Conflict can be good for a business When it isn’t good, the conflict must be resolved Different methods exist to resolve conflict No one method is best for any conflict, A process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect . | Understanding and Resolving Conflict Mark Smallwood Brigham Young University Agenda What is conflict? What is conflict’s role in business? Different views of conflict Kinds of conflict Stages of conflict resolution Methods of conflict resolution Group Exercise Review What is Conflict? 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. This definition of conflict is taken from the article, “Conflict and Negotiation Processes in Organizations,” by . Thomas in the Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. A Few Questions Is conflict bad for business? What kind of conflict is seen in our business? Does this conflict help or hurt our performance? These questions should help give you an idea of what the employee’s view is of conflict in this organization. Conflicts About Conflict’s Role Different Views Traditional View Human Relations View Interactionist View | Understanding and Resolving Conflict Mark Smallwood Brigham Young University Agenda What is conflict? What is conflict’s role in business? Different views of conflict Kinds of conflict Stages of conflict resolution Methods of conflict resolution Group Exercise Review What is Conflict? 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. This definition of conflict is taken from the article, “Conflict and Negotiation Processes in Organizations,” by . Thomas in the Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. A Few Questions Is conflict bad for business? What kind of conflict is seen in our business? Does this conflict help or hurt our performance? These questions should help give you an idea of what the employee’s view is of conflict in this organization. Conflicts About Conflict’s Role Different Views Traditional View Human Relations View Interactionist View 1. Information concerning the different roles of conflict in business is taken from Stephen P. Robbins book, Essentials of Organizational Behavior. 2. Although all of these views are currently used in some businesses, the interactionist view is seen as the most prominent view in current businesses. Different Views Traditional View Conflict is bad! Same as violence, destruction, irrationality This view considers that all conflict is bad and is detrimental to a teams effectiveness. This view really doesn’t coincide well in business situations where innovation and change are common features. In Robert Bacal’s, “Organizational Conflict - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly,” he says “To the "traditional" organizational thinker, conflict implies that the organization is not designed or structured correctly or adequately. Common remedies would be to further elaborate job descriptions, authorities and responsibilities, increase the use of central power (discipline), separate conflicting members, .
