MGIB02H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Organizational Conflict, Group Cohesiveness, Negotiation
Organizational Behaviour
Chapter 12 (Lecture 0)
Supplementary Materials - Class Video (Notes)
What is Conflict?
Interpersonal Conflict: Process that occurs when one person, group or subunit frustrates the goal attainment of
another (caused by differences in personality, power)
Conflict is not always a bad thing:
1. Dysfunctional Conflict: Differences in relationships and personalities that hinder goal attainment
Reduces group cohesiveness and bring group work to ahalt
2. Functional Conflict: Differences during the conflict and in decision making; improves the quality of
decisions, stimulates and encourages correction of error, self correction and curiosity
5 Levels of Conflict Management Styles
Competing
Seeks to satisfy their own interests, regardless of impact on others
→ High in assertiveness, low in cooperation
ex: Convincing others that YOUR ideas are better
↑ assertiveness and ↓ cooperation
Useful when:
- Quick decisions are vital (emergencies)
- When unpopular decisions need to be made (firing or disciplining others)
Collaborating
Intention of the parties is to solve the problem by clarifying differences; by accommodating various
points of view
Useful when:
- Objective is to learn
- Merge insights
- Find a solution where both concerns are needed
Avoiding
Recognizes that conflict exists, but withdraws or suppresses it
Useful when:
- Issue is unimportant
- There is no chance of getting things your way
- Ruining the relationship outweighs the benefits of resolution
- Letting others cool down and regain perspective
Accommodating
Pleases opponent by placing their interests above their own
Useful when:
- Building relationships for later; “social credits”
- Minimizing loss
- Harmony and stability are important
Compromising
Gives up something, sharing occurs, results in a compromised outcome; both parties are sacrificing
something
Useful when
- Arriving at solutions under time pressure
- Not worth disrupting the relationship
Document Summary
In erpersonal conflic : process ha occ rs when one person, gro p or s b ni fr s ra es he goal a ainmen of ano her (ca sed by differences in personali y, power) Conflic is no always a bad hing: dysf nc ional conflic : differences in rela ionships and personali ies ha hinder goal a ainmen . Red ces gro p cohesiveness and bring gro p work o ahal : f nc ional conflic : differences d ring he conflic and in decision making; improves he q ali y of decisions, s im la es and enco rages correc ion of error, self correc ion and c riosi y. Seeks o sa isfy heir own in eres s, regardless of impac on o hers (cid:1037) high in asser iveness, low in coopera ion ex: convincing o hers ha your ideas are be er (cid:1036) asser iveness and (cid:1038) coopera ion.
