OB-UNIT 5

1. Functional and Dysfunctional
Conflicts
S. Ebi Pearlin
MA.HRM(1st year)

2. Topics to be covered
1. What id Conflict.?
2. Difference between the traditional, human relations, and
interactionist views of conflict.
3. The conflict iceberg
4. Functional vs. Dysfunctional Conflict
5. Contrast task, relationship, and process conflict.
6. Outline of the conflict process.
7. 5 stages in the Conflict process
8. Conflict management techniques

3. Conflict
Conflict Defined
– Is a process that begins when one party perceives that
another party has negatively affected, or is about to
negatively affect, something that the first party cares
about.
o Is that point in an ongoing activity when an interaction “crosses
over” to become an interparty conflict.
– Encompasses a wide range of conflicts that people
experience in organizations
o Incompatibility of goals
o Differences over interpretations of facts
o Disagreements based on behavioral expectations

4. Transitions in Conflict Thought
Traditional View of Conflict
The belief that all conflict is harmful and must be avoided.
Causes:
• Poor communication
• Lack of openness
• Failure to respond to
employee needs

5. Transitions in Conflict Thought (cont’d)
Human Relations View of Conflict
The belief that conflict is a natural and inevitable outcome
in any group.
Interactionist View of Conflict
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.

6. The Conflict Iceberg

7. Functional versus Dysfunctional Conflict
Functional Conflict
Conflict that supports the goals of
the group and improves its
performance.
Dysfunctional Conflict
Conflict that hinders group
performance.

8. Functional vs. Dysfunctional Conflict
Functional or Dysfunctional is determined by
whether the organization’s interests are served
• Functional Conflict serves • Dysfunctional Conflict
organization’s interests threatens organization’s
interests
• Is commonly referred to as
constructive or cooperative • Wastes the organization’s
conflict resources and is
counterproductive

9. Types of Conflict
Task Conflict
Conflicts over content and goals
of the work.
Relationship Conflict
Conflict based on interpersonal
relationships.
Process Conflict
Conflict over how work gets done.

10. The Conflict Process

11. Stage I:
Potential Opposition or Incompatibility
• Communication
– Semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and “noise”
• Structure
– Size and specialization of jobs
– Jurisdictional clarity/ambiguity
– Member/goal incompatibility
– Leadership styles (close or participative)
– Reward systems (win-lose)
– Dependence/interdependence of groups
• Personal Variables
– Differing individual value systems
– Personality types

12. Stage II:
Cognition and Personalization
Perceived Conflict Felt Conflict
Awareness by one or more Emotional involvement in a
parties of the existence of conflict creating anxiety,
conditions that create tenseness, frustration, or
opportunities for conflict hostility.
to arise.
Conflict Definition
Negative Emotions Positive Feelings

13. Stage III: Intentions
Intentions
Decisions to act in a given way.
Cooperativeness:
• Attempting to satisfy the other party’s concerns.
Assertiveness:
• Attempting to satisfy one’s own concerns.

14. Dimensions of Conflict
-Handling Intentions

15. Stage III: Intentions (cont’d)
Competing
A desire to satisfy one’s interests, regardless of the impact on the other party to the
conflict.
Collaborating
A situation in which the parties to a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the concerns of all
parties.
Avoiding
The desire to withdraw from or suppress a conflict.
Accommodating
The willingness of one party in a conflict to place the opponent’s interests above his or
her own.
Compromising
A situation in which each party to a conflict is willing to give up
something.

16. Stage IV: Behavior
Conflict Management
The use of resolution and stimulation techniques to achieve
the desired level of conflict.

17. Conflict-Intensity Continuum

18. Stage V: Outcomes
• Functional Outcomes from Conflict
o Increased group performance
o Improved quality of decisions
o Stimulation of creativity and innovation
o Encouragement of interest and curiosity
o Provision of a medium for problem-solving
o Creation of an environment for self-evaluation and change
• Creating Functional Conflict
o Reward dissent and punish conflict avoiders.
• Dysfunctional Outcomes from Conflict
o Development of discontent
o Reduced group effectiveness
o Retarded communication
o Reduced group cohesiveness
o Infighting among group members overcomes group goals

19. Types of Conflict
• Personality Conflict
– Given the many possible combinations of personality traits, it is
clear why personality conflicts are inevitable
– A personality conflict is an interpersonal opposition based on
personal dislike, disagreement, and/or different styles
• Intergroup Conflict
– Conflict among work groups, teams and departments is a common
threat to organizational competitiveness
– Intergroup cohesiveness – a “we feeling” binding group members
together – can be a good or bad thing (smooth running team or
result in groupthink which limits critical thinking)

20. Minimizing Intergroup Conflict
Level of perceived
Recommended actions:
intergroup conflict tends
to increase when:
• Work to eliminate specific negative
• Conflict within the interactions between groups
group is high • Conduct team building to reduce
• There are negative intragroup conflict and prepare
interactions between employees for cross-functional teamwork
groups • Encourage personal friendships and
• Influential third-party good working relationships across
gossip about other group groups and departments
is negative • Foster positive attitudes toward
members of other groups
• Avoid or neutralize negative gossip
across groups or departments

21. Managing Conflict
• Stimulating Functional Conflict
– Devil’s Advocacy
– The Dialectic Method
• 5 Alternative Styles for Handling Dysfunctional Conflict
– Integrating (Problem Solving), Obliging (Smoothing),
Dominating (Forcing), Avoiding and Compromising
• Third-Party Interventions
– Conflict Triangles
– Alternative Dispute Resolution

22. Stimulating Functional Conflict:
Devil’s Advocacy
1) A proposed course of action is
generated
2) A devil’s advocate is assigned to
critique the proposal
3) The critique is presented to key
decision makers
4) Any additional information relevant
to the issues is gathered
5) The decision to adopt, modify, or
discontinue the proposed course of
action is taken
6) The decision is monitored

23. Stimulating Functional Conflict:
The Dialectic Method
1) A proposed course of action is generated
2) Assumptions underlying the proposal are
identified
3) A conflicting counterproposal is
generated based on different
assumptions
4) Advocates of each position present and
debate merits of their proposals before
key decision makers
5) The decision to adopt, either position or
some other position is taken
6) The decision is monitored

24. 5 Alternative Styles for Handling Dysfunctional
Conflict
High Integrating Obliging
Concern for Others
Compromising
Low Dominating Avoiding
High Low
Concern for Self

25. 5 Alternative Styles for Handling Dysfunctional
Conflict
1. Integrating (Problem Solving)
– Is appropriate for complex issues plagued by misunderstanding
– Is inappropriate for resolving conflicts rooted in opposing value systems
– Its primary strength is its longer lasting impact because it deals with the
underlying problem rather than merely with symptoms
– However, it is very time consuming
2. Obliging (Smoothing)
– Involves playing down differences while emphasizing commonalities
– May be appropriate when it is possible to eventually get something in
return
– Is inappropriate for complex or worsening problems
– Its primary strength is that it encourages cooperation
– However, it’s a temporary fix that fails to confront the underlying problem

26. 5 Alternative Styles for Handling Dysfunctional
Conflict
3. Dominating (Forcing)
– Shows a high concern for self and low concern for others
– Encourages “I win, you lose” tactics
– Is appropriate when an unpopular solution must be implemented, the issue
is minor or a deadline is near
– Is inappropriate in an open and participative climate
– Its primary strength is speed
– However, it often breeds resentment

27. 5 Alternative Styles for Handling Dysfunctional
Conflict
4. Avoiding
– May involve either passive withdrawal from the problem or active
suppression of the issue
– Is appropriate for trivial issues or when the costs of confrontation outweigh
the benefits of resolving the conflict
– Is inappropriate for difficult and worsening problems
– Its primary strength is that it buys time in ambiguous situations
– However, it only provides a temporary fix that sidesteps the underlying
problem
5. Compromising
– A give-and-take approach involving moderate concern for both self &others
– Is appropriate when parties have opposite goals or possess equal power
– Is inappropriate when overuse would lead to inconclusive or delayed action
– Its primary strength is that the democratic process has no losers
– However, it only provides a temporary fix that can stifle creative problem
solving

28. Third-Party Interventions
• Conflict Triangles
– When two people are having a problem and instead of
addressing the problem, one of them gets a third party
involved
• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
– Avoiding costly lawsuits by resolving conflicts informally or
through mediation or arbitration

29. Alternative Dispute Resolutions
Facilitation
– A third party, usually a manager, informally urges disputing parties
to deal direction with each other in a positive manner
Conciliation
– A neutral third party informally acts as a communication conduit
between disputing parties
Peer review
– A panel of trustworthy co-workers hears both sides of a dispute in an
informal and confidential meeting

30. Alternative Dispute Resolutions
Ombudsman
– Someone who works for the organization, and is widely
respected, hears grievances on a confidential basis and
attempts to arrange a solution
Mediation
– A trained, third-party neutral actively guides the
disputing parties in exploring a solution; the mediator
does not render a decision
Arbitration
– A trained, third-party neutral, makes a decision regarding
the dispute