Presentation Prepared by:
Nader H. Chaaban, Ph.D.
Montgomery College Rockville,
Maryland
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
© 2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved.
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CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Sources of Conflict
Desirability of Conflict
Types of Conflict
Undesirability of Conflict
Game Theory
Toward Conflict Management
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SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Conflict is “an
--expressed struggle
--between at least two interdependent parties
--who perceive incompatible goals, scare
resources, and
--interference from others in achieving their
goals” (Wilmot and Hocker, 1998)
Conflicts exist whenever incompatible activities
occur.
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SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Conflicts may originate from a number of
different sources, including:
Differences in information, beliefs, values,
interests, or desires.
A scarcity of some resource.
Rivalries in which one person or group
competes with another.
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DESIRABILITY OF CONFLICT
Conflict can be desirable.
Conflict helps eliminate or reduce the likelihood
of groupthink.
A moderate level of conflict across tasks within a
group resulted in increased group
performance while conflict among
personalities resulted in lower group
performance (Peterson and Behfar, 2003)
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TYPES OF CONFLICT
Conflict of ideas
Dooley and Fryxell (1999) found that conflict of
ideas at the early stage of decision making
(idea formulation) was desirable.
However, it can cause problems at a later stage
when the ideas have to be implemented.
Conflict of feelings are often called personality
conflict
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TYPES OF CONFLICT
Opposition and Support
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UNDESIRABILITY OF CONFLICT
Conflicts can be hard to control once they have
begun.
The trend is toward escalation and polarization.
When conflict escalates to the point of being
out of control, it almost always yields negative
results.
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GAME THEORY
Game theory puts people into the mixed-motive
situation.
Covey (1990) in The Seven Habits of Highly
Successful People refers to the scarcity
mentality versus the abundance mentality.
The scarcity mentality leads us to resent the
success of others.
The abundance mentality allows us to think of
situations in which everybody can win.
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Conflict management is defined as “the
opportunity to improve situations and
strengthen relationships” (BCS, 2004).
–proactive conflict management
–collaborative conflict management
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Blake and Mouton’s Conflict Grid
Source: Reproduced by permission from Robert R. Blake and Jane Syngley Mouton. “The Fifth
Achievement.” Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 6(4), 1970..
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Blake and Mouton (1970) proposed a grid that
shows various conflict approaches.
The 1,1 style is the hands-off approach, also
called avoidance.
The 1,9 position, also called
accommodation, is excessively personoriented.
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
The 5,5 position represents a willingness to
compromise.
The 9,1 is the bullheaded approach, also called
competing.
The optimum style for reducing conflict is the
9,9 approach, also called collaboration.
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Borisoff and Victor (1998) argue that the best
strategy for conflict management (negotiation)
depends on the desired outcome.
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Unilateral negotiation strategies include:
The trusting collaboration strategy.
The open subordination strategy.
The firm competition strategy.
The active avoidance strategy.
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Interactive negotiation strategies
Trusting collaboration
Principled negotiation
Firm competition
Soft competition
Open subordination
Focused subordination
Active avoidance
Passive avoidance
Responsive avoidance
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Fisher, Ury, and Patton (1991) outline four
principles that compose principled negotiation.
Separate the people from the problem.
Focus on interests, not positions.
Invent options for mutual gain.
Seek objective criteria.
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
The Continuum of Decision-Making Behavior has been described as
including four styles of decision making:
Tells
Sells
Consults
Joins
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Diane Yale (1988) outlines three metaphorical approaches to conflict:
 The competitive, adversarial metaphor

Often results in a winner and loser in the resolution process.
 The problem-solving metaphor

If [conflict] is focused on problem-solving, everything that comes
at you is seen as a problem or a solution.
 The creative orientation metaphor
Brings an innovative quality to group conflict resolution.
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT—PRACTICAL
TIPS
Walker and Harris (1995) offer the following
practical tips for implementing the 9,9 style.
Encouraging behavior occurs when a team member:
1. Avoids feelings or perceptions that imply the other
person is wrong or needs to change.
2. Communicates a desire to work together to explore a
problem or seek a solution.
3. Exhibits behavior that is spontaneous and destructionfree.
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT—PRACTICAL
TIPS
4. Identifies with another team member’s problems, shares feelings,
and accepts the team member’s reaction.
5. Treats other team members with respect and trust.
6. Investigates issues rather than taking sides on them.

The same principles can be applied to negotiating with
others outside your team, or with a supplier or
customer.
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TOWARD CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
A Continuum of Decision-Making Behavior
Source: From Stewart L. Tubbs. Empowerment (Ann Arbor, Mich.: U-Train, Inc., 1993), pp 5-9. Adapted from R. Tannenbaum
and H.W. Schmidt. “How to Choose a Leadership Pattern,” Harvard Business Review March-April, 1958.
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REVIEW OF THE SYSTEMS APPROACH
Individuals should understand their own
personal triggers to better deal with conflict
situations in the workplace (Robin, 2004)
Group members should think about other group
members early on to identify privately those
individuals and behaviors that may push their
buttons.
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REVIEW OF THE SYSTEMS APPROACH
Conflict may have some desirable consequences.
Out of control conflict may be destructive.
Conflict-producing behaviors are more likely from
those high in aggression, dominance, and the
need for autonomy.
An important factor related to conflict is the style of
leadership and the resulting group norms
regarding conflict.
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THE END
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