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Management Practices and Organisational Behaviour

Notes (d) Superagreeables: Are often charming individuals who are sincere and helpful to your
face, but they fail to do what they promise when you leave.
(e) Negativists: Respond to any attempts to solve a problem with pessimism.
(f) Know-it-alls: Display superior attitudes, wanting you to know that they know
everything there is to know about everything. If they really know what they are
talking about, they are bulldozers. Phoney experts are known as balloons. Balloons
only think they know everything. To deal with them, state your position, as your
own perception of the situation.
3. Individual-Group Conflict: In organisations, there are two important situations where
individuals find themselves in conflict with groups. The first situation is one in which an
individual is violating group norms. The reason for this conflict is that groups have a
greater ability to block an individual's goal achievement than the other way around. Only
in unusual cases will an individual be able to mobilize the resources to block the group's
movement toward its goals.
The second case of individual-group conflict is one in which subordinates of one boss
collectively disagree with a course of action the boss wants to take. A conflict exists here
because the subordinates are blocking the goal achievement plans of the boss. Although
the boss can exercise formal authority to suppress this type of conflict, this is generally an
unwise course, since subordinates often find a way to retaliate.

4. Inter-group Conflict: This involves conflict between groups of people, irrespective of the
size of the group. Included in this category, therefore, is interdepartmental conflict within
organisations. Inter-group conflict exists between or among groups. Such conflicts can be
traced to competing goals, competition for limited resources, cultural differences, power
discrepancies and attempts to preserve the groups' separate identities.
5. Organisational Level Conflict: Conflict can also exist between organisations. The amount
of conflict may depend on the extent the organisations create uncertain conditions for
competitors, suppliers, or customers; attempt to access or control the same resources;
encourage communication; attempt to balance power in the marketplace; and develop
procedures for resolving existing conflict. Recent attempts to manage such conflict and
ensure that it has a positive impact on organisational performance have emphasized the
formation of strategic alliances and partnerships.
6. Functional Conflict: Some conflicts support the goals of the group and improve its
performance; these are functional, constructive disagreements between two or more
people. Functional conflict can produce new ideas, learning and growth among individuals;
when they engage in constructive conflict, they develop a better awareness of themselves
and others.
7. Dysfunctional Conflict: There are conflicts that hinder group performance, and are therefore
known as dysfunctional or destructive forms of conflict. Dysfunctional conflict is an
unhealthy, destructive disagreement between two or more people. A key for recognizing
a dysfunctional conflict is that its origin is often emotional or behavioural. Disagreements
that involve personalized anger and resentment directed at specific individuals rather
than specific ideas are dysfunctional. In dysfunctional conflict, the losses to both parties
may exceed any potential gain from the conflict.
The demarcation between functional and dysfunctional conflict is neither clear nor precise.
The criterion that differentiates functional and dysfunctional conflict is group performance.
Since groups exist to attain a goal or goals, it is the impact the conflict has on the group,
rather than on any individual member, that determines functionality. The manager must

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