Page 41 - DMGT519_Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Unit 2: Nature of Conflict

Climate of Distrust: Conflict often creates a climate of distrust and suspicion among the members Notes
of the group as well as the organization. The degree of cohesiveness will be less as the discords
will be more. The concerned people will have negative feelings towards each other and try to
avoid interaction with each other.
Competition: Conflicts promote competition and hence it results in increased efforts. Some
persons are highly motivated by conflict and sever competition. Such conflict and competition,
thus, lead to high level of effort and output.

Dissatisfaction: Conflict will result in discontentment to the losing party, who will wait for an
opportunity to settle the score with the winning party. All this tussle will result in less
concentration on the job and as a result, the productivity will suffer.
Group Cohesiveness: Inter-group conflict brings about closeness and solidarity among the group
members. It develops group loyalty and greater sense of group identity in order to compete
with the outsiders. This increases the degree of group cohesiveness which can be utilized by the
management for the attainment of organizational goals in an effective manner. As cohesiveness
increases, differences are forgotten.
Stimulation for Change: Sometimes conflict stimulates change among the people. When they
are faced with a conflict, they might change their attitudes and be ready to change themselves to
meet the requirements of the situation.
Release of Tension: Conflict when expressed can clear the air and reduce the tension which might
otherwise remain suppressed. Suppression of tension can lead to imaginative distortion of
truth, sense of frustration and tension, high mental exaggerations and biased opinions resulting
in fear and distrust. When members express themselves, they get some psychological satisfaction.
This also leads to reduction of stress among the members.

2.10 Review Questions

1. Discuss about effective strategies for managing Human Conflict.
2. Explain about Common Manifestation of Conflict.
3. Describe about features of conflict.

4. Discuss about the functional and Dysfunctional aspects of conflict.
5. What are the different sources of conflict?
6. What do you mean by conflict continuum?
7. Explain about the perception of conflict.
8. Discuss about Human Relations view.

9. Explain about functional Conflict.

Answers: Self Assessment

1. Conflict 2. Indivisible
3. Open 4. Parties
5. Human 6. Continuum

7. Mature 8. False
9. True 10. True

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