CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

This is the analysis and solution of the case-study which is

available on the internet.
Case Study: Dr Agadir (Managing Departmental Conflict in a
Research Organization)

Danish
Sultan
mrk56@live.c
om
+92 312
51100 56

CASE STUDY: DR AGADIR

DETAILED DIAGNOSIS
• Cocoa Research Institute of Savanna (CRIS), is an institute which is
dedicated to research of plants and is divided into numerous
departments.
• Sometimes there are issues between the departments due to
allocation of plots for experiments, budgetary allocations and
participation in international conferences.
• Plant Pathology department and Bio-chemistry department are having
issues between each other, the two seniors scientists heading the
departments due to attitudes problem, refusal to share achievement
and research matters.
• Small conflicts were temporary, and had never affected the work
culture of the institute.
• Collaboration between various research divisions was part of the
culture of the institute, as it was always necessary, particularly so
between plant pathology and biochemistry.
• However, this conflict was different. It was a conflict between two
senior scientists who had worked together on the same problem over a
decade, and had jointly published their work in respected journals. For
some strange reason, friends had become foes. In the process, they
had vitiated to some extent the research environment of the institute.
• The third cocoa project: the institute was preparing a five-year plan of
activities to be included in the third phase research; the programme on
virus purification and detection appeared in the work plans of both the
plant pathology and the biochemistry divisions.

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• The head of pathology department had very strongly questioned the

proposal of the biochemistry department to work on cocoa swollen
shoot virus problem, the pathology department wanted to take all the
credit of the research work done on the specific topic.
• Responding to the situation, the head of the biochemistry department
reacted rather angrily.
• In the bitter debate which then took place, both heads had lauded the
role of their own department while criticism the other department. This
was the initiating of the conflict.
• The other members of the research committee knew well that the work
had been, in fact, a collaborative research activity between Dr Agadir,
a biochemist, and Dr Ouadda, a plant pathologist, under the backing of
their respective departments.
• Pathology department supposed that they would work on the disputed
topic (cocoa swollen shoot virus problem) 'as and when they had time’.
• The research committee asked the head of the plant pathology
department for an explanation, but there was no reply.
• Later in a meetings, the research committee approved research on
cocoa swollen shoot virus as a major activity of the biochemistry
department.
• Both the two departments started to exchange harsh letters.
• Dr Agadir and Dr Ouadda, both belonging to two different departments
worked very hard on the research on cocoa swollen shoot virus; and
when ever one of them was not available the second took over the
whole research.
• The conflict was raised due to credit of research, and was raised to
such a level that both of the senior scientists didn’t even look or
greeted each other.
• Both the two departments continued to exchange acrimonious letters,
and collaborative research suffered.
• Dr Agadir suspected that Dr Agadir had been provoked into this by
other colleagues, who were jealous of Dr Agadir, since Dr Agadir was
often praised by the director as a good, hard working researcher, at
times.
• Both of the involved department was trying to be fully self-sufficient,
such that all collaborative research had been virtually abandoned.
Worse, other departments were also moving in that direction and
shunning collaborative research.
• Earlier, all such conflicts were resolved in the research committee; now
they were being directly referred to the executive director, bypassing
the research committee.
• Dr Swanson knew that something had definitely to be done to stem the
vitiating atmosphere in the institute.

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POSSIBLE OPTIONS FOR RESOLVING THE CONFLICTS

Three options are presented.

Option # 1
As it was observed that all the controllable and uncontrollable issues in the
organizations are due to the allocation of resources, the institute comprised
of a committee to which the departments would present there quarries and
the committee would allot more resources which made the department feel
good and if not then issues and jealousy was the outcome.
One possible solving option would be that the institute converts from flexible
(variable) allotment procedures to fix polices and plans. A fix amount of
funds, area and other resources should be provided to the departments on
the bases of the division (as there are 6 departments then 100/6 = 16.6% of
the recourses must be provided to each department), with the willingness of
the heads of the department so that there are no such problems. The merits
and demerits of adopting this procedure would be:

Option # 2
As it is stated that most of the departments collaborated with each other and
so was the case in the major conflict of the case-study (Plant Pathology
department and Bio-chemistry department).
The relationships between the departments need to be improved and
revived. Steps could be taken by the upper-most management to come up
with such plan of action that would increase the interaction, communication,
and collaboration in and amongst the departments.

Option # 3
Third and the simplest option would be that no changes should be brought
on macro level in the organization or in the working patterns or allocation of
resources. If there is any misunderstanding between two individuals (Dr
Agadir and Dr Ouadda) than the committee must bring them face to face and
clear things so that the misunderstanding can be removed and both of them
would reunite to work together once again.

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ANALYSIS

Five Styles of Conflict Management

#1 #2

Relationshi
Issu ps
Diagram showing three options presented in terms of the conflict management styles
#3
e
1.As the first option presented to solve the conflict is regarding the equal division of
the recourses without giving any importance to relation-ship that is why it is placed
in the ‘Competitor’.

2.The second option talks about increasing the cooperation among the
individuals and departments giving significant importance to relationships as
Resolv
well as ethe issues that is why it lies in ‘Collaboration’.
3.Third option states that all the workers should negotiation with each other
and try to resolve the matters that are why it is located in ‘Compromise’.

Methodologies for Managing Conflicts

Negotiation and Third party assistance would be finest methods as in this
case, Third party decision-making can also be applied but as presented by
the options it would create more complexities and simple methods are easier
to implement.

Tools for Resolving Conflict

Looking in the perspective of “Tools for Resolving Conflict” I would say that
Use of Power and Enforcement of Rights cannot be implemented in this case
as it would create a win/loss situation and this would create more conflict
rather than resolving it.
Third tool which is Satisfaction of Interests would be best to follow in this
case as:

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• Each party seeks to achieve their individual interest while assisting the
other party in achieving their interests.
• Interests are mutual of both parties involved.
• Both the parties will get benefits from the project.
• Interests of both the parties need to be satisfied.

SUGGESTION RECOMMENDED TO DR SWANSON FOR RESOLUTION OF

CONFLICT
Dr Swanson should emphasize on the fact that one of the major cause of the
conflict between Dr Agadir and Dr Ouadda was the need of recognition,
acknowledgement, credit of work, praise and honor as both of the scientists
working on the projects needed these things for him. Giving them to one (Dr
Agadir) raised professional jealousy and aroused the feeling of hatred. Such
events should be avoided and recognition should be given equally to all the
members working on a similar project.

mrk56 is used by Danish in the documents written originally by him.

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