CONFLICT AND

NEGOTIATION
IN THE WORKPLACE
THE CONFLICT PROCESS
 CONFLICT
The process in which one party
perceives that its interests are being
opposed or negatively affected by
another party.
When describing an incident involving conflict, we are
usually referring to the observable part of conflict—the
angry words, shouting matches, and actions that
symbolize opposition.
As Exhibit 13.1 illustrates, the conflict process begins with the sources of conflict.
Incompatible goals, different values, and other conditions lead one or both
parties to perceive that conflict exists.
 THE CONFLICT PROCESS
• 1. Conflict Perceptions and Emotions
At some point the sources of conflict lead
one or both parties to perceive that conflict
exists. They become aware that one party’s
statements and actions are incompatible with
their own goals. These perceptions usually
interact with emotions experienced about the
conflict.
 THE CONFLICT PROCESS
2. Manifest Conflict
Conflict perceptions and emotions usually
manifest themselves in the decisions and overt
behaviors of one party toward the other. These
conflict episodes may range from subtle nonverbal
behaviors to warlike aggression. Particularly when
people experience high levels of conflict emotions,
they have difficulty finding words and expressions
that communicate effectively without further
irritating the relationship.
 THE CONFLICT PROCESS
3. Conflict Outcomes
Employees are often distracted from their work by
internal feuds and, in some cases, engage in
dysfunctional behaviors such as withholding valuable
knowledge and other resources. Ongoing conflict also
increases stress and turnover while reducing
organizational commitment and job satisfaction.
people normally associate conflict management with
reducing or removing conflict increasing the level of
constructive conflict (also known as task-related
conflict ).
 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
* intervention that reduces or removing
conflict
• constructive conflict (also known as task-related conflict ).
Team members debate for a different perceptions of an issue
that keeps the conflict focused.
• socioemotional conflict
A negative outcome that occurs when differences are viewed as
personal attacks rather than attempts to resolve an issue. . The
parties become defensive and competitive toward each other,
which motivates them to reduce communication and information
sharing.
 three strategies that might reduce the
level of socioemotional conflict during
constructive conflict episodes.
• Emotional intelligence.
intelligence. Emotionally intelligent employees are better
able to regulate their emotions during debate, which reduces the risk of
escalating perceptions of interpersonal hostility.
• Cohesive team.
team. The longer people work together, get to know each other,
and develop mutual trust, the more latitude they give to each other to
show emotions without being personally offended.
• Supportive team norms.
norms. When team norms encourage openness, for
instance, team members learn to appreciate honest dialogue without
personally reacting to any emotional display during the disagreements.
Sources of Conflict in Organizations
 The six main conditions that cause
conflict in organizational settings
1.Incompatible Goals.
Goal incompatibility occurs when personal or
work goals seem to interfere with another
person’s or department’s goals.
 The six main conditions that cause
conflict in organizational settings
2. Differentiation
conflict is often caused by different values
and beliefs due to unique backgrounds,
experiences, or training, cultural diversity
 The six main conditions that cause
conflict in organizational settings
3. Task Interdependence
team members must share common inputs to their
individual tasks, need to interact in the process of
executing their work, or receive outcomes (such as
rewards) that are partly determined by the performance
of others. The higher the level of task interdependence,
the greater the risk of conflict because there is a greater
chance that each side will disrupt or interfere with the
other side’s goals.
 The six main conditions that cause
conflict in organizational settings
4. Scarce Resources
generates conflict because each person or
unit that requires the same resource
necessarily undermines others who also need
that resource to fulfill their goals.
 The six main conditions that cause conflict in
organizational settings
5. Ambiguous rules—or the complete lack of
rules—breed conflict.
This occurs because uncertainty increases the risk that one
party intends to interfere with the other party’s goals. Ambiguity
also encourages political tactics, and in some cases employees
enter a free-for-all battle to win decisions in their favor. This
explains why conflict is more common during mergers and
acquisitions. Employees from both companies have conflicting
practices and values, and few rules have developed to minimize
the maneuvering for power and resources.
 The six main conditions that cause
conflict in organizational settings
6. Communication Problems.
Conflict often occurs due to the lack of opportunity,
ability, or motivation to communicate effectively. With
limited communication, people rely more on stereotypes
to fill in missing information. They also tend to
misunderstand each other’s verbal and nonverbal signals,
further escalating the conflict
 Interpersonal Conflict Management
Styles
• WIN–WIN ORIENTATION
The belief that conflicting parties will find a mutually beneficial
solution to their disagreement.
• WIN–LOSE ORIENTATION
The belief that conflicting parties are drawing from a fixed pie, so
the more one party receives, the less the other party will receive.
Structural Approaches to Conflict
Management
• SUPERORDINATE GOALS
Common objectives held by conflicting parties that are more
important than their conflicting departmental or individual goals.
• REDUCING DIFFERENTIATION
The more employees think they have common backgrounds or
experiences with co-workers, the more motivated they are to
coordinate their activities and resolve conflict through constructive
discussion with those co-workers. One way to increase this
commonality is by creating common experiences rotating staff across
different departments.
• IMPROVING COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING
more opportunities to communicate and understand each other and
the more meaningful interaction we have with someone, the less we
rely on to understand that person.
• REDUCING TASK INTERDEPENDENCE
rather than having one employee serve customers and another operate the cash
register, each employee could handle both customer activities alone.
• INCREASING RESOURCES
conflict on resource scarcity can be solved by increasing the amount of
resources but also consider its cost with respect to the cost of conflict arising from
resource scarcity.
CLARIFYING RULES AND PROCEDURES
conflict arising from the ambiguous rules can be solve by establishing
transparent rules and procedures
RESOLVING CONFLICT THROUGH NEGOTIATION
NEGOTIATION two or more conflicting parties attempt to resolve their divergent
goals by redefining the terms of their interdependence.It can be solved by using
a problem solving style (tries to find a mutually beneficial solution for both parties)
.
• SITUATIONAL INFLUENCES ON NEGOTIATIONS
Four of the most important situational factors are location, physical setting,
time, and audience.
A. LOCATION. It is easier to negotiate on your own turf because you are
familiar with the negotiating environment and are able to maintain
comfortable routines.
B. PHYSICAL SETTING. The physical distance between the parties and the
formality of the setting can influence their orientation toward each other and
the disputed issues.
C.TIME
C. TIME PASSAGE AND DEADLINES. The more time people invest in negotiations,
the stronger their commitment becomes to reaching an agreement.
D. AUDIENCE CHARACTERISTICS. Most negotiators have audiences—anyone
with a vested interest in the negotiation outcomes, such as executives, other
team members, or the general public.
 NEGOTIATOR BEHAVIORS
Negotiator behaviors play an important role in resolving conflict. Four of the most
important behaviors are setting goals, gathering information, communicating
effectively, and making concessions.
• PREPARATION AND GOAL SETTING. Research consistently reports that people
have more favorable negotiation results when they prepare for the negotiation
and set goals.
• GATHERING INFORMATION.
INFORMATION. “Seek to understand before you seek to be
understood.” This popular philosophy from management guru Stephen Covey
applies to effective negotiations.
• COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY. Effective negotiators communicate in a way
that maintains effective relationships between the parties.
• MAKING CONCESSIONS. Concessions are important because they (1) enable the
parties to move toward the area of potential agreement, (2) symbolize each
party’s motivation to bargain in good faith, and (3) tell the other party the
relative importance of the negotiating items
 Third-Party Conflict Resolution
Is any attempt by a relatively neutral person to help the parties resolve
their differences.
TYPES OF THIRD PARTY INTERVENTION
• Arbitration. ( person designates by parties to rule
over them in dispute.)
Arbitrators have high control over the final decision
but low control over the process.
• Inquisition. ( making inquiry)
Inquisitors control all discussion about the conflict.
• Mediation
Mediation..
Mediators have high control over the intervention
process. The main purpose is to manage the process and
context of interaction between the disputing parties.