UNIT SEVEN: PROJECT TEAM CONFLICT IDENTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION
Introduction
Conflict in project management is inevitable. The potential for conflict in information systems
development projects is usually high because it involves individuals from different backgrounds
and orientations working together to complete a complex task. The cause of conflict in team
projects can be related to differences in values, attitudes, needs, expectations, perceptions,
resources, and personalities. Proper skills in dealing with conflict can assist project managers and
other organization members to handle and effectively resolve conflicts which can lead to a more
productive organization as a whole.
7.1 Sources of Conflict in projects
Conflict is a situation of competition in which the parties are aware of the incompatibility of
potential future positions and in which each party wishes to occupy a position which is
incompatible with the wishes of the other. Conflict is viewed as a cycle: As with any social
process, there are causes; also, there is a core process, which has results or effects. These effects
feedback to effect the causes. To understand conflict further, the situation must include elements
of interdependence, emotions, perceptions, and behaviors.
Conflict can be constructive and healthy for an organization. It can aid in developing individuals
and improving the organization by building on the individual assets of its members. It can force
people to confront possible defects in a solution and choose a better one. The understanding of
real interests, goals and needs is enhanced and ongoing communication around those issues is
induced.
In
addition,
it
can
prevent
premature
and
inappropriate
resolution
of
conflict. Constructive conflict occurs when people change and grow personally from the conflict,
involvement of the individuals affected by the conflict is increased, cohesiveness is formed
among team members, and a solution to the problem is found. However, if conflict is not
managed properly, it can be detrimental to an organization by threatening organizational unity,
business partnerships, team relationships, and interpersonal connections. Deconstructive conflict
occurs when a decision has not been found and the problem remains, energy is taken away from
more important activities or issues, morale of teams or individuals is destroyed, and groups of
people or teams are polarized.
Conflict can arise from any of the following players: managers, senior management, client, team
members and subcontractors. Potential sources of conflict in a project environment are:

Schedules: Disagreements which develop around the timing, sequencing and scheduling
of project related tasks.

Project priorities: The views of project participants differ over the sequence of activities
and tasks which should be undertaken to achieve successful project completion.

Manpower resources: Conflicts which arise around the staffing of the project team with
personnel from other functional and staff support areas or from the desire to use another
department's personnel for project support.

Technical opinions and performance trade-offs: Disagreements may arise, particularly
in technology-oriented projects, over technical issues, performance specifications,
technical trade-offs, and the means to achieve performance.

Administrative procedures: Managerial and administrative-oriented conflicts which
develop over how the project will be managed; i.e., the definition of the project manager's
reporting relationships, definition of responsibilities, interface relationships, project scope,
operational requirements, plans of execution, negotiated work agreements with other
groups, and procedures for administrative support.

Cost: Conflict that develops over cost estimates from support areas regarding various
project work breakdown packages. For example, the funds allocated by a project manager
to a functional support group might be perceived as insufficient for the support requested.

Personality Differences: Personality differences among coworkers are common. By
understanding some fundamental differences among the way people think and act, we can
better understand how others see the world. Knowing that these differences are natural and
normal lets us anticipate and mitigate interpersonal conflict—it’s often not about “you”
but simply a different way of seeing and behaving. For example, Type A individuals have
been found to have more conflicts with their coworkers than Type B individuals.

Resource competition: Resources such as money, time, and equipment are often scarce.
Competition among people or departments for limited resources is a frequent cause for
conflict.

Incompatible Goals: Sometimes conflict arises when two parties think that their goals are
mutually exclusive. Within an organization, incompatible goals often arise because of the
different ways department managers are compensated.

Organization structure: Conflict tends to take different forms, depending upon the
organizational structure. For example, if a company uses a matrix structure as its
organizational form, it will have decisional conflict built in, because the structure specifies
that each manager report to two bosses.

Communication barriers: Sometimes conflict arises simply out of a small, unintentional
communication problem, such as lost e-mails or dealing with people who don’t return
phone calls. Giving feedback is also a case in which the best intentions can quickly
escalate into a conflict situation. When communicating, be sure to focus on behavior and
its effects, not on the person

Diversity of disciplinary expertise

Task interdependency: is, when accomplishment of your goal requires reliance on others
to perform their tasks. For example, if you’re tasked with creating advertising for your
product, you’re dependent on the creative team to design the words and layout, the
photographer or videographer to create the visuals, the media buyer to purchase the
advertising space, and so on. The completion of your goal (airing or publishing your ad) is
dependent on others.

Poor leadership by the project manager

Insufficient authority given to the project manager

Lack of communication or an understanding of objectives

Lack of organization structures and role ambiguity

Human emotion

The prospect of change
A very common cause of conflict in a project environment can occur in the relationship between
project manager and functional manager. This relationship needs to be open, communicative and
focused (a relationship based upon negotiation and understanding).
7.2 Conflict characteristics
1. Conflict is a Process: Conflict occurs in layers. First layer is always misunderstanding. The
other layers are differences of values, differences of viewpoint, differences of interest, and
interpersonal differences. It is also called a process because it begins with one party perceiving
the other to oppose or negatively affect its interests and ends with competing, collaborating,
compromising or avoiding.
2. Conflict is Inevitable: Conflict exists everywhere. No two persons are the same. Hence, they
may have individual differences. And the differences may be because of values or otherwise, lead
to conflict. Although inevitable, conflict can be minimized, diverted and/or resolved. Conflict
develops because we are dealing with people’s lives, jobs, children, pride, self-concept, ego and
sense of mission. Conflict is inevitable and often good, for example, good teams always go
through a “form, storm, norm and perform” period.
3. Conflict is a Normal Part of Life: Individuals, groups, and organizations have unlimited
needs and different values but limited resources. Thus, this incompatibility is bound to lead to
conflicts. The conflict is not a problem, but if it is poorly managed then it becomes a problem.
4. Perception: It must be perceived by the parties to it, otherwise it does not exist. In
interpersonal interaction, perception is more important than reality. What we perceive and think
affects our behavior, attitudes, and communication.
5. Opposition: One party to the conflict must be perceiving or doing something the other party
does not like or want.
6. Interdependence and Interaction: There must be some kind of real or perceived
interdependence. Without interdependence there can be no interaction. Conflict occurs only when
some kind of interaction takes place.
7. Everyone is inflicted with Conflict: Conflict may occur within an individual, between two or
more individuals, groups or between organizations.
8. Conflict is not Unidimensional: It comes into different ways in accordance with degree of
seriousness and capacity. At times, it may improve even a difficult situation.
7.3 Approaches to Conflict Resolution
Every Person has a different way of approaching to conflicts. The style that a person typically
uses is dependent on several factors, the two major ones, are the individual’s cooperativeness and
his assertiveness.
Conflicts at an individual, interpersonal, group and inter-group level are inevitable. However, the
process of dealing with conflict to achieve constructive rather than destructive results is essential.
This process can be pursued in a variety of ways. An important goal, nevertheless, should always
be to achieve or set the stage for true conflict resolution, i.e., a situation in which the underlying
reasons for a given conflict are eliminated. Two broad approaches to conflict resolution are often
used:
Confronting is also described as problem solving, integrating, collaborating or win-win style. It
involves the conflicting parties meeting face-to-face and collaborating to reach an agreement that
satisfies the concerns of both parties. This style involves open and direct communication which
should lead the way to solving the problem. Confronting should be used when:

Both parties need to win.

You want to decrease cost.

You want create a common power base.

Skills are complementary.

Time is sufficient.

Trust is present.

Learning is the ultimate goal.
Compromising is also described as a "give and take" style. Conflicting parties’ bargain to reach a
mutually acceptable solution. Both parties give up something in order to reach a decision and
leave with some degree of satisfaction. Compromising should be used when:

Both parties need to win.

You are in a deadlock.

Time is not sufficient.

You want to maintain the relationship among the involved parties.

You will get nothing if you do not compromise.

Stakes are moderate.
Smoothing is also referred to as accommodating or obliging style. In this approach, the areas of
agreement are emphasized and the areas of disagreement are downplayed. Conflicts are not
always resolved in the smoothing mode. A party may sacrifice its own concerns or goals in order
to satisfy the concerns or goals of the other party. Smoothing should be used when:

Goal to be reached is overarching.

You want to create obligation for a trade-off at a later time.

Stakes are low.

Liability is limited.

Any solution is adequate.

You want to be harmonious and create good will.

You would lose anyway.

You want to gain time.
Forcing is also known as competing, controlling, or dominating style. Forcing occurs when one
party goes all out to win its position while ignoring the needs and concerns of the other party. As
the intensity of a conflict increases, the tendency for a forced conflict is more likely. This results
in a win-lose situation where one party wins at the expense of the other party. Forcing should be
used when:

A "do or die" situation is present.

Stakes are high.

Important principles are at stake.

Relationship among parties is not important.

A quick decision must be made.
Avoiding is also described as withdrawal style. This approach is viewed as postponing an issue
for later or withdrawing from the situation altogether. It is regarded as a temporary solution
because the problem and conflict continue to reoccur over and over again. Avoiding should be
used when:

You cannot win.

Stakes are low.

Stakes are high, but you are not prepared.

You want to gain time.

You want to maintain neutrality or reputation.

You think problem will go away.

You win by delaying.
7.3.1
Indirect Conflict Management Approaches
Under this approach, common techniques include:
a) Appeal to common goal: -focusing on mutually desirable goal or conclusion
b) Hierarchical referral: problems are referred to higher levels of the organization or group
for solution
c) Organizational redesign: ensuring relation isolation between conflicting parties. This can
be done through: decoupling, buffering, linking pins, liaison groups.
7.3.2
Direct Conflict Management Approaches
Under this, we find a number of models that can be used. A
a. Lose-Lose Model: The Lose-Lose Model is that kind of approach where nobody really
gets what he or she wants. The underlying reasons for the conflict remain unaffected. As a
result, future conflicts of same or similar nature are likely to occur. This model often
results from the following circumstances:

Avoidance: People pretend the conflict does not really exist and hope that it will
gradually disappear.

Accommodation/Smoothing: People play down the differences among the conflicting
parties, on one hand, and highlight similarities, on the other. e.g.

Compromise: Each party involved in the conflict gives up something of value to the
other. In this case neither party gains in full what it desires, and seeds for future
conflicts are sown. Although a conflict may appear to be settled for a while through
compromise, it may still occur at a later point in future. e.g.
b. Win-Lose Model: This is when one party archives its desires at the expense and to the
exclusion of other party’s desires. This is a result of the following:

Competition: Victory is achieved through force, superior skills or domination.

Authoritative command: a formal authority dictates a solution and specifies what is
gained and what is lost and by whom. Win-Lose fail to address the root causes of the
conflict. It tends to suppress the desires, views, opinions of one of the conflicting
parties. As a result, future conflicts over similar issues are likely to happen.
c. Win-Win Model This is a result of Collaboration between the interested parties to address
real issues. It uses techniques of Problem –Solving to reconcile differences.

Collaboration: This is a direct and positive approach to conflict management. It
involves recognition by all conflicting parties that something is wrong and needs
attention.

Problem-Solving: This involves gathering and evaluating information in solving
problems and making decisions.
Note: When success is achieved through problem-solving, true conflict resolution has occurred.
Win-Win Model eliminates reasons for the continuation of the conflict since nothing has been
avoided or suppressed. All relevant issues are raised and openly discussed. The idea of
“openness” is very critical. Real issues are not always on the surface. They might be either under
the “table” or beneath the “carpet”. It is also essential to know the actors in the conflict.
Sometimes real actors are behind the scene.
NOTE:

Collaboration and Problem-Solving: should always be used to gain true conflict
resolution, time and resources permitting.

Avoidance: This may be used when an issue is not important, or when there are other
important and pressing issues, or to let conflicting parties cool down and regain
perspective.

Authoritative command: This may be used when quick and decisive action is vital, or
when unpopular action must be taken.

Accommodation: This may be used when conflict issues are more important to others
than to oneself, or, when a person wants to build “credit” for use later.

Compromising: This may be used for temporary settlements to complex issues or to
arrive at expedient solutions when time is limited.
7.4 Conflict Management styles
Conflict management must aim at minimizing affective conflicts at all levels, attain and maintain
a moderate amount of substantive conflict, and also to match the status and concerns of the two
parties in conflict.
Whether you’re managing the conflict of two subordinates or embroiled in the midst of your own
conflict, you make a choice on how the conflict should be managed by weighing the importance
of the goal against the importance of the relationships in questions.
Five conflict management styles can be used by managers based on the intensity of conflicts and
care for other people. These styles are avoiding, compromising, forcing, problem solving
(cooperation) and accommodating.
Figure 1. Five primary styles of conflict management
1. Avoiding Style:
This style is also called withdrawing or ignoring style. In particular conflicts, this style is advised
in taking passive roles and avoiding it all together. Cooperativeness and assertiveness are low in
avoiding style. From the viewpoint of managers, it is particularly important in case of involving in
situations which may stimulate further controversy or in case conflicts are naturally too trivial and
are not necessary for managers to waste time trying to resolve them.
In addition, this style may be appropriate when it needs too much time to deal with, or when the
time/place is not suitable to discuss the problems or when people are not able to handle conflicts
due to their emotions or the others can manage the conflicts better. It may also be applied in case
that conflicts are so important to the parties’ positions that they could be best either to leave these
conflicts to them to be handled or to let events take their own course. When conflicts create
frustrations and tensions to parties, conflicts are preferred to be avoided.
Some people believe that conflict is an evil and has negative effects; accordingly, those people
may try to avoid conflict causing such situations. The biggest disadvantage is that conflict is not
directly handled. This style is useful to be applied in cases where there are no chances to win or in
case of so cost disruption.
The style of avoidance conflict has possible advantages which are:

When people face aggressions, they may select to postpone responses until they are in
more preferred positions to push back.

Conflict avoidance is “a low stress style; in this situation the conflict is short”.

This style lets a person prepare time before acting.
The style of avoidance conflict has disadvantages which are:

An individual can lose his/her work or position.

If there is no response or action by the targeted person, it can be interpreted as an
agreement.

This style may lead to negative effects on the relationship with parties that expect some
actions.
2. Accommodating Style:
Accommodating is sometimes called “the smoothing style of conflict management”. It often
concentrates on resolving conflicts by meeting the needs of others instead of addressing the
conflict issues themselves.
Individual with internal conflicts may attempt to “count his blessings” and ignore the conflicts;
when there is conflict between two parties within the organization, the manager tries to calm
things down by being understanding and supportive to both parties and urging them for
cooperation [7]. High degrees of cooperativeness are included in this style. Managers applying
this style try to reach their own objectives, goals and desired results, allowing partners to
accomplish their objectives and results. It is also significant for encouraging cooperation and
keeping future relations between the parties.
This style is aimed at reducing differences and focuses on common needs. It encourages
cooperation as an advantage of this style; however, it does not resolve the causes of conflicts. It is
not proper to escalate problems.
3. Forcing Style:
This style is also known as the “win-lose” approach. It is the simplest conceivable resolution is
the elimination of the other party to force opponents to flee and give up the fight–or slay them.
This is a domination style where dominators have powers and authorities for enforcing their own
opinions over other parties. Moreover, it is known for individuals who focuses more on personal
interests than common ones. When implementing this style, employees are forced to follow
managers’ instructions.
This style may be appropriate when there is an urgent need for taking actions, or when an
unpopular solution has to be used and a deadline is near, as well as in case of small issues. It does
not take a lot of time to be implemented, but it is associated with disapproval and resistance of
employees. When the environment is an open and participative, this approach is inappropriate.
The strength of this style is speed and the weakness is that it creates offenses of one of the parties
that didn’t win anything.
The disadvantage of this style is that it may have negative impact on the opponent's relationships
in the long term and the opponent can react in the same way, even if he used to be forceful
originally. Moreover, this style takes a lot of energy, thus it can be exhausting to some
individuals.
4. Compromising Style:
Compromises in conflicts are grasped through balancing the interests of parties and bargaining in
give-and-take positions to come to agreeable solutions. All parties gain something and also give
up something.
Compromising is a method of solving conflict through bargaining. It is described as “directed
toward sharing losses and gains jointly”. It is useful when there is a balance of power between the
individuals or when limited resources have to be shared, in the sense that this style requires
achieving of balance between personal and common interests. All participants must change some
attitudes through interventions, negotiations and voting.
Compromise can be identified as “bargaining or trading”. This style can be used when the
conflicting parties have equal powers and goals and with same importance. Therefore, no party
should impose its opinions over the other party and compromise is the one and only solution.
Moreover, in case there are constraints for time, this style is also helpful. In addition, reaching a
compromise might by the interest of parties in conflicts if conflicts are many faceted and
sophisticated, and if there is no much time to resolve them.
Integrative bargaining is a type of compromise in which both parties succeed in a way. For
example, the method of resolving conflicts is very popular when managements and labor unions
are negotiating. In the initial stages, it is normally for unions to request more than what they
desire to take while managements propose less than what they desire to give. They negotiate,
bargain and finally reach to compromise, mostly when there are arbitrators or mediators.
This approach may be appropriate:

When the goals and interests are equally important and there is no need to use more
assertive or more involving approaches, for example forcing or collaborating.

When issues are complex, so it is better to reach temporary agreement.

When conflicting parties do not know each other well or the level of mutual trust is not
high, so it can help to improve relationships between two sides.

When a balance of forces is available; however, if it has a negative effect on something
like a postpone in productions, etc., it has to be avoided, it causes democratic solutions,
however, it may stop reaching creative solutions of the problems.
Disadvantages of using compromise include:

The outcomes of using this style may not be satisfied to both parties (a “lose-lose”
situation).

This style doesn’t contribute to building trust in the long term.

Monitoring and control may be required when parties want to make sure that their
agreements are met.
5. Cooperation Style:
This style includes “confronting the conflict” so as to use the best solutions to the problems. This
method practically proposes that differences in opinions are natural things in all organizations
which should be resolved via dialogues, discussions and respects of different views. Generally,
this style is useful for solving conflicts that arise from a semantic misunderstanding. It is not so
helpful to resolve non-communicative types of conflicts like conflicts depending on differing
value systems, where it may even intensify disagreements and differences. In the long run,
however, it is better to handle a conflict and take this preventive measure which may decrease the
probability of such conflicts appearing again.
A high level of assertiveness and cooperativeness characterize this style; it is commonly known as
the “win-win scenario”. Both parties work together in creative manner to accomplish the
objectives and desired results that benefit all involved parties. Implementation of this style can be
difficult as the process of collaboration requires sincere efforts to be exerted by all parties and it
may take a lot of time to reach a consensus. Table 1 summarizes the five conflict management
styles and the situations where they are (in) appropriate.
Table 7.1 : Conflict Management Styles And The Situations Where They Are
(In)Appropriate
7.5 Model Conflict Management Process
1. Clarifying Confusion about Conflict
Conflict occurs with two or more people who, despite their first attempts at agreement, do not yet
have agreement on a course of action, usually because their values, perspectives and opinions are
contradictory in nature. Conflict can occur: Within yourself when you are not living according to
your values, when your values and perspectives are threatened, when there is discomfort from fear
of the unknown or from lack of fulfillment, conflict is inevitable and often necessary when
forming high-performing teams because they evolve through form, storm, norm and perform
periods. Getting the most out of diversity often means addressing contradictory values,
perspectives and opinions. Conflict is often needed. It: helps to raise and address problems,
energizes work to be focused on the most important priorities, helps people be real and motivates
them to fully participate, helps people learn how to recognize and benefit from their differences,
conflict is not the same as discomfort. The conflict is not the problem – poor management of the
conflict is the problem. Conflict is a problem when it: Hampers productivity. Lowers morale,
causes more and continued conflicts, causes inappropriate behaviors.
2. Interview the Parties Involved
Take time to formally gather information from those involved. Remember to keep emotions calm
and focus on the issues, what do the parties involved want to see happen? What is best for the
club? What would the board like to see happen? Summarize these findings in a detailed report.
3. Identify The Solutions.
What Are the Alternatives? Identify several possible solutions to the problem, come up with ways
to implement the solutions, what are the outcomes of each solution? Resolve the conflict
collaboratively rather than adversarial, Narrow the solutions and come up with the top priority
resolution.
4. Select the Appropriate Solution
Determine the best solutions for all involved. Allow parties to examine the top resolutions,
educate parties and get agreement to participate in the process. Bring parties together and narrow
the solution to a jointly agreed upon and owned solution. Get parties to commit to implement the
resolution and set a specific date to meet and review the resolution.
5. Follow Through and Evaluate the Solution.
Create a written report to document all that transpired throughout the process, File the report and
keep on file for a period of 10 years, have a follow-up meeting with all involved to touch base and
make certain the conflict has been resolved, Celebrate and let parties know that they have
collaboratively worked through a problem and the solution or action taken allows the board to
focus its attention to fulfilling its mission.
6. We Have an Impasse and No Resolution Was Reached Troubleshooting
Determine that you have the right objective people involved in the resolution process, go back to
the beginning and attempt to work through the process again. In other words, be sure that the
people mediating are not part of the problem. Also be sure that all the people involved in the
conflict are interviewed and part of the process, seek the advice of the membership liaison in your
area, as a last resort, and consult the U.S. Figure Skating Grievance Committee chair.