...Conflict Resolution in the Workplace: An Interdisciplinary Prescription for a Healthier Organization Introduction Conflict is rarely defined within organizations; instead, examples are given ranging in scale from mild tension with a colleague caused by miscommunication all the way to interinstitutional conflict involving many stakeholders competing for resources (Zweibel, Goldstein, Manwaring, & Marks2008). Unidentified, and under resolved conflict in an organization can lead to mountainous waves of tension that infect the everyday work environment with decreased productivity and burnout. The focus of this paper will be to examine the effects of conflict resolution through an analysis of business, psychology, and cultural and ethnic studies. Business. Business is the concept of providing goods and services to customers with the prospect of making a profit or not. Human resources (HR), a sub-discipline of business are concerned with the implementation of policies, tools, and strategies related to the management of people. People and problems co-exist. It is impossible to have one without the other. The Nominal Group Technique (NGT), an HR tool, can be used in a conflict situation in the workplace in order to establish the perceived causes of employment relations conflict (van der Waal & Uys 2009). Psychology. The science of psychology focuses on the mental and emotional behaviors of groups and individuals. The psychological process of mentally diagnosing...
Words: 572 - Pages: 3
...CONFLICT RESOLUTION PAPER R O N S A E L. M A S O N P R O F. S H A R O N B U R K E. COM/100 INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION Several advantages that a team has over an individual in the workplace include greater total resources, greater knowledge band and a greater source of ideas. However, these advantages can also bring on conflict within teams and the entire workplace. Varney (1989) reported that conflict remained the number one problem within a large company. This was after several attempts were made to train management in conflict resolutions and procedures. However, the conflict remained. The conflict possibly remains because the managers and leaders did not pay attention to the seriousness of the issue. In order to maintain an effective team, leaders and team members must know and be proactive in the conflict resolution techniques and procedures. Types of Conflict Differences within the team are the major reason for conflict. This stems from differences in opinion, attitude, beliefs, as well as cultural back grounds and social factors. The Conflict can be positive which is functional and supports or benefits the organization or a person’s main objectives (Reaching Out, 1997). Conflict is viewed as positive when the conflict results in increased involvement form the group, increased cohesion, and positive innovation and creativity. Conflict can be negative in the same tense except it is dysfunctional and hinders the teams or the person’s performance...
Words: 955 - Pages: 4
...Assignment Hospitality Conflict Resolution Question 1: Identify the different types of conflict in the scenario. Answer 1: Conflict is common phenomenon in any workplace situation. “Conflict is the clashing of opposing values, beliefs or interests”. In the workplace conflict may result in effort being purposely made by one person or group to block the efforts of another, or in one person or group getting what they want at the expense of another. Our current conflict scenario outlines different types of conflicts in a typical hospitality environment. The following types of conflict are identifiable from the scenario, 1. Conflict between colleagues and ourselves: This can happen due to a wide range if circumstances. In our current scenario there is couple of instances of this type of conflict. Like between Jack and Amanda, as Amanda not-turned up for work two days in a row, so Jack as front office manager will have address this issue with Amanda, which might turned into a conflict. Moreover Jack and Maria (Room division manger) also had conflict regarding Jack’s role in order to rectify some existing problems. 2. Conflict between Work teams: In most of the organizations different work teams work together, and possibility of having conflict quite usual. Like in our current scenario the front office team may have conflict with the Rooms Division team or with back of house. 3. Conflict between Staff and Management: It is a common occurrence in many workplaces...
Words: 1882 - Pages: 8
...and demands result in conflicts, which has been defined as a lack of agreement where the parties involved recognize a threat to their wants, safeties, and disquiets (Mayer, n.d). Conflict will occur due to some misunderstanding among the involved parties, and it is quite unavoidable in organizations as well as institutions such as schools. There are different types of conflict that may be witnessed in the society. An individual may be in conflict with another man, with the society, or with other aspects of nature. One can also have inner conflicts; this occurs when the individual has divided thoughts and is not able to make a decision on a given issue. In an organizational setup, conflicts may arise due to many reasons including, but not limited to, irreconcilable objectives and goals, mismatched personalities and scarcity of shared resources (Jung, 2003, p. 3). Similarly, an individual may be in conflict with the values, beliefs or practices imposed by the society on its people. There are mixed consequences of such conflicts. Organizational conflicts can be both beneficial and harmful to the successful operations and ultimate productivity of the organization. While conflicts may impede the production pace of an organization, they may also lead to the development of strong organizational cultures to promote future organizational management. Conflict resolution refers to all the activities that are applied to trim down the degree of violence in conflict and develop some level...
Words: 5050 - Pages: 21
...When people unite to work as a team for anything more than a brief duration, some conflict is normal, and should be expected. As workgroups from there is the inevitability of conflict; being able to recognize, address, and ultimately resolve conflicts is vitally important in order to create a workable environment and avoid disruptions. Conflict within groups can be both functional and dysfunctional. The dynamics and outcomes of these conflicts can exist on various levels, both individually and within group functions. By fully understanding both the conflict and the available resolution strategies, team members are prepared to select the best approach for managing or resolving conflict, which allows them to defuse the potential for it to derail the team's progress toward the achievement of its goals, damage, or even divide the team. Exploring various levels of conflict, conflict resolution and resulting outcomes allows us to clarify personal and group processes which evolve around conflict. The Conflict A short time ago, I was asked to participate in project at work. A team of subject matter expects was formed to work on a software project which would enhance and streamline day-to-day tasks. The purpose of the project was to brainstorm, test, and integrate this new software program to the Portfolio Analysts team, and then to the other various groups we worked with. There were six people in this task group and two upper level management team members to oversee the group. ...
Words: 1701 - Pages: 7
...Conflict Resolution Conflict is a state of disagreement between two or more parties. This disagreement can be realized in both peaceful and violent manifestations. A clash of interests, values, actions, or directions often sparks a conflict. Conflict occurs on many levels-within the individual when a person confronts their own competing desires; between individuals such as in a marriage; between groups of individuals, such as work groups; between societies or cultures, such as different religions or ethnicities; or international conflict which may become a fully fledged war. Causes for conflict are many but all conflicts have as their root cause self-centered behavior, when one's personal desires, or those of one's own group, are pursued without regard for the needs of the other or for the larger society to which both belong. The result of such selfishness is the breakdown of harmonious interactions or the initiation of aggressive and destructive behavior. Conflict theory attempts to explain social conflict through the idea that all participants in a group or society attempt to maximize their personal benefits and are therefore at odds with all other members of the population. Conflict resolution is the ending of a conflict, or at least reduction of its severity. It may involve conflict management, in which the parties continue the conflict but adopt less extreme tactics; settlement, in which they reach agreement on enough issues that the conflict stops; or removal of the...
Words: 591 - Pages: 3
...continued to keep an eye on the staff as she did not have trust on them. One of staff,Robert mentioned to her that she can continue her work and do not worry about the work. They will definately concentrate on the job. She did not believied him and again started arguing with him as she was a boss. Robert and other staff they did not like her behaviour so they started giving back anwer to her. The whole lab atmoshere was charged up and end up in the big discussion and argument. Erica mentioned to them she has licence and authority to watch them as she is their supervisor and they have to obey her commands. This statmemt of her escalted the whole issue and continued for a long time. This situation turned in to a big arguments and conflict that it had a great imapct on the productivity of work. There was a big loss of components as they were not able to process in a timely manner. Next day the staff meeting was called on by Manager and all the night staff were called to attend the meeting. Robert...
Words: 941 - Pages: 4
...Conflict Resolution Prepared for Excelsior University Prepared by 5 October 2014 Introduction: The word conflict stirs up thoughts of anger, friction, mistrust, frustration, and hostility. Very rare do people think of conflict as a tool for deeper thinking, better results, and healthier communication that is more dynamic. When conflict is unmanaged, it can destroy cohesiveness, but leaders that use conflict resolution strategies can turn their conflict into an asset. Managed conflict can promote an exchange of ideas to generate well thought out results, encourage employees and team members to think outside of their own ideas, and develop a deeper understanding of the situation. It is common for organizations to view conflict, a disagreement between two or more parties, as a source of emotion, frustration, and negativity. Much of the time, we see conflict as something that is so harmful it should be avoided at all costs. Despite these views of conflict, some disagreements within an organization can be an opportunity for creative thinking, problem-solving, learning, and growth. Conflict is healthy and natural. We all have different personalities, ideas, and points of view. We are not always going to agree on issues and actions…and that’s a good thing. Since we all bring different experiences and ideas to the table, we can open each others’ eyes to new ideas and new ways of approaching issues. (Wichita State University) We can find many books and articles...
Words: 1087 - Pages: 5
...Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking University of Phoenix PSY/400 Dr. Abstract Conflict resolution is a method of facilitating a peaceful resolution of a conflict. It is also knowing how to manage and reduce if not resolve a dispute or a conflict. Japan has been employing a strategy in trying to resolve their current conflict with China through a non- violent means and this is through a simple handshake. The Japanese has been negotiating for the handshaking to happen with the goal of striking a mutually satisfactory deal. Key words: handshake, conflict management, negotiation, collaboration. The current tension between China and Japan over disputed islands in East China Sea has been a cause of concern by political and economic leaders in the Southeast and East Asia Regions. However, the tension could be lessened by nonverbal gestures and niceties as asserted by Katie Shonk in her Harvard-published article on November 5th, 2014 entitled “For Conflict Resolution in Asia, A Simple Handshake Could Go Far” (Shonk, 2014). A simple but significant gesture, a handshake between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping is what the Japanese officials hope will happen during the regional economic summit in Beijing scheduled this month. There are two major factors that have caused the strain in the relationship between the two countries. First is the refusal of Xi to meet with Abe. It was surmised that “Xi would not engaged in formal...
Words: 1132 - Pages: 5
...they encounter conflict on a daily and sometimes hourly basis at home or at work. As for the people who become involved in conflict, they rarely have any or little understanding about the sources of conflict or how to manage it when it occurs. The whole other level that many people fail to understand is how often nurses encounter conflict and how difficult it can be to find a resolution. Between dealing with patients and their family, nurses also have to be on the same page as the doctors, other nurses, as well as people from other departments in the hospital. Nurses in particular encounter conflict and usually have no understanding of how to resolve it, which is a major problem health care facilities need to take a stand on. Conflict is an inevitable factor in our daily personal and professional lives. We are surrounded by conflict even if we may not realize it. Usually we do not like to experience conflict, but we do enjoy watching others deal with it. For example, television shows highlight the fact that disputes, arguments, and disagreements are normal and a necessary part of life. Conflicts can originate for numerous reasons including differing values, miscommunication and lack of information, or relationship breakdowns. As stated previously, resolving conflicts is a hard process that most people have no understanding of, meaning hospitals should include programs that educate and train hospital staff about conflict management. The hospital creates conflict itself, so they...
Words: 1810 - Pages: 8
...affect negotiating options and outcomes are: • Is the retailer willing to negotiate on price? • How big the retailer is? • Other buying options available in the market for the retailer. • Attitude of the retailer and his approach towards me. • My own strengths and weaknesses during negotiations. • My own willingness to negotiate. • Our perceptions about each other. • The setting in which we are negotiating. • Goals of both parties. • My fear about threats of my production stoppage and storage issue. • Facts and circumstances as I am having bad time at the business. • Personality and temperament of both parties • Way of thinking of both parties • Style of communication I and the retailer will use. • Our approach to conflict • Our past experiences we had while negotiating in same circumstances. 3. What unconscious factors might also affect your negotiation performance? Ans. Unconscious factors may affect negotiation performance are: However, our human interaction is affected by who we are and with whomwe interact. Personality and temperament, values and beliefs, perception, attitudes,...
Words: 433 - Pages: 2
...Conflict Resolution Conflict Resolution Conflict is something that can arise at any moment of the day whether it is at work or in personal life. Such situations must be handled and resolved in a correct manner because unresolved conflicts can cause an abundance of problems for fellow employees and employers. There are conflicts that should be addressed right when it occurs, but there are other inferences that should be left for a later time when tension is calm. Conflict resolution has to deal with two or more parties that have been having problems, where they have an intervention planned at alleviating or eliminating friction through conciliation. In my experiences, when there are positive leaders in an establishment, conflicts seem to get resolved faster and occur less often. Storybook #1: In the group’s opinion, there are different ways to handle a team member that is being vague with a situation. One way to deal with that particular team member is to pull them aside and say that, “I really appreciate the positivity, but if we are really striving to create a great product that the team can really stand behind, and one that will also attest to our particular importance, dedication, and value to the larger team/organizational picture, then we should try to be as pragmatic, honest, and realistic as possible in our assessments of the issues at hand.” Another way to deal with the team member is to attempt to be positive and understanding that the team member did not...
Words: 1033 - Pages: 5
...Conflict Resolution For every employed individual amongst society the workplace is a breeding ground for conflict. However, there are individuals within the workplace that have developed certain methods to minimize conflict. Whatever method used; communication seems to be the common variable in any successful attempt of minimizing conflict. Joe Phelps, CEO of the Phelps Group has a unique method that has proven effective within his workplace. The Phelps Group has a no rules policy contingent upon the belief that they hire adults who don’t need a set of rules (“Conflict Resolution in the Workplace,” 2013). The no rules policy is an interesting approach to conflict resolution and peacekeeping in the workplace. One may think that this would only create chaos within the workplace, not peace. However, Phelps’ no rules policy is contingent upon directly approaching the individual whom conflict has arisen from and deal with the matter in an adult like manner. If the first method doesn’t resolve conflict the individual is to approach two other coworkers familiar with both in conflict to resolve the matter. If both methods have proven ineffective the last resort is to call in an outside party to the workplace to resolve the conflict. The reasoning behind this conflict resolution approach is to provide employees with a format for communication when conflict arises. The method is an interesting way to create respect and harmony within the workplace as it creates a formal setting for...
Words: 899 - Pages: 4
...continued to keep an eye on the staff as she did not have trust on them. One of staff,Robert mentioned to her that she can continue her work and do not worry about the work. They will definitely concentrate on the job. She did not believed him and again started arguing with him as she was a boss. Robert and other staff they did not like her behavior so they started giving back answer to her. The whole lab atmosphere was charged up and end up in the big discussion and argument. Erica mentioned to them she has licence and authority to watch them as she is their supervisor and they have to obey her commands. This statesmen of her escalated the whole issue and continued for a long time. This situation turned in to a big arguments and conflict that it had a great impact on the productivity of work. There was a big loss of components as they were not able to process in a timely manner. Next day the staff meeting was called on by Manager and all the night staff were called to attend the meeting....
Words: 1139 - Pages: 5
...Conflict Resolution Introduction Conflicts are a natural part of life and therefore a natural phenomenon in the education sector. In any school, there is the potential for conflict, because students may misunderstand one another, teachers may disagree on resource allocation, the administration may have issues with the staff parents may have some causes for complaint against the school or disagree on some of the school policies. The potential for conflict exists because people have different needs, views and values. But, when such conflicts are properly resolved, the atmosphere at school is more pleasant for everyone. Teachers can spend more time teaching and students can spend more time learning. Below is an analysis of the conflict resolution strategies which have been used to resolve conflicts in the education sector. Conflict Resolution Strategies in Schools 1. Mediation: This is a structured, goal oriented process that follows clear steps and resolves disputes confidentially. It helps disputing parties to assess their options realistically and reach mutually acceptable solutions. In mediation, an independent third party, the mediator, helps the parties involved in the conflict to talk with one another and to listen to one another’s grievances. Through this exchange of information, the parties gain insight into how the other is feeling about the situation, and they achieve understanding and respect. Mediation is a very effective conflict resolution strategy...
Words: 1078 - Pages: 5
