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Executive Summary
Conflict is a common and sometimes important par of an organization. However, if not well handled conflict can result in explosive situations which can lead to an organization incurring significant losses.
Owing to this possibility it is better that an organization prepare in advance for such occurrences with a view to minimizing the resultant losses. The following report will provide the reader some information on the causes, factors and strategies that could be used in conflict resolution.
Background
The topic of conflict resolution within the workplace is a very crucial one given that the inclusion of new technology in the workplace has provided additional ground for the emergence of potentially explosive situations (Brinkman & Kirschner, 2002). This is especially important in the workplace where communication between parties must appear to reflect a common interest.
This is due to the fact that most people do not communicate with individuals who appear to be against them (Brinkman & Kirschner, 2002). This position is easily accomplished in face to face encounters but is often a source of mistrust and eventual conflict when communication is performed using new technology.
In an analysis of conversation and the way that people get meaning from communication, it was reported that 55% of the meaning people get is based on what they see, 38% of meaning is based on how it was said or the tone and 7% is based on the words actually spoken (Brinkman & Kirschner, 2002). Based on this it is possible to understand that it is very easy for conflict to arise in the workplace.
This is because when communication is done using technology there are instances in which the user does not have a visual or even audio connection with the speaker. In this case a proper knowledge of the protocols to follow is essential to reduce the amount of conflict and increase the performance of the worker.
Based on the above percentages or numbers of meaning as they are sometimes referred to we can see that in written communication the 55% attributed to visual cues and the 38% attributed to audible cues are lost (Brinkman & Kirschner, 2002).
This means that in such cases all that remains is the words. This loss is in many ways a major advantage of written communication when compared with other forms of communication. This comes from the fact that it allows the speaker to address the point directly without need to consider the presentation.
Literature Review
The increased tendency towards globalization has seen the emergence of distributed virtual teams to handle the increased work related needs. Some of the potential benefits that can be attributed to this include the ability to provide round the clock customer support and a speedy response to global market demands (Kankanhalli, Tan & Wei, 2007).
Despite these improvements in business the existence of these teams has the potential to cause an increase in conflict between teams owing to time zone differences and minimal face to face contact. This position suggests that conflict management has to be provided at a slightly improved level if the team outcome is to be achieved (Kankanhalli, Tan & Wei, 2007).
The topic of conflict resolution is especially crucial for business owing to the current trends of globalization that have vast effects on business. Business of today are facing many challenges in operating from a number of distributed locations such as the conflict arising from physical separation of teams and the need to rely on technology for communication (Hinds & Bailey, 2003). For this reason conflict management in distributed teams is an especially difficult issue.
This position has prompted some researchers to consider whether conflict in distributed teams is prompted by similar factors with traditional teams and whether the impact of such conflict is the same (Hinds & Bailey, 2003). Through the analysis this study revealed that distributed teams are prone to the effects of task, affective and process oriented conflicts.
Disagreements that are focused around the context of work such as those relating to procedures, authorization, etc. are often classified as task conflict. Also within the workplace may be a tendency toward anger or hostility among group members that may be classified as affective or relationship conflict.
Whereas process conflict refers to disagreement that results from the team approach to a specific task (Hinds & Bailey, 2003). In this study an effort has been made to identify specific antecedents to each type of conflict. It has been reported that because of the distance separating them distributed teams find difficulty in building a shared context.
This is a common problem between engineers and operators who find difficulty in solving problems over the phone as engineers often want to ‘see for themselves’ (Hinds & Bailey, 2003). This factor often poses a problem for distributed teams making it difficult to develop a shared rhythm.
Despite the lack of shared context it has been observed that it is still possible to build familiarity over a period of time. The degree of familiarity within the team is essential as it reduces the likeness of conflict arising. In addition to that a lack of familiarity makes the process of coordinating work processes.
It also becomes more difficult to establish friendship among team members in distributed teams. As a result of the reduced familiarity and other antecedents the homogeneity within the group is reduced (Hinds & Bailey, 2003). The lack of homogeneity results in the presence of ethnic or racial pressure.
Despite the fact that most individuals normally dislike conflict it has been observed that a certain degree of conflict does improve performance. Workplace conflict typically arises when an individual or team perceive their goals or opinions are being thwarted by an interdependent counterpart (De Dreu, 2008).
The principal causes of such conflicts are often scarce resources, such as responsibilities, time and budgets or status. At other time they could arise from differences due to political preference, religious issues or issues relating to morality. However, regardless of the source of conflict it is possible that it can be transformed to be positive depending on the organizational conflict management policy (De Dreu, 2008).
To understand the positive effect of conflict it is necessary to make a distinction between task oriented, personal and relationship related conflicts. Both personal and relationship oriented conflict have been observed to undermine team effectiveness and member satisfaction (De Dreu, 2008). However, task oriented conflict has a tendency to improve team effectiveness when it exists at a moderate degree.
For this reason it is possible to suggest that organizations must make efforts to ensure that sources of personal and relationship related conflict do not find their way into the organizational teams. This is especially important because those losses related to conflict cause losses in time and productivity which translate into financial losses for an organization.
Although at low levels task conflict has beneficial effect on the team performance it should be noted that if allowed to escalate it has similar effects on team performance as personal and relationship conflict (De Dreu & Weingart, 2003). Despite the research that has shown that task conflict may be harmful it has been observed that teams often make better decisions when pre discussion preferences were in disagreement (De Dreu & Weingart, 2003).
This suggests that without some conflict teams do not easily identify inefficiencies that exist within the team. The absolute absence of any disagreement is likely to result in redundancy (De Dreu & Weingart, 2003). This also supports the observation that team members who exhibit a degree of disagreement in decision making often made better decisions than those who were constantly in agreement.
As earlier mentioned task/process conflict can have a positive effect on performance and this suggests that there is a need to understand how to achieve this outcome. Among the strategies that have been found to be useful in bringing about this result is the practice of fairness in resolving conflict. This is due to the observation that when group members are unable to speak freely about group decisions, procedures, etc task conflict is likely to escalate (Greer & Jehn, 2007).
Also in relation to this task conflict is likely to escalate due to goal obstruction. It has been noted that when team members are under the impression that certain members are obstructing their progress emotional conflict can arise as a result (Greer & Jehn, 2007). This suggests that for proper team management it is crucial that team members are left with freedom to express themselves and provide alternative options for consideration.
However, the argument presented in previous paragraphs suggests work conflict arises mainly due to inter personal issues. Work related conflict has also been reported to be the result of changes in the way people are living (Allan, Loudoun & Peetz, 2005). It has been that the introduction of new technology within the workplace has seen the demand on employees increase without regard to external needs such as family.
It has been reported after studies that when members of staff are engaged for long hours and employee needs are not well addressed it is likely that an increase in work or non work conflict. This occurs as a result of the lack of balance between work and their personal lives.
A solution to this would be to allow employees to work fewer hours as this would allow them more time to interact in a meaningful manner with family and friends. In addition to this it is essential that the management facilitate this process by amending performance targets; making attempts to negotiate fairly with all groups of workers and made effort to build trust within the workforce (Allan, Loudoun & Peetz, 2005).
The degree to which employees are allowed control in relation to work is an especially good approach to use in building trust within the organization. This is because if the organization allows employees to control their hours, leave, etc. but denies them control over the workload the organization appears insincere (Allan, Loudoun & Peetz, 2005).
This position suggests that in jobs that demand high performance from employees and provide little employee related support are likely to result in reduction in family interactions. This position often causes employees to suffer from emotional setbacks that are likely to spillover and affect the employee performance (Allan, Loudoun & Peetz, 2005).
This trend has increased in the recent past owing to approaches that have seen companies resort to downsizing to cut back on costs. The decision to downsize without consideration external demands on the individual can have detrimental effects on performance. In response to this it has become common to see organizations develop more family friendly workplaces (Allan, Loudoun & Peetz, 2005).
An important point to note at this point is the role of diversity within an organization. As it has been stated in the course of the report differences are a source of conflict within dispersed teams. Although this case may be true it is impossible to operate in an entirely homogenous manner in the current globalised business world (Harrison & Klein, 2007).
For this reason it becomes crucial for an organization to identify aspects related to its out comes to inculcate in the diverse members of the workforce (Harrison & Klein, 2007). At the same time it is essential to understand the cultural or other benefits that the organization can benefit from through the diversity in the workforce. Such an approach is likely to increase the cohesiveness within distributed teams and improve organizational performance.
Because of the likelihood of increased loss or expense related to conflict it is crucial that an organization implement an approach to resolve conflict within the organization. Conflict resolution within the organization can be achieved through various approaches namely pluralistic, particularistic, reactive and preemptive strategies.
Pluralistic strategies are those that attempt to address the problems of the entire group. It has been observed that these strategies are likely to provide better results when conflicts arise (Behfar & Peterson, 2008). This may suggest that due to the consideration of the concerns of the entire body a sense of trust is developed between the administration and the staff.
In particularistic (ad hoc) strategies the resolution of conflict focuses on individual issues. This approach is not very good at conflict resolution as it may only address issues affecting the vocal members leaving the rest dissatisfied (Behfar & Peterson, 2008).
It is likely that such an approach will cause dissent within the group and suggest favoritism which is likely to have unfavorable outcome. These strategies appear to be reactive in nature and address issues as they arise. The tendency to react as opposed to planning ahead is not favorable within the organization as they may portray a poor organizational image.
Another organizational approach to conflict resolution is to develop a preemptive strategy that involves the design of strategies that allow the evasion or avoidance of possible effects of conflict.
It can thus be concluded that the combination of rules based (pluralistic) strategies focused on equity through preemptive conditions are best suited to the reduction of conflict within the organization (Behfar & Peterson, 2008). On the contrary ad hoc procedures that appear to focus on equality may be poorly suited to solve the issues related to conflict within organizations.
Analysis
In line with the above points based on a review of literature on conflict resolution it is crucial that an organization clearly classify the conflict style that is present in the organization (Thomas, Thomas & Schaubhut, 2008). Conflict can arise due to high competition that is characterized by situations where there is little cooperation and high assertiveness. In such cases an individual attempts to satisfy individual objectives at the expense of others.
The opposite of this is the accommodating style which is characterized by high cooperation and low assertiveness. In this approach one sacrifices individual concerns in favor of others (Thomas, Thomas & Schaubhut, 2008). Another approach is through avoidance which is indicated by the neglect of other concerns and delaying resolution.
Lastly is the collaborative approach that involves attempts to find a win-win solution to problems. The organization should seek to encourage the collaboration among employees with a view to reduction of conflict and easing the process of conflict resolution.
Furthermore it is necessary to consider factors such as gender and their possible role in conflict resolution. In a comparison between genders to establish preferences in relation to conflict resolution it was observed that women have a higher tendency towards competing than their male counterparts (Thomas, Thomas & Schaubhut, 2008).
On collaboration the Women and Men produced equal scores suggesting neither gender is necessarily in a better position with regard to conflict resolution to satisfy both parties (Thomas, Thomas & Schaubhut, 2008). On all other approaches Women posted a higher score positing the tendency among them to be less assertive and more likely to delay in taking a stance.
In addition to the above point it should be noted that even when the organization has a conflict management system in place the occurrence of conflict is difficult to eradicate entirely. This is because the presence of the system does not mean that people will come forward on their own to report possible conflicts (Rowe, 2009). This happens due to a variety of reasons such as lack of confidence, fear of losing relationships and distrust of senior management (Rowe, 2009).
There are several possibilities that could be reason behind the occurrence of distrust within the organization. It has been observed that employees are likely to bear the perception that they will not get a fair ‘hearing’ and the possibility the report may not result in adequate response to the issue in question (Rowe, 2009).
In response to this therefore, one approach that may be used is the establishment of an organizational Ombud’s office to deal with complaints. This is because listening and provision of a satisfactory and conclusive response is among the most crucial elements that constitute an effective conflict management system (Rowe, 2009).
It has been reported by people providing information that they are often met with distrust, lack of interest, loss of credibility and as such are often skeptic when it comes to reporting (Rowe, 2009).
These responses are not always due to lack of interest but due to the lack of feedback. The existence of the Ombud’s office guaranteed that where there may be a misunderstanding with regard to organizational policy, the misunderstanding can be clarified.
This is likely to leave the employee confident and informed on the relevant steps to take for their report to receive the desired attention (Rowe, 2007). This is likely to be useful as it will help indicate to the employee that the organization is taking action based on the information they provide.
Conflict Resolution Recommendation
An appropriate conflict resolution strategy is necessary to improve the initial outcomes whether on an individual or organizational level. This is because different strategies work for different individuals and are reliant on varied situations. The most important and founding principle in conflict resolution is the fact that a solution is not about winning or losing (Fisher & Sharp, 2004).
If we are able to approach conflict with this thought in mind it becomes easy to see that the resolution of a conflict is only possible when both sides are able to express their opinions. In deed the source of conflict in many instances is due to the need to be heard.
Based on this therefore it is essential to remember that listening is a crucial key to resolving conflicts. This position applies both to the individual and organization due to the fact that an organization is composed of individuals performing in various capacities.
It is important to note that resolving conflict is the most effective way of dealing with conflict. The tendency to avoid conflict often causes more problems as opposed to providing a solution to problems (Mayer, 2004). In the context of administration it at times becomes difficult to determine the degree to which delve in search of information abut conflict.
In cases where there is a tendency to investigate very thoroughly the employee may feel as if they are being victimized. To avoid this it may be wise to lay down essential aspects worth considering in the event of a conflict. Any information unrelated to this can be excluded from the process (Mayer, 2004). This process is also known as conflict engagement and is essential in narrowing the focus to critical issues.
Another factor that is worth considering in the resolution of conflicts is the understanding of the developmental tasks that are associated with conflict. In many ways conflict resolution is varied as human relations and for this reason the process can take longer than expected to completion. To avoid this it is essential to understand and develop a plan and keep track of the progress made in seeking a solution.
For example one of the stages is awareness, and it is characterized by the realization of a problem either between individuals or other organizational agencies such as departments (Mayer, 2004). Another task in the process is articulation which is characterized by the creation of story about the conflict. It is essential to identify all aspects that are considered crucial to the conflict to point out why the conflict exists (Mayer, 2004).
It is important to keep track of the progress in conflict resolution as there are times when it is better to concede to the demands that are the source of conflict. This is common in disputes that involve the staff and the organization such as disputes about remuneration (Masters & Albright, 2002). When the conflict is likely to lead to an embarrassing scenario an arbitration approach may be worth considering. This approach is good for rights based and interest based controversies.
Reflection
In this report a discussion on conflict resolution is presented providing some information on the causes and factors that result in conflict and some measures worth considering in resolving conflict.
The report begins by identifying the reason why conflict resolution is essential in today’s technology driven world. It is established that due to an increase in technology for communication the possibility for conflict increases. This is due to the nature of communicating and essential aspects which may be excluded.
Among the main reasons why these issues arise is the tendency to operate from distributed geographical locations that is due to global expansion. Owing to this it becomes important for organizations to give special consideration to conflict resolution given that a lot of communication is carried out from distributed locations using technology. This is likely to lead to increased conflict and may result in losses for the organization.
It is for this reason that it becomes necessary to provide some mechanisms that can be useful for conflict resolution. In line with this it becomes crucial that the organization establish guidelines to follow when resolving disputes. Additionally it is important that the organization identify approaches to conflict resolution that could end up with unpleasant outcomes.
These guidelines are essential in that they can help the organization keep track of the progress made in conflict resolution. It is also observed that the organization may need to opt to avoid potentially embarrassing or unsavory incidents with staff through arbitration.
This approach will call for the organization to concede to the demands made and come to a reasonable agreement. This approach is most often used to resolve disputes such as those which occur with labor unions.
References
Allan, C., Loudoun, R., & Peetz, D. (2005). Influences on work / non work Conflict. Journal of Psychology, 13-22.
Behfar, K. J., & Peterson, R. S. (2008). The Critical Role of Conflict resolution in Teams: A Close look at the Links between Conflict Type, Conflict Management Strategies, and Team Outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(1), 170-188.
Brinkman, R. & Kirschner, R. (2002). Dealing with people you can’t stand: How to bring out the best in people at their worst. New York: McGraw Hill.
De Dreu, C. K. W. (2008). The Virtue and Vice of Workplace Conflict: Food for (pessimistic) Thought. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29, 5-18.
De Dreu, C. K. W., & Weingart, L. R. (2003). Task Versus Relationship Conflict, Team Performance versus Team Member Satisfaction: A Meta Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(4), 741-749.
Fisher, E. H., & Sharp, S. W. (2004). The Art of Managing Everyday Conflict: Understanding emotions and Power Struggles. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group Inc.
Greer, L. L., & Jehn, K. A. (2007). The Pivotal Role of Negative Affect in Understanding the Effects of Process Conflict on Group Performance. Research on Managing Groups and Teams, 10, 23-45.
Harrison, D. A., & Klein, K. J. (2007). What’s the Difference? Diversity Constructs as Separation, Variety or Disparity in Organizations. Forthcoming Academy of Management Review, 1-30.
Hinds, P. J., & Bailey, D. E. (2003). Out of Sight, Out of Sync: Understanding Conflict in Distributed Teams. Organization Science, 14(6), 615-632.
Kankanhalli, A., Tan, B. C. Y., & Wei, K. K. (2007). Conflict and Performance in Global Virtual Teams. Forthcoming Journal of Management Information Systems, 1-48.
Masters, M. F., & Albright, R. R. (2002). The Complete Guide to Conflict Resolution in the Workplace. New York: Amacom Books.
Mayer, B. S. (2004). Beyond Neutrality: Confronting the Crisis in Conflict Resolution. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Pickering, P. (2000). How to Manage Conflict: Turn all Conflicts into Win Win Outcomes. Pompton Plains: Career Press.
Rowe, M. (2009). An Organizational Ombuds Office in a System for Dealing with Conflict and Learning from Conflict, or “Conflict Management System.” Harvard Negotiation Law Review, 14, 279-288.
Thomas, K. W., Thomas, G. F., & Schaubhut, N. (2008). Conflict Styles of Men and Women at Six Organization Levels. International Journal of Conflict Management, 14(2), 1-38.
Ursiny, T. E. (2003). The coward’s guide to conflict: Empowering those who would rather run than fight. Naperville: Source Books Inc.
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