Chapter 14 - Conflict & negotiation

A definition of conflict

• @@Conflict@@: process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about.
• @@Traditional view of conflict@@: belief that all conflict is harmful and must be avoided.
• @@Interactionist view of conflict@@: belief that conflict is not only a positive force in a group but that it is also an absolute necessity for a group to perform effectively.
• @@Functional conflict@@: conflict that supports the goals of the group and improves its performance.
• @@Dysfunctional conflict@@: conflict that hinders group performance.

Types and loci of conflict

• Three types of conflict
  • @@Task conflict@@: conflict over content and goals of the work.
  • @@Relationship conflict@@: conflict based on interpersonal relationships.
  • @@Process conflict@@: conflict over how work gets done.
• Three types of conflict loci
  • @@Dyadic conflict@@: conflict that occurs between two people.
  • @@Intra-group conflict@@: conflict that occurs within a group or team.
  • @@Inter-group conflict@@: conflict between different groups or teams.

The conflict process

• @@Conflict process@@: process that has five stages - potential opposition or incompatibility, cognition and personalization, intentions, behavior and outcomes.

  • Stage 1: Potential opposition or incompatibility
  • Stage 2: Cognition and personalization
  • Perceived conflict: awareness by one or more parties of the existence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise.
  • Felt conflict: emotional involvement in a conflict that creates anxiety, tenseness, frustration or hostility.
  • Stage 3: Intentions
  • Intentions: decisions to act in a given way.
  • Competing: desire to satisfy one’s interests, regardless of the impact on the other party to the conflict.
  • Collaborating: situation in which the parties in a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the concerns of all parties.
  • Avoiding: desire to withdraw from or suppress a conflict.
  • Accommodating: willingness of one party in a conflict to place the opponent’s interests above their own.
  • Compromising: situation in which each party to a conflict is willing to give up something.
  • Stage 4: Behavior
  • Conflict management: use of resolution and stimulation techniques to achieve the desired level of conflict.
  • Stage 5: Outcomes

  

Negotiation

• @@Negotiation@@: process that occurs when two or more parties decide how to allocate scarce resources.
• Bargaining strategies
  • @@Distributive bargaining@@: negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of resources; a win/lose situation.
  • Fixed pie: belief that there is only a set amount of goods or services to be divvied up between the parties.
  • @@Integrative bargaining@@: negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that can create a win/win solution.
• The negotiation process
  • @@Preparation and planning@@
  • BATNA: the best alternative to a negotiated agreement; the least the individual should accept.
  • @@Definition of ground rules@@
  • @@Clarification and justification@@
  • @@Bargaining and problem-solving@@
  • @@Closure and implementing@@
• Third-party negotiations
  • @@Mediator@@: neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated solution by using reasoning, persuasion and suggestions for alternatives.
  • @@Arbitrator@@: third party to a negotiation who has the authority to dictate an agreement.
  • @@Conciliator@@: trusted third party who provides an informal communication link between the negotiator and the opponent.
  • @@Consultant@@: impartial third party, skilled in conflict management, who attempts to facilitate creative problem solving through communication and analysis.