Conflict management strategies and applications

Conflict Management

An Examination of Definitions and Case Studies

The topic of conflict management is of the utmost importance to businesses today. In a time where most global players are expanding due to technological advances and where small businesses are popping up due to the very same reason, it is important for workplaces, no matter what the size, to function smoothly. It is only if work is respectfully conducted in conflict-free situations that a business will achieve its goals, whether they be social or financial.

The importance of not only examining conflict free work environments and the conflict management frameworks that set them in place is evident at many universities across the world. The boom in this discipline also shows how important it is that conflict be avoided or at least resolved in the workplace. This short paper will examine three questions. It will be begin by analyzing types of conflict in the work place, present a case study and find remedies that could work for any type of business setting.

The most salient types and sources of conflict in the workplace can come from anywhere at any time. This is why it is important to have trained staff that can deal with almost any situation. The types of conflict are as follows:

-Inter-Personal

-Intra and Inter-Organizations

-National

-International (Shakar, 2011)

The first type of conflict, inter-personal, is common and logical. Two people, whenever they speak, are bound to disagree on at least some small issue. Disagreement is as natural to human beings as breathing, but when this gets out of hand in the workplace it can be quite harmful. The first thing to do to begin to resolve inter-personal conflicts is to take time and explain to the two or more persons involved that conflict will not truly solve their issue, and that in fact it is more likely to place them in a compromising position at work. The quest for recognition, power, and dominance in the workplace must thus be curbed by understanding and mutual respect. This would ensure a civilized, conflict-free environment.

With regards to conflict within and between organizations, these would arise from various factors, including: performance standards, task completion, policy interpretation, or interpersonal differences, and competition between supply or distribution lines and assets, respectively. (Shakar, 2011) This type of conflict is a step above the inter-personal and can have damaging consequences for a business not just within its departments, but also in the public's view, if any scandal should get out.

Lastly, there are the big-picture conflicts, whether they are national or international that can be most harmful. These are sometimes governmental in their scope, such as taxation policy protests on a national scale, or even war, on an international scale. These conflicts do not affect only the people involved, but may affect an entire nation, especially in the case of the latter type of conflict.

There are, indeed, many types of conflict, just as there are many potential solutions to conflict. With any kind of solution comes a good understanding of the roots of the conflict, but also of the personalities involved and how mutual respect and understanding, as well as a lasting peaceful outcome, can be achieved. In the Chinese setting, for instance, conflict stemmed from demanding superiors, inconsistency between theory and practice and favoritism. (Leung, 2007) in the same setting, the employees employed conflict resolution strategies that were focused on avoidance and cooperation between certain kinds of employees.

Despite the more unique character of the above-described situation, it is important to note that conflict resolution stems from the same kind of basic emotional and psychological feelings and can be remedied with the same type of tactics as those presented in the definition section above. Thus, the Chinese setting is unique culturally, but strategies to mitigate and resolved conflict may be employed it this setting as well. The case study paper describes the strategies employed and their theoretical long-term results:

"Avoidance strategies discourage open communication and clarification, which further suppresses hidden conflicts. This leads to forbearance and the suppression of personal goals in pursuit of a superficial harmonious yet conflicting relationship. In contrast, cooperative strategies have much to offer. However, adopting a cooperative strategy can have both a positive and a negative effect on a team's performance. On the positive side, trust is an essential component in cooperation that promotes synergistic relationships. On the negative side, it induces low conflict efficacy among employees, because they feel obliged to identify with the boss's goals and values, and be faithful." (Leung, 2007)