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Explore the various types and levels of conflicts within nonprofit organizations, understand the causes of conflicts, and learn effective conflict resolution techniques. Differentiate between functional and dysfunctional conflicts, and discover strategies for resolving conflicts at interpersonal, group, and organizational levels.
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Decision making in npo sector Lecture 26 MPA 505 Riffat Abbas Rizvi
AGENDA • Preview of last lecture • What is conflict? • Cause of conflict • Organizational level conflict • Types of conflict • Levels of conflict in an organization • Interpersonal conflict • Intra-group conflict • Conflict resolution vs. conflict management • Conflict resolution • Concluding remarks • When faced with conflicts
Agenda • Fighting to resolve conflicts • Problem solve • Conflict handling behavior • Competition • Collaboration • compromise • Avoidance • Accomodative • Bottom line
What is a CONFLICT • A battle, contest or opposing forces existing between primitive desires and moral, religious or ethical ideas ( Webster’s Dictionary). • A state of incompatibility of ideas between two or more parties or individuals Conflict management is the practice of identifying and handling conflict in a sensible, fair and efficient manner.
… So conflict is a ‘clash of interests, values, actions, views or directions’
Conflicts arise due to: People disagree (a) They see things differently because of differences in understanding and viewpoint. (b) People have different styles, principles, values, beliefs and slogans which determine their choices and objectives. (c) People have different ideological and philosophical outlooks. (d) Conflict situations can arise because people have different status. (f) People are supposed to disagree under particular circumstances.
Conflicts arise due to People are concerned with fear, force, fairness or funds: (a) Force is a necessary ingredient of any conflict situation. Force may be ethical or emotional. (b) Fear relates to imaginary concern about something which might happen in the future. (c) Fairness refers to an individual's sense of what is right and what is not right, a fundamental factor learnt in early childhood. (d) Funds or costs can cause conflict, but can also force a conclusion through acceptable to the conflicting parties.
Conflicts in organization: • A party is required to engage in an activity that doesnot meet with his or her needs or interests. • A party holds behavioral preferences, the satisfaction of which does not meet with another person's preferences. • A party wants some mutually desirable resource that is in short supply, such that the wants of all parties involved may not be satisfied fully. • A party possesses attitudes, values, skills, and goals that direct his or her behavior but are perceived to be exclusive of the attitudes, values, skills, and goals held by the other(s). • Two parties are interdependent in the performance of functions or activities.
Types of Conflicts Functional & Dysfunctional Conflicts Functional conflicts are constructive, support your company's goals, and improve performance. It generally involves people who are genuinely interested in solving a problem and are willing to listen to one another.
Types of Conflicts Dysfunctional conflicts on the other hand, consist of disputes and disagreements that hinder your company's performance. This generally involves people who are unwilling to work together to solve a problem and is often personal.
Levels of conflicts with in an organization Within an organization, a conflict can be at five levels: • Inter-personal • Intra-personal • Inter-group • Intra-group • Intra-organization
First level of conflict: intrapersonal Intrapersonal conflict: Conflict that arises within a person. For example, when you’re uncertain about what is expected or wanted, or you have a sense of being inadequate to perform a task, you are experiencing intrapersonal conflict. Intrapersonal conflict can arise because of differences in roles. For example, Role conflict, may arise if you’re the head of one team but also a member of another team.
Inter-personal Conflict A type of conflict between two people. is among individuals such as coworkers, a manager and an employee, or CEOs and their staff.
Intra-group Conflicts Intra-group conflicts occur with in the group and they are mostly a tug of war towards decision making and involve a great deal of interpersonal and intrapersonal conflicts as well. A group member may act intimidating towards others and that can lead to a conflicting situation.
Inter-group conflicts Conflict that takes place among different groups, such as different departments or divisions in a company, or between union and management, or between companies, such as companies who supply the same customer. is conflict that takes place among different groups.
Intra-organization conflicts Intraorganizational conflict is a conflict that takes place among different groups or departments of an organization. Departments may conflict over achieving goals, failures or cross functional responsibilities characterizing their functions and operations.
Conflict Resolution Vs. Conflict Management Conflict resolution: Conflict Management: Conflict resolution involves the reduction, elimination, or termination of all forms and types of conflict. Conflict management involves implementing strategies to limit the negative aspects of conflict and to increase the positive aspects of conflict at a level equal to or higher than where the conflict is taking place.
Conflict Resolution VS Management The Bottom Line Businesses can benefit from appropriate types and levels of conflict. That is the aim of conflict management, and not the aim of conflict resolution.
Concluding remarks • The task of this part was: • to introduce and define conflict in an organization; • its causes, • Its types, • its different levels, and • how it differs from conflict resolution. All these factors are crucial for understanding of the concept of conflicts in formal organizations and its functions and advantages.
When faced with a conflict • They can react in either:
Fighting to resolve conflict Fighting as a way of resolving a conflict can only be useful in courtroom situations, where winning and losing becomes a by-product of the judicial process.
Negotiation Negotiations take place within the prevailing situation and do not involve problem solving or designing.
Negotiations to solve conflicts: Third-party roles are very important in bringing the conflicting parties together on some common ground for negotiations.
Problem Solve Problem solve involves identifying and removing the cause of the conflict so as to make the situation normal again. It is also possible that the situation may not become normal even after removing the identified cause, because of its influence on the situation.
Design Design, which is an attempt towards making the conflict situation normal. It considers conflicts as situations rather than problems. Designing is not confined to what is already there, but attempts to reach what might be created given a proper understanding of the views and situations. It is creating a system to deal with a particular type of conflict.
Conflict handling behaviour Two intentions determining the type of conflict-handling behaviour are: • Assertion : assertion refers to an attempt to confront the other party; • Cooperation: cooperation refers to an attempt to find an agreeable solution.
Competition • Fundamental premise: Associates "winning" a conflict with competition • Strategic philosophy: When goals are extremely important, one must sometimes use power to win • When to use: • When you know you are right • When time is short and a quick decision is needed • When a strong personality is trying to steamroller you and you don't want to be taken advantage of • When you need to stand up for your rights
Competition • Drawbacks: • Can escalate conflict • Losers may retaliate
Collaboration • Fundamental premise: Teamwork and cooperation help everyone achieve their goals while also maintaining relationships. • Strategic philosophy: The process of working through differences will lead to creative solutions that will satisfy both parties' concerns. • When to use: • When there is a high level of trust • When you don't want to have full responsibility • When you want others to also have "ownership" of solutions • When the people involved are willing to change their thinking as more information is found and new options are suggested • When you need to work through animosity and hard feelings
Collaboration • Drawbacks: • The process takes lots of time and energy • Some may take advantage of other people's trust and openness
Compromise • Fundamental premise: Winning something while losing a little is OK. • Strategic philosophy: Both ends are placed against the middle in an attempt to serve the "common good" while ensuring each person can maintain something of their original position. • When to use: • When people of equal status are equally committed to goals. • When time can be saved by reaching intermediate settlements on individual parts of complex issues. • When goals are moderately important.
Compromise • Drawbacks: • Important values and long-term objectives can be derailed in the process. • May not work if initial demands are too great. • Can spawn cynicism, especially if there's no commitment to honor the compromise solutions.
Avoidance • Fundamental premise: This isn't the right time or place to address this issue. • Strategic philosophy: Avoids conflict by withdrawing, sidestepping, or postponing. • When to use: • When the conflict is small and relationships are at stake • When you're counting to ten to cool off • When more important issues are pressing and you feel you don't have time to deal with this particular one • When you have no power and you see no chance of getting your concerns met • When you are too emotionally involved and others around you can solve the conflict more successfully • When more information is needed
Avoidance • Drawbacks: • Important decisions may be made by default • Postponing may make matters worse
Accommodative • Fundamental premise: Working toward a common purpose is more important than any of the peripheral concerns; the trauma of confronting differences may damage weak relationships. • Strategic philosophy: Satisfy others by downplaying conflict, thus protecting the relationship. • When to use: • When an issue is not as important to you as it is to the other person • When you realize you are wrong and know you cant win • When you are willing to let others learn by mistake • When it is not the right time and you would prefer to simply build credit for the future. When peace is extremely important • When what the parties have in common is a good deal more important than their differences
Accommodative • Drawbacks: • One's own ideas don't get attention • Credibility and influence can be lost
The Bottom line Conflicts are inevitable in any organization. A modest level of conflict can be useful in generating better ideas and methods, inspiring concern and ingenuity, and stimulating the emergence of long-suppressed problems.
