Organizational Behvaiour (Unit 11)

stress & conflict

Overstressed & Stressful Jobs

• 27% canadians have extreme stress daily, 2/3 work more that 45hrs

• stressful jobs: enlisted military personnel, firefighter, pilot, police

ranked on: phys demands, environmental conditions, immediate risk of anothers life, risk of severe injury/death, in public eye

Stress

1. stressor: event/condition viewed as threatening, challenging, overwhelming

1. appraisal: deciding if somethings viewed as stressor or not

2. stress reaction: em/phys response to stressor

3. stress: percieve/respond to stressors apprised as threatening/challenging

Stress: Good vs. Bad

• depends if short vs. long lived

• short/percieved as challenges: pos effects

• long: harmful (psychological disorders)

Personality & Stress

3 key traits affecting perception of stress

1. locus of control: externals most likely to feel anxious facing potential stressors (dont feel control of own fate)

2. type a behaviour: aggressive, ambitious, need control over enviornment → sense of time urgency, hostility eaisly aroused

3. neg affectivity: view world (+self/others) negatively → esp stressed w heavy workload

3 Main Stressor Types

• catastrophes: unpredictable lrg scale events (ex. earthquake)

• sig life changes: any life transition (pos/neg)

• chronic daily hassles: traffic, aggravating housemates, too many things to do, prejudice

Stressors in Organization: Employees

• job insecurity/change

• role ambiguity (lack of direction)

• interpersonal conflict (personality conflict, issues w group)

• work family conflict

• sexual harassment

• bullying

Stressors in Organization: Operative Employees

= non professional/managerial roles in org

• poor phys conditions (heat/cold, accidents, dangerous)

• poor job design (too simple/not challenging enough)

Stressors in Organization: Executives & Managers

• heavy continuing workload/role overload (too many tasks in too little time, interfere w family/etc.)

• heavy responsibility (consequences of decisions)

Stressors in Organization: Boundary Roles

postions where org mems interact w mems of diff orgs/public

• role conflict (incompatable expectations)

• emotional labour (display behaviours that you dont feel)

Burnout

= syndrome of em exhaustion, cynicisim, reduced self efficacy

• result of boundary roles

Selyes General Adaption Syndrome

= encounter sudden trauma/stressor → body increases threat/resistance

• phase 1: alarm reaction (mobilize resources)

• phase 2: resistance (cope w stressor)

• phase 3: exhaustion (reserves depleted)

3 Types of Stress Symptoms

• physiological (sickness/poor health)

• psychological (tension, anxiety, irritable, boredom)

• behavioural (less productive, absence/turnover, changes in eating, smoking/drinking, sleep issues)

Individuals Differ in Stress

• perception (react to perception of reality instead of reality itself)

• job experience (more = less likely experience stress)

• social support (ease neg effects of high strain jobs)

• personality (ex. neurotic people more likely to find stressors in work environment / also workaholics)

Conflict

= clash b/w individuals/groups cuz of diff opinions, thinking, perceptions

• not always bad → help w creativity/innovation

• common w group identification/intergroup bias (identify w your “in” group) & interdependence (need interaction b/w parties to cordinate interests + parties have some power over eachother)

Conflict: Differences in Power, Status & Culture (+ Ambiguity & Scarce Resources)

• power: dependence only 1 way → antagonism can devlop

• status: lower status dependent on higher status (sometimes lower gives orders to higher)

• culture: 2 diff cultures devlop in org → clash of beliefs/values

• ambiguity: formal/informal rules governing interaction break down, hard to praise/blame for good/bad outcomes

• scarce resources: turns disguised → overt conflict

Functional vs. Dysfunctional Conflict

F: constructive/healthy dispute b/w people/groups (need to be interested in listening to eo/finding solution)

D: dispute/disagreement w neg affects on people/teams (dont listen to eo)

3 Main Types of Conflict

• task (over direction, content, goals of work assignment) → low levels = creativity, healthy competition, critical thinking

• relationship (personality conflict b/w people) → most harmful

• process (over how to carry out work)

(elevated task + low level relationship + process → constructive conflict)

Constructive Conflict & Conflict Stimulation

CC: conflict where benefits outweigh costs

CS: increase conflict to motivate change, use when

• friendly rut → peaceful relations prioritized over org goals

• parties that should interact, dont to avoid overt conflict

• conflict suppressed by denying differences

Events in Conflict

• winning more important than devloping good solution to problem

• parties conceal info from eo/pass distorted info

• sides become more cohesive (talk of conciliation = punished)

• contact w other party discouraged (except if: formal/restrictions)

• opp part neg sterotyped = image of own position boosted

• more aggressive people, skilled at conflict → leaders

Types of Conflict Management Styles

(assertive vs. cooperative)

• avoidant (↓ A/C, ignore → issue not important, lack info, powerful/hostile opponent)

• accomidating (cooperate wo asserting own interests → your wrong, issue more important to other party, build good will)

• collaborating (max A/C → others have info needed to make good decision, buy in needed to effectively implement, build/repair relationships)

• compromising (intermediate A/C → goal to settle differences fairly, maintain relationships, agree on middle ground)

• competing (max A + min C → have lots of power, sure of facts, win/lose situation, dont interact w party in future)

Negotiation

= b/w 2/more interdependent parties w percieved conflict b/w their needs/desires → believe negotiated outcome superior to what achieved unilaterally

Distributive vs. Integrative Negotiation

D: win-lose → fixed amount of assets divided b/w parties (1 wins)

I: win-win → assume negotiators achieve goals wo necessarily leaving others worse off

Distributive Negotiaition Tactics

• threats/promises: punishment if no concession to your position/pledge concessions lead to future rewards (T works better if 1 side has more power)

• firmness vs. concessions: stick to target position, offering few concessions → wait for other side to give in

• persuasion: assert tech meritis of sides postion + other asserts fairness of target postion (both on same side)

Integrative Negotiation

• copious info exchange: helps find integrative settlement (need trust)

• frame differences as opportunities: differences as basis for integrative agreements (contain info signaling parties true intent)

• cutting costs: cut costs other party associates w an agreement

• increase resources

• introuduce subordinate goals: attractive outcomes only achieved by collab