Comprehensive summary of Conflict Management (Chapter 3), adapted from the Consumo Publishers Business Studies Grade 12 Textbook. Easy to understand with clear headings and sub-headings, diagrams and tables, and important terms highlighted in bold.
Conflict = negative differences of opinion or the varied emotions people experience
often due to a dispute over a particular issue
- Associated with negative emotions
- Can lead to positive outcome
Functional conflict
Situation where parties deal with conflict in a healthy manner and have respect for
each other's opinions. The outcome is positive and may lead to innovation, creativity
and higher productivity
Important to:
- Respect each other
- Listen to each other's point of view
- Acknowledge that there may be merit in opposing view
- Compromiser to resolve conflict that would lead to a win-win situation
➔ Manager may sometimes have to play the devil's advocate (create conflict) in
order to band a team
Possible outcomes to functional conflict:
• May create awareness that there is a problem that needs to be solved
• Team members may start to consider a range of ideas, which may result in
increased participation by people who weren't interested before; stimulating
creativity and productivity
• Inaccurate perceptions discussed and misconceptions cleared
• Clarification of individuals views and cooperation occurs
, Kayla Humphries
Dysfunctional conflict
= Conflict that leads to a decline in productivity and hinders group performance
• Often the result of people's misconceptions, ambitions and egos and/or
willingness to compromise
• Misunderstandings and lack of communication are central
• Manager has to resolve if conflict has negative impact of productivity
• Wastes resources, counterproductive, undermine group cohesiveness
• If compromise cannot be reached:
- Manager may have to force parties to set differences aside and cooperate
to achieve goals
Possible outcomes of dysfunctional conflict:
● Climate of distrust
● Blaming, backstabbing and gossip
● Higher levels of stress and anxiety which contributes to lower levels of job
satisfaction
● Lowe morale and increased staff turnover
● Waste of time and resources
● Sometimes violence
Reasons for conflict:
DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES:
In the workplace people not only have to work together to achieve the overall goal of the
business but also realise their ambition and goals, which are different to others. Egos
often get in the way and people do not want to compromise on their way of doing things
◆ Manager should asses the situations: if parties are not willing to
compromise, they should intervene to get the parties to focus on the
business goal before their own agendas
DIFFERENCES IN BACKGROUNDS
Cultures and values often cause arguments and lead to irritations and low productivity
◆ Important to address these issues early. Employees should be reminded
to be sensitive when dealing with complex differences. Sensitivity training
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