3 credit hours (2+1)
Lecturer :
Dr. Jamilah Othman
JPPPL – FPP
UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA
SEMESTER 2 2014/2015
Telephone : 03- 8946 8233
e-mail
: jamilah.othman@gmail.com
Semester : Semester Kedua
2014/2015
At the end of this course, student will be able to:
◦ Understand concepts and theories of coflict.
(C4)
◦ Describe, analyze and evaluate situations of
conflict at various contexts.(C6)
◦ Harness their skills in handling conflict. (A5)

This Course Covers Basic Concepts And
Theories Of Conflict, Sources And Effects
Of Conflict, Types Of Conflict, Strategies
For Conflict Resolution, Application Of
Conflict Resolution In Human Resource
Development, And Current Issues In
Conflict.

Concept and Theories of Conflict
 Views Of Conflict
 Context And Level Of Conflict
 Theories Of Conflict Management

Types Of Conflict
 Intrapersonal
 Interpersonal
 Intergroup
 Intragroup
 International

Factors Related To Conflict
◦ Control Over Resources
◦ Preferences And Nuisances (Priorities And
Disturbances)
◦ Values
◦ Beliefs
◦ The Nature Of The Relationship Of The Conflicting
Parties

Methods Of Handling Conflict
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

Competition & Cooperation
Conflict Handling Styles
Third-Party Roles
Negotiation
Mediation
 Outcomes
Of Conflict
 Positive Outcome Of Conflict
 Negative Outcome Of Conflict
 Skills
Required In Handling Conflict
 Identifying Conflict Situations
 Communication
 Stress Management
 Anger Management
 Problem Solving

Issues In Conflict Management
◦ Human Rights
◦ Violence
◦ Stereotype And Generalizations

Conflict Case Studies
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Interpersonal Conflict
Family Conflict
Organizational Conflict
Community Conflict
International/Interstate Conflict
 Conflict is a fact of life
 Conflict is a universal phenomenon
 Conflict is a perception issue
 Conflict happens as a result of individual’s
perception of a phenomenon
 Conflict is a sharp disagreement or opposition of
interest or idea
 A conflict exist whenever incompatibality occurs
The Outcome of Conflict Can be Negative or Positive
 Conflict accurs when an individual or group feels
negatively affected by another individual or group
The Views About Conflict

The Functionalist View
The belief that conflict is harmful
and must be avoided.

The Human Relationship View
The belief that conflict is a
natural and inevitable
outcome in any group or
relationship.

The Interactionist View
The belief that conflict is not only a
positive force in a group, but that it is
absolutely necessary for a group to
perform effectively.

The Structuralist View
The belief that there is always an
underlying structural conflict between
the producers of economic wealth
and those who benefit most from the
economic system.

Deutch (1973)
A conflict exists whenever
incompatible activities occur.

Tjosvold & Johnson(1989)
Conflict is not to be avoided or
eliminated, but managed.

Jamilah, Rahim & Aminah (2006)
Conflict happens as a result of
individual’s perception of a
phenomenon, whereby the
phenomenon itself is presented as an
obstacle to the individuals.
 Intrapersonal
- conflict within the individual, the conflict is internal to the individual or
inside oneself,
- make decisions over choices
- face dilemma when decision is difficult
(eg.) role conflict
 Interpersonal
- Conflict between individuals
- Individuals can be within the same team or outside the team
(eg) Conflict between one employee with another employee of the same
department, conflict between siblings
 Intragroup
- Conflict within a team or group
- Conflict between members of a team or
group
(eg) Conflict between members of family,
organization, football team, etc.
 Intergroup
- Conflict between two or more teams or groups
(eg) conflict between families, departments, organizations,
countries, communities culture, religious groups etc.
 A theory is a means of explaining how something works
 The focus of a theory’s explanation directs attentions to that part of the conflict and
assigns the underlying explanation on the cause of conflict
1.Psychodynamic and Attribution Theories
- The way people act in conflict is due to the individuals ways of thinking
a. Psychodynamic Theory
- based on psychological theories by Sigmund Freud
- people experience conflict because of their intrapersonal state
- it explains how individuals respond to conflict situations, particularly in light
of their aggressive impulses and their anxieties
- the theory points out that people are not always aware of their motivations
that drive their behavior
- non-substaintive conflict (to release tension unrelated to the other person
in the conflict situation)
- misplased or displased conflict (conflict is acted out with the wrong person
over the wrong issue)
b. Attribution Theory
- An individual makes conclusions about the other person’s
behavior
- Conclusions about the other individual are based on attributes
about that individual or on inferences about the
meanings, causes, or outcomes of conflict.
- an attribution affects the way individual define conflicts,
interpret the other’s behavior, and choose strategies to
achieve their goals effectively within conflict situations.
- individual conceptualize conflict and attribute it to various
causes.
- the perception of conflict arises when an individual feels
frustration, thinks about the cause, and acts in response to it
2. Relationship Theories
- focus on how relationships between people involved in a conflict is enacted
and resolved
a. Social Exchange Theory
- people evaluate their interpersonal relationships in terms of
their value created by the costs and rewards associated with the
relationship.
- the cost is the feelings on the assessment on the amount of
effort put into the relationship
- the rewards is what is received as a result of the relationship
- the theory assumes that people choose their behaviors due to
self-interest and a desire to maximize rewards and minimize
costs.
- conflict arises when one person in the relationship feels that
the outcomes are too low and perceive that the other will resist
any attempt to raise the outcome.
b. Game Theory
- people act in conflict situations from a position of self-interest,
and that moves and couter moves are chosen to
maximize rewards and minimize costs.
- interdependent actions and estimations of moves and
countermoves within a conflict situation affect the movement of
a conflict toward resolution.
c. Systems Theory
- it assumes that conflict represents a breakdown in
communication from the normal, harmonious state of affairs.
- it also assumes that conflict as a normal part of interaction.
- sees conflict as an important part of a system
- allows change and adaptation to various demands.
3. Structural Theory
- The struggle between social factions (groups of different beliefs
and values)
- These factions may co-exist peacefully although basically they may
be hostile to each other
a.
Marxism and Capitalism
- structural conflict that exist due to control of the production and
distribution of wealth in a society
- sometimes it takes the form of religious struggle but it strongly
points to political and economic struggle
- each conflicting party tries to get control of the people to gain
power by trying to get control of the ideology of the mass
- in capitalist system the conflict is between those who have the
control production and distribution of wealth and those who sell
their ability to work in the capitalist system
b. Radical Feminism
- ‘radical’ means looking at the root cause
- the two conflicting factions are women and men
- the achievements of women were hidden when men were usually
the winners in the conflict between men and women.
woman without her man is nothing
Type of Conflict
 Constructive Conflict




Supports Organization Goal
Increases Organization Achievement
Increases Organization Image
E.g : ISO, or Introduction of any innovations
 Destructive Conflict




Does Not Support Organization’s Goal
Decreases Organization’s Achievement
Decreases Organization’s Image
E.g : Sexual Harassment
 Intra-personal
 Within an individual
 Inter-personal
 Between two or more
individuals
 Intra-group
 Within a group
 Inter-group
 Between two or more groups
Positive Outcome of Conflict







Binds people together
Preserves a relationship
Helps to define and clarify structure and
expectations
Better Decision
Increases Productivity
Leads to new growths and ideas
Energizes and Increases Peoples’ Motivation
Negative Outcome of Conflict




Decreases Satisfaction
Decreases Teamwork
Increases Turnover
Sabotage and Abuse
Conclusion



Views of conflict differ among
individuals.
Conflict can be constructive or
destructive.
Outcomes of conflict can be
positive or negative.
Contents
The Cause of Conflict
 Individual’s Conceptualization
 Hierarchy of Needs
 Variables Affecting The Cause of
Conflict
 The Conflict Process
 Stages of Conflict Process
 Conclusion

◦ Control Over Resources
◦ Preferences and Nuisances
 E.g : music while working, technology
◦ Values
 E.g : value judgment
◦ Beliefs
 E.g : Organization mission and vision
◦ The Nature of The Relationship
 E.g : siblings
Internal / personal /
developmental factors
Steps in the process of
conceptualization
External factors
Level of. Development
Process of conceptualization
State of the individual.
Value / need set
Content
Stimulus
experience
symbolization
Causal attribution
Intentional attribution
Context analysis
Content analysis
Choice assessment
Context
Selfactualization
Esteem
Social
Safety
Physiological



Physiological
Hunger, thirst, shelter, sex, and other bodily
needs
Safety
Security and Protection from Physical and
Emotional Harm
Social
Affection, belongingness, acceptance and
friendship

Esteem
Internal esteem factors such as self-respect,
autonomy and achievement
External esteem factors such as status, recognition
and attention

Self-actualization
The drive to become what one is capable of
becoming, includes growth, achieving
one’s potential and self-fulfillment







The characteristics of the parties in conflict
Their prior relationship to one another
The nature of the issue giving rise to the conflict
The social environment within which the conflict
occurs
The interested audiences to the conflict
The strategy and tactics employed by the parties
in the conflict
The consequences of the conflict to each of the
participants and to other interested parties
Five stages of the conflict process model:
Stage
Stage
Stage
Stage
Stage
1
2
3
4
5
:
:
:
:
:
Potential for conflict
Recognition of conflict
Conflict handling styles
Conflict behavior
Conflict outcomes
Stage 5
Stage 2
Potential
for
conflict
Recognition
of conflict
Conflict
handling
style
Conflict behavior
Conflict
outcomes
Perceived
Competing
Overt conflict:-
Increase
group
performance
Preceding
circumstance :
conflict
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 1
Collaborating
- communication
behavior
Compromising
- structure
- personal
variables
- party’s
Felt
Avoiding
conflict
Accommodating
- other’s
behavior
Decrease
group
performance
Conclusion


Individual perception and view
on issues influence the cause
of conflict.
Individual’s needs and
interests are important to be
considered in understanding
issues of conflict.
Contents
 Five
Common Conflict Styles
 Model SALAM
 Third-Party Roles

Model Thomas Kilmann

Avoiding

Accommodation

Competing

Compromising

Collaborating
Tinggi
Bertanding
Bergabung
(compete)
(Collaborate)
Berkompromi
(Compromise)
Pengelakan
(Avoid)
Rendah
Akomodasi
(Accommodate)
Tinggi
S = starting the conflicting view
 A = agreeing that a conflict exist
 L = listening for and learning the difference
 A = advising one another (menjelaskan isu konflik)
 M = minimizing area of disagreement that could

lead to aggression or withdraw
 Mediator(Mediasi)
 Arbitrator
(Penimbang Tara)
 Conciliator (Pendamai)
 Consultant (Pakar Runding)
 Mediator
(Mediasi):
 Pihak ketiga yang neutral
 Membantu proses membuat
keputusan oleh pihak yang
berkonflik
 Tidak memihak kepada
mana-mana pihak yang
berkonflik
 Arbitrator
(Penimbang Tara)
 Pihak ketiga yang berkuasa
untuk membuat keputusan
untuk mereka yang berkonflik
selepas memdengar kedua-dua
pihak
 Conciliator
(Pendamai):
 Pihak ketiga yang mewujudkan
jalinan komunikasi kepada
mereka yang berkonflik.
 Menggalakkan mereka yang
berkonflik untuk mencapai
persetujuan
 Consultant
(Perunding):
 Pihak ketiga yang menjadi
pakar runding untuk
membimbing mereka yang
berkonflik untuk memcapai
persetujuan.