Page 12 - DMGT519_Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Notes and 1940s. Traditionally, conflict was viewed negatively, and it was used synonymously with
such terms as violence, destruction and irrationality. Conflict was seen as a dysfunctional outcome
resulting from poor communication, a lack of openness and trust between people and the
failures of the managers to be responsive to the needs and aspirations of the employees. Conflict
could cause losses in productivity because groups would not cooperate in getting jobs finished
and would not share important information. Too much conflict could also distract managers
from their work and reduce their concentration on the job.
Thus, traditional writers had very conservative views about conflict as they considered it totally
bad and advocated that conflicts must be avoided, with the result that sometimes, there is a
tendency to suppress conflict and push it under the rug. By ignoring the presence of conflict, we
somehow try to wish it away. Both the scientific management approach and the administrative
school of management relied heavily on developing such organizational structures that would
specify task, rules, regulations, procedures and authority relationships so that if a conflict
develops, then these inbuilt rules will identify and correct problems of such conflict. Thus,
through proper management techniques and attention to the causes of conflict it could be
eliminated and organizational performance could be improved.

The Human Relations View

The human relations view dominated the conflict theory from late 1940s through mid-1970s.
According to this view, conflict was a natural occurrence in all groups and organizations. Since
conflict was inevitable, management should accept the conflict. This theory says that conflict is
avoidable by creating an environment of goodwill and trust. But still conflicts are bound to
happen due to differences in opinions, faulty policies and procedures, lack of cooperation,
allocation of resources which will lead to distortion and blockage in communication. Accordingly,
management should always be concerned with avoiding conflict if possible and resolving it
soon in the interests of the organization and the individuals.

The Interactionist View Modern View Point

While the human relations view accepted conflict, the interactionist approach encourages conflict.
This view is based on the belief that conflict is not only a positive force in a group but is also
necessary for a group to perform effectively. According to it, if the group is harmonious, peaceful
and cooperative, it is prone to become static and non-responsive to the needs for change and
innovation. Therefore, the group leader must allow some conflicts to happen in the group so
that the group may remain viable, self-critical and creative.
However, conflicts must be kept under control to avoid their dysfunctional consequences. The
major contribution of the interactionist approach is encouraging group leaders to maintain an
ongoing minimum level of conflict, enough to keep the group progressive and innovative.
Thus, it becomes evident that to say conflict is all good or bad is inappropriate and naïve.
Whether a conflict is good or bad depends on the type of conflict. Specifically, it is necessary to
differentiate between functional and dysfunctional aspects of conflict.

Notes Understanding The Theory: The “Interest-Based Relational Approach”

The second theory is commonly referred to as the “Interest-Based Relational (IBR)
Approach”. This type of conflict resolution respects individual differences while helping
people avoid becoming too entrenched in a fixed position.

6 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY