...Positive Approaches to Conflict Conflict is disagreement where those who are parties to it recognize a threat to their wishes, interest or concerns. There is usually a certain level of misunderstanding which many a times takes disagreements to a higher level. By understanding the correct areas of conflict, this will assist in solving the true problems and, address the actual needs of the parties involved. Confusion arises in identifying who are the involved parties in a conflict. People perceived to be party to a conflict get surprised when they find they are not, whereas those perceived not to, are included in the same. Conflicts can have a positive effect in relationships once a person recognizes the importance of fruitful speaking and listening. A willingness to accept it as a challenge assists in creating an opportunity to grow together. Since disagreements develops out of predictable clash of personalities, it is vital to choose appropriate methods of conflict approaches, consequently shifting focus from individual entities to the thorny issues at hand. On many facets, people who are appearing to be part of a group in a social system are compelled to take a side in a conflict regardless of the judgment which can be biased. Important examples are family members and workmates, among others. History, past relationships, issues at hand and, individual organization goals form the benchmark for the decisions made (Deutsch, 1973. P. 20). As indicated earlier people react to...
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...Conflict Management in the Workplace Introduction Conflict management in the workplace is an issue that every leader, manager, or employee has to deal with at one time or another. The basics of conflict management include improving communication, teamwork, and a systematic approach to solving the disagreement. This paper explores various techniques that can be utilized to manage conflict in the workplace. Workplace Conflict Management Conflict is defined by Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman as “the process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party” (p. 362). Sometimes conflict that be a positive force within an organization, while at other times it is a negative force. An example of conflict as a positive force is that the creation and resolution of conflict may lead the company to constructive problem solving. It may also lead people to search for ways of changing how they do things. The conflict resolution process can ultimately be a stimulus for positive change within an organization (Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman, p. 364). However, conflict may also have serious negative effects on an organization. For example, conflict may divert efforts from goal attainment or it may deplete resources (particularly time and money) (Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman, p. 364). Conflict also may negatively affect the psychological well-being of employees and cause stress (Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman, p. 364)...
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...tendency for extinction to occur when an unconditioned stimulus does not follow a stimulus similar to a conditioned stimulus 4- A customer who learns that two products are different even though the packages of both products look similar has learned ________. A. masked branding B. brand equity C. stimulus generalization D. stimulus discrimination 5- If a woman gets compliments after wearing Obsession perfume, she is more likely to keep buying the product and wearing it. What type of instrumental conditioning has occurred in the situation? A. neutral reinforcement B. positive reinforcement C. negative reinforcement D. symbolic reinforcement 6- In instrumental conditioning, what is the distinction between negative reinforcement and punishment? A. There is no difference. They are two words for the same thing. B. Negative reinforcement can occur when a stimulus is positive, and punishment occurs when a stimulus is painful. C. Negative reinforcement occurs when a negative outcome is avoided, while punishment is a negative outcome...
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...Conflict is a fact of life - for individuals, organizations, and societies. The costs of conflict are well-documented - high turnover, grievances and lawsuits, absenteeism, divorce, dysfunctional families, prejudice, fear. What many people don't realize is that well-managed conflict can actually be a force for positive change. Conflict is “an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from others in achieving their goals” (Hocker, 1991). There are two basic types of conflicts: substantive and emotional. According to Schermerhorn et.al., substantive conflict is a fundamental disagreement over ends or goals to be pursued and the means for their accomplishment. This type of conflict arises when people disagree over such things as group and organizational goals, policies and procedures, task assignments, or the distribution of rewards. In contrast, emotional conflict “involves interpersonal difficulties that arise over feelings of anger, mistrust, dislike, fear, resentment, and the like” (Schermerhorn et al). This type of conflict is the most common and can emerge from a variety of settings. Both types of conflict can be broken down into four basic levels of conflict within an organization. These four levels of conflict are: intrapersonal, interpersonal, intragroup, and intergroup. An intrapersonal conflict is one that goes on within one’s self. This level of conflict can happen when...
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...as well as human relations have explained conflict as a concept. Esquivel and Wiener (1997) described conflict as “ a discord that occurs when the goals , interest or values of different individuals or groups are incompatiable with each other in an attempt to achieve their objectives. Lawal (1993) described conflict as the disagreement of organization members or groups over means or ends and an attempt to establish their views in preference to others. Wilson (2002) said those people or organization that is able to manage conflicts strategically are those who has most success in their endeavour. He further states that most organizations view conflict in a negative way ,it is assumed that it drains energy, reduces focuses, caused discomfort ,hostility and eventually cost the organization a huge sum of money. Wilson however states that if conflict is well managed it can be very positive , it will highlight organizational problems and promote changes by encouraging shared solutions and enchanced morale and team sprit when dealt with openly and promply. Schramm-Nelson(2000) defined conflict as a state of serious disagreement and arugement about something perceived to be important by at lest one of the parties involved, while azamosa (2009) , says that conflict involes the total range of behavior and attitudes that is in opposition between individuals owners and mangers on one hand and the working people on the other hand. Conflict no doubt is human nature but it has severe...
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...RESOLUTIONS AT WORKPLACES Today, negative samples of conflicts are surrounding us; when you turn on your TV, almost every news program, reality show or a talk show or sitcom episode, we watch people acting out their conflicts more often than not in their worst way possible. Let’s face the reality here; anyone working person, spends more time with our work colleagues with than we do with our family, friends and loved ones. Fortunately or rather unfortunately, our work colleagues become our best friends. “But even in the best of times it’s not unusual to be faced with the guy three cubicles down from yours whom you’d just as soon clobber than look at again. Fold in a heightened sense of tension due to uncertain job security these days and even the smallest disagreements can turn into firestorms. What you do when facing a conflict at work is critical; especially if you don’t have the luxury of delivering a Jerry McGuire-Esq. speech to the entire office before making your dramatic exit. Working it out in a way that calms the situation, improves your working relationship, and satisfies both your needs is ideal (Vivian Scott, 2010)”. It is imperative to practice utmost courage in order to resolve conflicts at work. While it is much easier and safer to ignore the necessary conflict and play calm, unresolved conflict will always escalate. One thing with unresolved conflict is that it never disappears; all it does is to simmer below the surface. Think of the analogy of water that is...
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...together as a team and work seamlessly. • Good leadership: Effective leadership is one of the most important components of good teamwork. The team’s leader should possess the skills to create and maintain a positive working environment and motivate and inspire the team members to take a positive approach to work and be highly committed. An effective team leader will promote a high level of morale and make them feel supported and valued. • Clear communication: Communication is a vital factor of all interpersonal interaction and especially that of a team. Team members must be able to articulate their feelings, express plans and goals, share ideas and see each other’s viewpoints. • Establishing roles: It is absolutely necessary for team members to understand what their role on the team is, what he/she is responsible for. The team leader can enable this by defining the purpose in a clear-cut manner in the beginning of the formation of the team. • Conflict Resolution: Conflicts will arise no matter how well a team functions together. The best way to counter conflict is to have structured methods of conflict resolution. Team members should be able to voice their concerns without fear of offending others. Instead of avoiding conflict issues, a hands-on approach that resolves them quickly is much better. It is often advised that the team leader sit with the conflicting parties and help work out their differences without taking sides and...
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...EssayAmanda Brown | [Conflict mANAGEMENT] | This essay critiques six journals that have both positive and negative views on Conflict Management. The topic surrounding the essay is that conflict management is a vital tool for managers to have. | Effective conflict management is a vital skill for managers to promote long term progress and stability of an organisation. Conflict is defined as the “process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected something the first party cares about” (Di Costa, 2011, p42). Conflict management is the process of handling or dealing with the conflict when it arises. There are many different sources of conflict and it comes in many different forms, but the consequences of conflict on workers is generally the same. Over the past few years many strategies and preventions have been developed, this is seen in the five modes of dealing with conflict in the workplace. Culture plays a big part in conflict, resulting in both positive and negative responses to conflict from both individuals and teams as a whole. A number of parties argue that conflict management is not needed or wanted within the workplace, these debates arise for a number of reasons. Workplaces may be shaped by the unique aspects of the environment and when this environment is altered or affected conflict can be the eventuating result. The report “Sources of Conflict within Organisations and the Methods of Conflict Resolution” looks at the different...
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...Resolving Workplace Conflict Resulting From Poor Communication Hira Qazi University of Maryland University College Abstract The paper discusses the impact of poor communication in the workplace and the preventative and conflict resolving approach that can be adopted to reduce the occurrence and impact of such conflicts in working relationships and productivity. A workplace witnesses a diverse background with individuals having different personalities, values, perception, which affects the way they approach work and problem-solving. Managers must address conflict by helping employees find mutually agreeable solution and create an atmosphere which allows them to continue working together effectively, while helping the company to achieve its realistic goals. A workplace is a microcosm where people with different values and beliefs come together to get things done. When people having different attitudes, perceptions, and ideas are working together under one roof, a personality clash can cause conflict to arise. Among the many leading causes of workplace conflicts, lack of communication is the most common trigger force. Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings, disagreements, and hurt feelings. Workplace conflict can strain working relationships and can turn into a challenging situation affecting both employees and managers. When a conflict is not promptly addressed by leadership, it can make the situation worse. Such tensions in working relationships can sabotage...
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...Allied Academies International Conference page 15 CONFLICT IN WORK TEAMS: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS Brittany Sikes, Florida Institute of Technology Robert D. Gulbro, Athens State University Linda Shonesy, Athens State University ABSTRACT Conflict is almost certain to occur in work teams due to the fact that they are comprised of different people possessing different perceptions, personalities, and behaviors. Although incredibly effective, work teams may stumble upon barriers which must be overcome to allow for growth and continuation towards the common goals of the group. It is quite possible that a work team may perform without the presence of conflict, but oftentimes certain measures have been implemented to prevent such conflict from occurring. Occasional conflict, if managed appropriately, can lead to creativity, better decision-making, and improved results. However, too much conflict can lead to a decrease in performance and group cohesion. In global organizations there is an opportunity for cross-cultural differences that may increase conflict. Contained herein are both the positive and negative consequences of conflict, as well as courses of action to understand, prevent, and resolve conflict that occurs within work teams or groups. THE VALUE OF WORK TEAMS A work team is defined as an organized group, committed to the individuals within the group, whose members share the same intent of accomplishing a common goal. Managers have become more inclined to utilize work...
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...Managing Conflict in the Workplace By LaQuita Watson Current Issues in Human Resources Dr. Overby April 9, 2008 Conflict management refers to the long-term management of intractable conflicts. It is the label for the variety of ways by which people handle grievances — standing up for what they consider to be right and against what they consider to be wrong. Those ways include such diverse phenomena as gossip, ridicule, lynching, terrorism, warfare, feuding, genocide, law, mediation, and avoidance. Some of the forms of conflict management can be used in any given situation and can be somewhat predicted and explained by the social structure — or social geometry — of the case. Conflict management is not to be confused with conflict resolution which refers to resolving the dispute to the approval of one or both parties, whereas the former — conflict management — concerns an ongoing process that may never have a resolution. For example, gossip and feuds are very common methods of conflict management, but neither entails resolution. Neither is it the same as conflict transformation which seeks to reframe the positions of the conflict parties. Basics of Conflict Management When you are clarifying confusion about conflict you are to know the definition. Conflict is when two or more values, perspectives and opinions are contradictory in nature and haven’t been aligned or agreed about yet. One of the things that...
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...concerning diversified policy matters. This paper aims at discussing some of the theological principles applicable in the indigenous reconciliation in Australia as well as the lessons that Christians derive from participating in public reconciliation debates. Reconciliation in Indigenous Australia The theological principle of forgiveness has been embraced in the political platforms as a way of ensuring reconciliation. The catholic and the Methodist churches have proposed forgiveness as a way of achieving a conflict free society among the indigenous people. The churches mentioned have also accommodated a large number of people with whom they have connected the secular politics. Forgiveness and truth values have been essential in increasing such reconciliation attempts in Australia. The theological principles have helped in reconciliation since they teach the virtues of forgiveness and truthfulness at individual levels. These values help in shaping individual behaviours towards conflict resolution (Catsam 2009; 12). Such attempts by the Christians...
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...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...
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...Conflict Resolution Resolving Conflict Rationally and Effectively Resolve conflict effectively, with James Manktelow & Amy Carlson. In many cases, conflict in the workplace just seems to be a fact of life. We've all seen situations where different people with different goals and needs have come into conflict. And we've all seen the often-intense personal animosity that can result. The fact that conflict exists, however, is not necessarily a bad thing: As long as it is resolved effectively, it can lead to personal and professional growth. In many cases, effective conflict resolution can make the difference between positive and negative outcomes. The good news is that by resolving conflict successfully, you can solve many of the problems that it has brought to the surface, as well as getting benefits that you might not at first expect: • Increased understanding: The discussion needed to resolve conflict expands people's awareness of the situation, giving them an insight into how they can achieve their own goals without undermining those of other people. • Increased group cohesion: When conflict is resolved effectively, team members can develop stronger mutual respect, and a renewed faith in their ability to work together. • Improved self-knowledge: Conflict pushes individuals to examine their goals in close detail , helping them understand the things that are most important to them, sharpening their focus, and enhancing their effectiveness. However, if conflict is...
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...studying in the field of Sociology each person is going to approach topics in a different manner. Not everyone is going to have the exact same view on a particular subject. There are however, three major categories in which people might choose to approach topics. The approaches are known as sociological perspectives and are the functionalist, conflict, and interactionist perspectives. These perspectives name other ways in which different people choose to analyze a subject, and how they look at a society as a whole. The following paragraphs compare and contrast the three, and identify major characteristics of each. The functionalist perspective is a sociological approach which emphasizes the way that parts of a society are structure to maintain its stability This perspective looks at a society in a positive manner and sees it as stable, with all the parts working together. Under the functionalist view every social aspect of a society contributes to the society's survival, and if not, the aspect is not passed to the next generation. When approaching a subject with the functionalist perspective, manifest and latent functions as well as dysfunctions are looked at and studied. A manifest function of an institution is one that is stated and expected. A latent function is one that is unexpected or can show a hidden purpose of an institution, and a dysfunction is a component of a society. Functionalist perspective is an approach to studying a society on the macro sociological level. This...
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