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

• Perception: both parties need to be aware
• Incompatibility
• Interaction
  

THE TRADITIONAL VIEW

HUMAN RELATIONS VIEW

INTERACTIONIST VIEW

TRADITIONAL VIEW

(Consistent with attitudes of 1930-1940s)

ALL conflict is bad!!!!

It is harmful and interfers with group functionality => AVOID

Yes Man ERA (GROUPTHINK)

HUMAN RELATIONS VIEW

~1940s/70s view

Conflict is a natural occurance

=> acceptance

*May even benefit from it

=>Embrace and deal with it

INTERACTIONIST VIEW

~1980s to present view

Encourages conflict

Can use conflict to YOUR ADVANTAGE

• Functional conflict - supports goals of group and improves performance
• Dysfunctional conflict - hinders group performance

Task - Relates to content and goals of work

Relationship - Interpersonal relationships

Process - How work gets done

Stage I:  Potential Opposition or Incompatibility

Stage II:  Cognition and Personalization

Stage III:  Intentions

Stage IV:  Behavior

Stage V:  Outcomes

CAUSES

Communication (lack of) - arise from semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, noise channels & barrierss, too little/much comm. JARGON, ENCODING/DECODING, UNCLEAR EXPECTATIONS

Structure - SIZE (ABOVE 5 BAD), degree of specialization in tasks, jurisdictional CLARITY, member-goal compatibility, leadership styles, REWARDS, dependence btw grps tenure and ages, TURNOVER, MICROMGMT, COMPENSATION PLANS

Personal Variables - personality, emotions, values, CONFLICT ORIENTATION, CULTURAL

Felt Conflict - Level when individuals become emotionally involved

Perceived Conflict - Does not mean is personalized; AWARE of antecedent conditions

*Where conflict issues are DEFINED

Stage III:  Intentions

*DECISIONS to ACT in a given way

*Behavior not always accurately reflect intentions

2 Dimensions (cooperativeness and assertiveness)

Assertiveness (ME): Your desire to accomplish your set goals at expense of other party

Cooperativeness (YOU):  The degree to which you want to satisfy other parties interests instead of your own

EXHIBIT 13.2

1. competing:  highly assertive and very uncooperative (strive to acheive goal at expense of other party achieving his)
2. Collaborating - highly assertive and highly cooperative (win win soln). ETHICAL - utilitarian theory - greatest good for largest # ppl
3. Avoiding - unassertive and uncooperative, avoid conflict based on hope will go away
4. Accomodating - Unassertive and cooperative, you give in just to please someone else
5. Comprimising - MID RANGE on both assertiveness and cooperativeness, pie sliced down middle. Make sacrifices

Functional - Conflict is constructive when improves quality of decisions, stimulates creativity & innovations, encourages interest & curiosity, provides medium through which problems aired, fosters environment of self evaluation & change

Dysfunctional - Breeds discontent, reduces grp effectiveness, retards communication, reduces grp cohesiveness, subord. of goals creating functional conflict

*Reward dissent and punish conflict avoiders

Bargaining Strategies

DISTRIBUTIVE

Distributive

• Operates under zero-sum conditions
• Fixed pie: only a set of G/S to be divvied up
• Each prsn has Target Point and Resistence Point
• Best negotiators make the 1st offer
• RIGHT HERE AND NOW
• Ex. Used car salesman
• "The way I win, is by you losing"
• St. FOCUS HERE, Decr. Relationship, Competitive, EITHER/OR, SHORT TERM, Not much trust

Bargaining Strategies

INTEGRATIVE BARGAINING

Integrative

• (preferable)
• Operates under assumption there are one or more settlements that can create a win-win sol'n
• Comprimise may be worst enemy
• Open and trusting
• longer term
• taking short term loss for long term gain
• higher level of SENSITIVITY > sharing info

1. Preparation and Planning
2. Definition of Ground Rules
3. Clarification and Justification
4. Bargaining and Problem Solving
5. Closure and Implementation

Personality Traits

No significant effect; intelligence

Moods/Emotions

Distributive: anger is good

Integrative: opposite

Gender Differences

Do not negotiate differently but does affect the outcomes

Having MILD/MODERATE conflict adds to group...

• ^ Productivity
• ^ Innovation
• ^ Problem Solving
  

PREVENT GROUPTHINK

"Pearl in the Shell"

Functional

Task/Process

Dysfunctional

Personal (BAD)

ADR

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Mechanism gov. has intiatied to help settle arguements

*Depending upon your case, will bring in PROFESSIONAL MEDIATOR

*SPEEDS up process and Binds Decision