conflict is a disagreement about the allocation of scarce resources or clashes regarding goals, values and so on, can occur on the interpersonal and organizational level. In other words, conflict has been defined as a process in which an individual purposely makes an effort to offset the efforts of another individual by some form of blockage that causes frustration to the latter in accomplishing his goals or furthering of his interests.
Related Topic:
Generally, there are three level of conflicts in an organization life which are as follows:
1. Individual Level Conflict
A person joins any organization basically to satisfy his varying needs. He faces a conflict within himself when he perceives that organization is not satisfying his needs in accordance with his perceived standards. The analysis of conflict may start at the individual level itself. Since an organization is composed of various individuals, many conflicts develop at individual level. The individual level conflicts may be analyzed in two ways: intra-individual and inter-individual or interpersonal.
a) Intra-individual Conflicts
Intra-individual conflicts arise within a person and are of psychological nature. Many times, the individual remain conflict-hidden, but he fails to perceive it. However, they may be latent or overt. Such conflicts are generally related to the goals a person wants to achieve or roles in the manner he wants to achieve. Hence, intra-individual conflicts are of two types:
i) Goal Conflict
Goal conflict occurs when two or more motives block each other. In other words, an individual in the organization faces a goal conflict when he discovers many alternatives of goals which he wants to achieve, being equally attractive, but actually exclusive. He is caught in his own web and faces a serious intra-personal conflict.ii) Role ConflictAn individual performs a number of roles. Role conflict arises when a person has alternative ways of achieving organizational goals and he is asked a behavior which may ensure the achievement of goals. A superior is respected to get things done but he is internally in tension whether to apply autocratic, participative or free night technique of direction.
b) Inter-individual ConflictsInter-personal conflicts arise between two individual having competition for achieving scarce things, such as status, power, position, promotion or resources or they may pick up conflict due to their divergent opinions, attitudes or values. Disagreement among individuals in an organization may arise for variety of reasons such as: personal differences, value of interest differences, perceptual differences, power and position differences, resource constraints.
2. Group Level Conflicts
A group constitutes two or more persons who interact in such a way that each person influences and is influenced by others. Group level conflicts refer to the disagreement, competition or clash between two groups of the organization, say between supervisory staff and the workers or between management and trade unions. Group level conflicts further can be classified as inter-group conflicts and intra-group conflicts.
a) Inter-group ConflictsInter-group conflict arises out of the interaction of various groups. There are many factors in the organization which determine the inter-group relationship. Inter-group conflicts over authority, jurisdiction and resources are exceedingly common. Every group is in at least partial conflict with every other group it interacts with. Most of the departments in the organization compete for the allocation of scarce resources and power. They differ in goals, act, work activities, power and prestige. The seeds of inter-group conflict are shown in these differences. Research findings generally confirm the following sources of inter-group conflicts:
- Incompatible goals
- Task interdependence
- Resource allocation
- Competitive incentive and reward system
- Line and staff conflicts
- Differences in value and perception
- Heterogeneity of members
- Communication distortion
- Participative decision making
- Low formalization
b) Intra-group ConflictIntra-group is the group consisting of a number of persons whose interactions at a given time generate a system of values, norms and sanctions appropriate to the nature of the task on which they are working, which has created a set of well defined role and status relations which are interdependent. Intra-group conflict may arise in three situations:
- When group faces a novel problem of task.
- Where new values are imported from the social environment into the group.
- Where a person's extra-group role comes into conflict with his intra-group role.
3. Organizations Level Conflict
Conflict at individual level and at group level takes place within the organizational setting. Conflict at organization level may be intra-organizational and inter-organizational. Individuals in the organizations have many conflicting organizational cross pressures operating on them. The following examples indicate the source of potential conflict:
The boss wants more production; subordinates want more considerations. Customers want faster deliveries; peers request schedule delay. Consultants suggest change; subordinates resist change. The rule book provides a formula; the staffs say it will not work.
Types of organization level conflicts are as follows:
a) Intra-organizations Conflict
The reasons of conflicts in an organization are many but mainly three kinds of internal strains can be identified:
b) Inter-organizations Conflicti. The Horizontal Strain: The competition between different functional sub-systems.ii. Vertical Strain: The competition between various level in three hierarchy for power, privilege or reward andiii. Line and Staff Conflict: Line and staff conflict further can be classified as horizontal conflict and vertical conflict.
The basis of inter-organizations conflicts are essentially the same as three basis of inter-group conflict. Most commonly cited reasons for inter-organizations conflicts like incompatible objectives, over status, prestige and money are present in inter-organizations conflicts also. In other words, inter-organizations conflict is more extensive, more diffusing than the conflicts amongst persons or groups.
No comments:
Post a Comment