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Unit 14: Conflict Management
(e) Goal Differences: The differentiation in work activities leads to differentiation in Notes
goals. When work groups have different goals, these goals may be incompatible.
For example, production's goals may be to have long production runs with few
changes in product style, because this allows the production facilities to operate at
peak efficiency. Marketing's goal, on the other hand, may be to give customers what
they want when they want it. This means rush orders, special orders, and other
demands that conflict directly with production's goals.
(f) Jurisdictions Ambiguities: Jurisdictional ambiguity is tantamount to unclear lines of
responsibility within an organisation. When a problem occurs for which there is no
definite fixation of responsibility, workers tend to "pass the buck" or avoid dealing
with the problem. Conflicts emerge over who has responsibility for the problem.
For example, if you are a customer of a company and have a problem with the
product you brought and you telephone the company to set it right, you would have
had your call transferred through several different people and departments.
(g) Status Inconsistencies: Some organisations have a strong status difference between
managers and workers. Managers enjoy many privileges like flexible schedules,
personal telephone calls at work and longer lunch hours. These privileges are not
available to other employees resulting in resentment and conflict.
2. Personal Factors: Personal factors arise from differences among individuals. These
differences include skills and abilities, personalities, perceptions, emotions, values and
ethics and communication barriers.
(a) Differences in Perceptions: We all "see" the world slightly differently because we have
all had different experiences. Differences in perception can also lead to conflict. One
area in which perceptions can differ is the perception of what motivates employees.
If managers and workers do not have a shared perception of what motivates people,
the reward system can create conflicts. It is hard to make unequivocal statements
about how differences in perception will influence conflict. It is also difficult to
deduce exactly how a person views the world unless the person is well-known to the
manager. Nevertheless, a realization that differences in perception (by groups or
individuals) is crucial to conflict means that it must be included in any discussion of
conflict.
(b) Communication Problems: Communication problems develop because not all groups
have the same information. Each group therefore takes a position based on its view
of the world and the information it has. The obvious solution to this problem is to
give all groups equal information. However, this is generally not feasible because
individuals with important information may want to use it for their own advantage
and not share it.
The various communication barriers that lead to conflict include:
(i) Communication barriers such as physical separation and language can create
distortions in messages and these can lead to conflict.
(ii) Another communication barrier is value judgement, in which a listener assigns
a worth to a message before it is received. For example, suppose X is a chronic
complainer. When X enters the manager's office, the manager is likely to
devalue the message before it is even delivered. Conflict can then emerge.
(iii) Communication barriers are also caused by technical jargon that is so
frequently used in organisations.
(c) Value and Ethics: Differences in values and ethics can be sources of disagreement.
When conflicts over values or ethics do arise, heated disagreement is common
because of the personal value systems giving rise to such differences.
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