PENTECOSTAL LIFE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF COMMERCE

Level of Study 3rd YEAR

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Course Name Conflict Management & Resolution

Course Code BUM 3205

Student name Khetase Munthali

Lecturer Goodson Richard Jumbe

Mode of Attendance WEEKEND Assignment # ONE

Submission Date 16 August 2020 Due Date 24 August 2020

Student Signature Grade

(Official Use)
QUESTION 1
John Dunlop and the systems analysts argue that conflict is ubiquitous but deviant behavior.
Discuss.
Conflict management is the process of limiting the negative aspects of conflict while increasing
the positive aspects of conflict. The aim of conflict management is to enhance learning and group
outcomes, including effectiveness or performance in an organizational setting. (Wikipedia, n.d.)
All things being equal it is anticipated that people will live in harmony but here there are people
with divergent personalities, perceptions, and values and where people are put on jobs with
contrasting features that impart unequal degrees of status and frequently foster competition
conflicts are inevitable. Organizations when formulating their policies and guidelines should make
sure that they put in place conflict management and resolution strategies.
A state of conflict is characterized by the following features:
1. It arises when two or more individuals or groups think differently.

2. It is caused by different perceptions that different individuals hold about the same object or goal.
While someone thinks a course of action is right, the other one does not hold the same opinion.
This leads to conflict of opinion on the same subject.

3. It usually arises because of scarcity of resources. When people compete for scarce resources,
they hold different views about how best they can utilize those resources to achieve the
organizational goals.

And the following are some of the causes of conflicts:

Resources - In an organization, anything of value like funds, personnel and valuable information
is a source of competition.
Time Pressure - Time pressure for example deadlines, can increase the performance of an
individual or reduce the performance by triggering destructive emotional reactions. While
imposing deadlines, managers must understand and consider an individual’s capacity and ability
to meet the set targets.

Unreasonable work polices and standards – If work policies and standards are unreasonable and
unattainable, they lead to dysfunctional conflicts between managers and teammates. There is need
for managers to frame sound policies, rules and procedures and correct those policies and
procedures that do not help employees achieve organizational objectives.

Communications Breakdowns - Communication is a complex process. Barriers to

communication such as language, cultural diversity, gender differences and status differences often
provoke conflict. When two-way communication is hampered, it is easy to misunderstand another
person or a certain group.
Personality Clashes - People have different values and different perceptions of issues. A
production manager, for instance, may believe simplifying the products line and concentrating on
a few products can make the organization more productive, while a sales manager may desire a
broad product line that will satisfy diverse customer demands.
Unrealized Expectations - When people’s expectations are not met, employees feel dissatisfied.
Unrealistic expectations from people can also result in destructive conflict. Open and frank
communication with employees can help make people knowledgeable about what they can expect
from their organization.
Leadership styles and background - A manager’s autocratic leadership style as well as
Differences in educational backgrounds of employees may also lead to conflict.
When setting about policies for the organization, management should take into consideration the
following types of conflicts that arise in an organization:

Relationship Conflict -This type of conflict arises from differences in personality, style, matters
of taste, and even conflict styles. In organizations, people who would not ordinarily meet in real
life are often thrown together and must try to get along. It is not surprising then that relationship
conflicts are common in organizations.

Task Conflict - When there is a discord, among members regarding nature of work and when team
members develop solutions together rather than having outcomes imposed on them, they are more
likely to abide by the agreement and get along better in the future.

Process Conflict - Clashes among the team members due to the difference in opinions, on how
work should be completed, is called process conflict.
Value Conflict – This type of conflict can arise from fundamental differences in identities and
values, which can include differences in politics, religion, ethics, norms, and other deeply held
beliefs. Although discussion of politics and religion is often discouraged in organizations, disputes
about values can arise in the context of work decisions and policies.

Below are stages of conflicts that are commonly found in organization’s where there are people of
divergent views and beliefs:
1. Latent Conflict - Latent conflict is the stage in which factors exist in the situation which could
become potential conflict inducing forces.
Four basic types of latent conflict are:
(i) Competition for scarce resources

(ii) Drive for autonomy

(iii) Divergence of goals

(iv) Role conflict

2. Perceived Conflict - Conflicts may sometimes arise even if no conditions of latent conflict
exist. This is the stage when one party perceives the other to be likely to thwart or frustrate his or
her goals. The case, in which conflict is perceived when no latent conflict arises, is said to result
from the parties misunderstanding each other’s true position. Such conflict can be resolved by
improving communication between the groups.

3. Felt Conflict - Felt conflict is the stage when the conflict is not only perceived but felt and
recognized. For example, A may be aware that he is in serious argument with B over some policy.
But this may not make A tense or anxious and it may have no effect, whatsoever, on A’s affection
towards B. The personalization of conflict is the mechanism which causes many people to be
concerned with dysfunctions of conflict. In other words, it makes them feel the conflict.

4. Manifest Conflict: -Manifest conflict is the stage when the two parties engage in behaviors
which evoke responses from each other. The most obvious of these responses are open aggression,
apathy, sabotage, withdrawal, and perfect obedience to rules. Except for prison riots, political
revolutions and extreme labour unrest, violence as a form of manifest conflict is rare. The motives
towards violence may remain but they tend to be expressed in less violent forms.
5. Conflict Aftermath - The aftermath of a conflict may have positive or negative repercussions
for the organisation depending upon how the conflict is resolved. If the conflict is genuinely
resolved to the satisfaction of all participants, the basis for a more cooperative relationship may be
laid; or the participants in their drive for a more ordered relationship may focus on latent conflicts
not previously perceived and dealt with.

On the other hand, if the conflict is merely suppressed but not resolved, the latent conditions of
conflict may be aggravated and explode in a more serious form until they are rectified. This conflict
episode is called ‘conflict aftermath.’ Conflict resolution has been added as an additional box in
the figure to elucidate the conflict aftermath is a direct function of the results of the conflict
resolution style adopted and exercised in any given situation.

When there are conflicts in an organization effects are more likely to be felt, whether positive or
negative. The following are the effects of conflicts in an organization:

Social Change - Conflict contributes to social change ensuring both interpersonal and intergroup
dynamics remain fresh and. reflective of current interests and realities.

Decision Making - Conflict serves to discourage rushed decision making forcing participants in
the decision making process to explore the issues and interests at stake and make good decisions
agreed by the whole group.

Reconciliation - Conflict allows for the reconciliation of the parties’ concerns, which can lead to
an agreement benefiting both parties’ needs, and often their relationship and organizations.

Group Unity - Conflict strengthens intragroup unity by providing an outlet for group members to
discuss and negotiate within the group. Without intragroup conflict, the health of the group
typically declines.

Inspire Creativity - Fortunately, some organization members view conflict as an opportunity for
finding creative solutions to solve problems. Conflict can inspire members to brainstorm ideas
while examining problems from various perspectives.
Mental Health Concerns - Conflict within an organization can cause members to become
frustrated if they feel as if there is no solution in sight, or if they feel that their opinions go
unrecognized by other group members.

As a result, members become stressed, which adversely affects their professional and personal
lives.

Organization members may become unapproachable. In some instances, organization members

may avoid meetings to prevent themselves from experiencing stress and stress-related symptoms.

Decrease in Productivity - When an organization spends much of its time dealing with conflict,
members take time away from focusing on the core goals they are tasked with achieving.

Conflict causes members to focus less on the project at hand and more on gossiping about conflict
or venting about frustrations.

As a result, organizations can lose money, donors, and access to essential resources.

Members Leave Organization - Organization members who are increasingly frustrated with the
level of conflict within an organization may decide to end their membership.

Once members begin to leave, the organization must recruit new members and resulting in
increased expenditure and this can also create a bad name for the organization as there will be high
staff turnover.

In extreme cases, where several members leave or an executive board steps down, organizations
risk dissolution.

Violence - When conflict escalates without mediation, intense situations may arise, between
organization members. It’s unfortunate, but organizational conflicts may cause violence among
members, resulting in legal problems for members and possibly the organization. This can also
create increate increased expenditure for the organization as the organization will spend settling
industrial disputes in court.
When conflicts arise in an organization, managers can implore the following conflict resolution
techniques to help the manage the conflict effectively

Confronting - In this method, people involved in the conflict or having a difference in opinion,
they come forward to discuss the problem at hand with a very open mind. They focus on resolving
the conflict and finding the best solution for the team. They discuss by rising above personal
emotions with the sole intention to finding what is best for the team. This leads to a win-win kind
of an outcome. Here everyone collaborates.

Compromising - Sometimes for certain conflicts, there will be a need for the involved parties to
think of a middle path wherein both parties decide to give up something and identify a resolution.
This kind of solution will be temporary for that moment and is not a long lasting solution. This
leads to lose-lose kind of an outcome as both parties may feel they have lost something.

Withdrawing - In some situation one of the parties in the conflict may decide to retract from the
discussion and allows going with the other person’s opinion. Or some situation, one of the parties
may decide to completely avoid the conflict by maintaining silence. This works well in situation
where one of the parties in the conflict is emotionally charged up or is angry. Hence avoiding any
conflict resolution provides a cooling off period to the people involved so that they can later come
back for meaningful resolution.

Forcing - In some situations, a person with authority and power can force their opinion and
resolves the conflict without giving any chance to the other person. This leads to a win-lose kind
of an outcome. Someone may end up feeling as a loser while the other person with authority may
feel as a winner. This technique can be used if we see the conflicts are unnecessary and mostly
destructive for the team.

Accommodating - This is a technique which is used when the atmosphere seems to be filled with
distrust among the parties involved. And no one is coming forward for resolving the conflict. In
this kind of scenarios, one of the parties can take charge and tries to smooth the surrounding by
using nice words and by emphasizing on the points of agreements and playing down on the points
of disagreements. This can work as catalyst to break the discomfort between the involved parties
by creating a feeling of trust and encourages them to come forward and resolve the conflict.
The below diagram illustrates the conflict management strategies

Every conflict will require to be resolved and organizations can use some of the below conflict
management resolutions

Separate The People From The Problem -It is important to separate the person from the conflict and
remember that conflict resolution is about the process not the person.

Focus on the issue and avoid tying the issue to a person or person(s).

For example, if there is conflict over limited resources, look at the process for how those resources
are allocated and not the person vying for those resources.

If you can determine how and why then it is possible to communicate a fair distribution.

If the process is deemed unfair, relook at the process, and strive to remove all natural biases
Identify A Mediator - Sometimes conflict is at such a level that it warrants a neutral party to
help mediate.

Ideally try to identify someone who is trained in mediation of people, or groups of people. Use this
expert to begin a conversation and work toward a resolution.

This might include establishing specific guidelines for personal interaction behaviors, as well as
identifying any underlying issues that contribute to the conflict.

For example, an employee promoted to a supervisor and having a difficult time managing
someone who was once a co-worker.

Clarify The Problem - It is important to take the time to hear all the concerns and to get a good
understanding of what the problem is.

Try to work towards identifying each parties’ interests and not their position as it relates to the
conflict.

Understanding another person’s interests can help separate the person from the problem.

For example, if there are limited resources to support a team project, try to listen to concerns from
each party about the potential impact those resources have and how it might affect their ability to
achieve employee goals.

Explore All Options - Brainstorm ideas for ways of resolving the issue that would result in a win-
win for all parties.

The goal is to make it a positive result for everyone involved. This might include establishing
criteria for determining fairness for the outcome.

For instance, initiate a conversation with both parties and simply ask the question:
• What does fairness look like to you?

• If you were me, how would you fairly distribute these limited resources?

The simple act of engaging in conversation that encourages employees to see things from a
different perspective can often lead to resolution.

Agree On A Resolution - All involved parties should be part of the process to find and agree to a
resolution.

This could be a verbal acknowledgment, and agreement, that the proposed resolution is the best
solution to the problem.

A more formal process might be to have all parties sign-off on the agreement in a written
document.
References
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Conflict management. Retrieved from Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_management