autonomy and freedom of action is forfeited in deference to co-ordination and co-operation. This creates a conflicting situation often.
Individuals and subunits in Organisations may find themselves in disagreement about the facts of a situation, about the appropriate means and methods to be instituted, about the goals to be achieved, and about the relevant guiding values. All these disagreements causes conflicts.
Group conflict arises out of differences on how to exercise power.
Expectations of uniformity may lead to conflicts.
Superb-ordinate is a goal which is critical for all individuals, but which cannot be achieved by any one together. If various members in a group perceive their goals are conflicting with each other, conflict will increase.
Other major source is concerned with relationship. If relationships are perceived as dependent, people are in conflict.
Conflict arises when the profit maximization goal of management demands changes in the type of goods produced, installation of new machineries, adoption of newer methods of production involving loss of hard earned skills, transfers, retrenchment, and compulsory retirement of workers. The workers expect and demand stability in their income, security status. Demand from the workers for a share in the management of the enterprise, a voice in the formulation of the standing orders and scope for self-expression and respect for the dignity of their individuality, may lead to conflict.
It is not. necessarily the sharing of the fruits of industry that may generate conflict. The very fact of the existence of the wide cleft of authority between the “hands that produce” and the hands that Control the means of productions, has become a major source of Conflict.
Conflict occurs when a desired goal or objective is not reasonably available. It takes place 1) within a person 2) between people, 3) between Organisational sub-units and 4) between Organisations. An individual will experience frustration when a barrier hampers the attainment of a desired promotion for example, a desired promotion or transfer which is denied because of budget limitations will result in frustration for the person.
Stages of Conflict
Organisational conflict proceed through several distinct stages and stems from several unique sources as we have discussed earlier.
Now, let us see the stages in detail…
Latent Conflict :
Conflict has its genesis in an early latent state. The elements necessary for conflict are present in this stage, but they are not always visible. Where a latent Conflict condition exists, one would probably find some combination of general uneasiness, perhaps apprehension, differences of opinion, different values and limited resources.
Perceived Conflict :
The next stage occurs when the Conflict is perceived and experienced by those involved. In this stage, people will feel more tense, hostile and agressive. They will begin to see the dimensions of the Conflict taking shape. Battle lines are sketched out, and contingency plans established. “We” , “they” distinctions become more important; good guys and bad guys are identified.
Manifestation Stage :
The final stage is to the manifested conflict where people are actually fighting. The fight will usually take place in the socially acceptable modes of verbai attack and defense. Occasionally, the fight gets to the physical aggression stage too.
The Process of Conflict
The process of Conflict, as per the views of Robbins comprising of four stages.
1) potential opposition
2) Cognition and Personalisation
3) Behaviour
4) Outcomes.
The following diagram expresses the process of Conflict in a detailed manner.
The process of Conflict
Stage 1
The first stage in the process of conflict is the presence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise. The sources of Conflict for this stages are grouped by Robbins under 3 major heads viz, Communication, structure and personal variables, which we have already discussed in other places of this subject.
Stage 2
If the conditions cited in stage 1 generate frustration, then the potential for opposition becomes actualised in the stage 2 . It depends upon the Cognition of the individuals. As we discussed, the nature of conflict itself is the perception of individual. When the individual become emotionally involved, that individual experiences anxiety, frustration, tenseness, hostility etc. In this stage the Conflict is perceived and felt by individuals, which is known as cognition and Personalisation.
Stage 3
In this stage, the process of Conflict frustrates the attainment of another’s goals or prevent the furthering of the other’s interest. At this stage, the Conflict is out in the open.
Robbins suggests the following conflict handling behaviour at this juncture
— Competition
— Collaboration
— Compromise
— Avoidance
— Accommodation.
Stage 4
In this final stage, the interplay between the overt conflict behaviour and conflict handling behaviour results in consequences outcomes.
The outcome may be an Improvement in the group’s performance or the outcomes may be a bysfunctional one, which decrease the performance.
The above stages in the process of Conflict demonstrates that the Conflict is a dynamic concept and can and either in constructive or destructive functioning of a group or unit. Either extremes hinders the performance.
Symptoms among conflicting persons
1) Aggression
2) Approach- Approach Dilemmas
3) Approach- Avoidance Dilemma
4) Avoidance- Avoidance Dilemma
Managing Conflict
1) Problem Solving
2) Smoothing
3) Win and loose
4) Reduction in scarcity of resources
5) Avoidance
6) Compromise
7) Changing the people in Conflict.
Thank you for reading this article if you find this article
