C L A S S I F I C AT I O N O F C O N F L I C T

HELEN PENG
CONTENTS

• Personal Conflict
• Inter-personal Conflict
• Group Conflict
• Organization conflict
• Class Conflict (Industrial) Conflict Resolution
PERSONAL CONFLICT

• Personal conflict takes many forms, some more serious than others. It stems from the long-
term choices you make and decisions that you have to make in an instant. Knowing your
character and integrity determines how you solve your conflict.
• Intra-personal Conflict: Conflict in individuals is basically caused by the following factors:
1. Unacceptability
2. Incomparability
3. Uncertainty
PERSONAL CONFLICT

Usually an individual has a number of • Frustration: Frustration is the highest level

competing goals and roles. Thus, an of dissatisfaction which, in turn, generates
conflict in the individual, which leads to
individual experiences three types of defense mechanism:
conflict within himself:
a. Aggression
I. Frustration b. Withdrawal
II. Goal conflict and c. Fixation, and
III. Role conflict d. Compromise
PERSONAL CONFLICT
PERSONAL CONFLICT

• Goal conflict: A common source of conflict

for an individual in the organization is the
existence of two or more competing goals.
A. Approach-Approach conflict
B. Approach-Avoidance conflict
C. Avoidance-Avoidance conflict
PERSONAL CONFLICT

Role Conflict: Every person plays a number

of roles in social and organizational
situations. Every individual in the
organization is expected to behave in a
particular manner while performing a
specific role. Four types of role conflicts:
1. Intra-sender role conflict
2. Inter-sender role conflict
3. Self-role conflict
4. Inter-role conflict
PERSONAL CONFLICT

RO L E A M B I G U I T Y RO L E C O N F L I C T
• Role conflicts depend on:
1. Awareness of role conflict
2. Acceptance of conflicting job pressures
3. Ability to tolerate stress
4. General personality make up
INTER-PERSONAL CONFLICT

• When individuals join organization, they enter into not only economic contract but also, social
and psychological contract.
• While satisfying the organizational needs, they try to satisfy their own individual needs. Not
only the individuals bring their skills to the organization but also bring their beliefs values and
customs.
• People working in an organization may have different preferences, values, beliefs, cultural
background, etc. This may also lead to interpersonal conflict.
• Stereotyping and sharp judgement lead people to evaluate others first and form opinions of
them through hurried judgements.
• Interpersonal conflicts may arise in team work situations.
INTER-PERSONAL CONFLICT

• Personal-role conflict
1. Many person-role conflicts center around differences between the
organization’s values and the individual’s values.
2. To manage intra-role or inter-role conflicts, role analysis is a good tool.
3. All these forms of conflict can be managed: To manage interpersonal
conflict, it is helpful to understand power networks in organizations,
defense mechanisms exhibited by individuals, and ways to cope with
difficult people.
INTER-PERSONAL CONFLICT

Power Networks
1. The first relationship is equal versus equal, which represents a horizontal
balance of power among the parties.
2. The second power network is high versus low, or a powerful versus a less
powerful relationship.
3. The third power network is high versus middle versus low.
INTER-PERSONAL CONFLICT
D EF EN SE MEC H AN ISMS -(1 ) D IAGN OSE C ON FL ICTS;
( 2 ) D EVISE APPR O PR IAT E WAYS TO M AN AG E T H EM
 INTER-PERSONAL CONFLICT
COPING WITH DIFFICULT BEHAVIOR

Hostile-Aggressive Complainers
1. Stand up for yourself 1. Listen attentively
2. Give them time to run down 2. Acknowledge their feelings
3. Use self-assertive language 3. Avoid complaining with them
4. Avoid a direct confrontation 4. State the fact without apology
5. Use a problem-solving mode
 INTER-PERSONAL CONFLICT
COPING WITH DIFFICULT BEHAVIOR

• Clams • Super agreeable

1. As open-ended questions 1. In non-threatening manner, work hard to
2. Be patient in waiting for a response find out why they will not take action

3. If no response occurs, tell clams what 2. Let them know you value them as people
you plan to do, because no discussion 3. Be ready to compromise and negotiate,
has take place and do not allow them to make unrealistic
commitments
4. Try to discern the hidden meaning in their
humour
 INTER-PERSONAL CONFLICT
COPING WITH DIFFICULT BEHAVIOR

• Negativists • Know it Alls: Know-it-alls display superior

1. Do not be dragged into their despair attitudes, wanting you to know that they
2. Do not try to cajole them out of their know everything there is to know.
negativism Bulldozers
3. Discuss the problem thoroughly, 1. Prepare yourself
without offering solutions
2. Listen and paraphrase their main points
4. When alternatives are discussed, bring
up the negative side yourself 3. Use the questioning form to raise
problems
5. Be ready to take action alone, without
their agreement
 INTER-PERSONAL CONFLICT
COPING WITH DIFFICULT BEHAVIOR

Balloons Indecision Stallers

• State facts or opinions as your own
perceptions of reality.
• Find a way for balloons to save face
• Confront balloons alone, not in public
• Raise the issue of why they are hesitant
• If you are the problem, ask for help
• Keep the action steps in your own hands
• Possibly remove the staller from the
situation
GROUP CONFLICT
• Intra group conflict: Intra-group
conflict refers to disputes along
some or al of a group’s members,
which often affect the group’s
dynamics and effectiveness. Ex.
Family run business
• Inter group conflict:
1. Absence of Joint decision-making
2. Difference in goals
3. Difference in perception and
4. Difference in goals as well as
perception
GROUP CONFLICT

• Group in the organization could be classified into two groups: they are formal groups and
informal groups. Each of the following factors ca affect at coordination.
1. Interdependence
2. Task uncertainty
3. Overload on some groups
4. Status difference
5. Lack of understanding of each other’s role and functions
6. Differential reward system
GROUP CONFLICT
• Managing inter-group relations and conflict
1. Rules and Procedures
2. Hierarchy
3. Planning
4. Integrating departments
5. Avoidance
6. Diffusion
7. Confrontation
ORGANIZATION CONFLICT

• Organizational conflict is of two types: Within Organization:

1. Intra-organization: Within organization 1. Hierarchical conflict
2. Inter-organization: Between organization 2. Functional conflict
3. Line-staff conflict
4. Formal-informal conflict
CLASS CONFLICT (INDUSTRIAL)
CONFLICT RESOLUTION

• The class conflict also could be termed as

industrial disputes:
1. Consultative machinery
2. Industrial relations machinery
3. Conciliation調解
4. Mediation調停
5. Arbitration仲裁
CLASS CONFLICT (INDUSTRIAL)
CONFLICT RESOLUTION