NATURE OF CONFLICT IN AN ORGANISATION

Definition : A process in which one party perceives that another party has taken or
will take incompatible actions with one’s own interests.

Here is a structured summary of the key data extracted from your presentation
"Nature of Conflict in Organizations" by Avi Sharma and Manpreet Kaur:

🔍 Why Study Conflict?

 $359 Billion: Annual cost of workplace conflict in the U.S.

 50%: Employee turnover attributed to unresolved conflicts.

 85%: Employees experience conflict at work.

🔄 Perspectives on Conflict

1. Traditional View: Conflict is destructive and must be eliminated.

2. Human Relations View: Conflict is natural and should be accepted.

3. Interactionist View: Encourages productive conflict for innovation and

change.

⚙️ Types of Conflict

 Substantive (Task) Conflict: Disagreements on work content or decisions.

 Process Conflict: Disputes about task methods, roles, or procedures.

 Affective (Relationship) Conflict: Personality/value clashes, usually

harmful.

📊 Levels of Organizational Conflict

1. Intraindividual: Internal conflicts (e.g., approach-avoidance).

 2. Interpersonal: Between individuals.

3. Intergroup: Between departments or teams.

🔥 Causes of Interpersonal Conflict

 Personal Differences - Unique personalities and backgrounds clash.

 Information Deficiency - Miscommunication or lack of information leads to

misunderstanding.

 Role Incompatibility- Conflicting job roles or expectations cause tension.

 Environmental Stress- Scarcity or high pressure amplifies conflict.

💭 Types of Intraindividual Conflict

1. Approach-Approach: Two positive choices. Choosing between two equally

desirable options.

2. Avoidance-Avoidance: Two negative choices. Choosing between two

equally undesirable options.

3. Approach-Avoidance: One choice with pros and cons. , One option has both
appealing and unappealing aspects.
4. Double Approach-Avoidance: Choosing between two options, each with pros
and cons.

⚒️ Conflict Process Model (Kenneth Thomas, 1976)

‘’ Mnemonics – people can initiate big outcomes ‘’

1. Potential Opposition: Conditions that spark conflict.

2. Cognition & Personalization: Awareness and emotional engagement.

Conflict is perceived and emotionally felt.

3. Intentions: Strategy choices (collaborate, avoid, compete, etc.). Strategies for

dealing with conflict are mentally chosen.
 4. Behavior: Observable actions, escalation or resolution. Conflict becomes
visible through actions and communication.

5. Outcomes: Functional (innovation, learning) or dysfunctional (stress,

turnover). The conflict is resolved either functionally or dysfunctionally.

⚠️ Early Warning Signs

 Social withdrawal

 Formation of cliques

 Communication shifts

 Increased criticism or formal complaints

🎯 Consequences of Conflict

 Negative: Burnout, poor collaboration, low morale.

 Positive: Better decisions, innovation, role clarity.

 Key Factors: Conflict type, culture, management style, relationship quality.

✅ Toward Productive Conflict

 Organizational Advantage: Conflict as a competitive edge.

 Cultural Shift: Normalize and harness disagreement.

 Systemic Approach: Processes to manage conflict constructively.

 Skills Development: Training for conflict competence.

Indian Approach to Resolving Conflicts
in Organizations
Indian Approach to Resolving Conflicts in Organizations

An Exploration of Cultural Influence on Conflict Resolution

Introduction

This presentation delves into the Indian cultural context that shapes organizational
conflict resolution, highlighting various strategies and their implications in a
corporate setting.

Table of contents

Indian Cultural Context

Types of Conflicts
Pro-social Behavior
Cooperation, Competition, Co-opetition
Conflict Resolution Strategies
Satyagraha
Mediation
Negotiation
Resolution Skills
Challenges

Indian Cultural Context

Collectivism prioritizes group harmony (Sinha et al., 2001).

High power distance fosters deference to authority (Hofstede, 1980).

Principles of ahimsa (non-violence) and daan (generosity) guide conflict

management (Chakraborty, 1987).

Example: Tata Group employs ethical stakeholder conflict resolution.

Types of Conflicts
Intra-personal: Competing needs; for example, an Infosys manager utilizes
meditation for work-life balance.

Interpersonal: Personal differences; HUL managers resolve resource conflicts

through mediation.

Inter-group: Departmental clashes; for instance, Maruti Suzuki experiences

production versus marketing disputes.

Pro-social Behavior

Altruism can be moral (selfless, spiritual) or utilitarian (reciprocal), as seen in

Wipro’s CSR volunteering that fosters cohesion.

Organizational Citizenship reflects extra-role support; TCS mentoring initiatives

help reduce conflicts.

Cooperation, Competition, Co-opetition

Cooperation arises from collectivism, exemplified by Reliance’s cross-functional

teams.

Competition stems from individual aspirations leading to friction; illustrated by

Bajaj Auto’s sales team conflicts.

Co-opetition balances both dynamics; seen in Hero-Honda’s collaboration on

production with competitive branding.

Conflict Resolution Strategies

Dual Concern Model (Pruitt & Rubin, 1986) presents collaboration, compromise,
accommodation, avoidance, and competition as strategies.

Indian cultural preference leans towards compromise and accommodation to

maintain relationships (Sinha, 2004).

Satyagraha

Satyagraha involves non-violent resistance, emphasizing reasoning, self-suffering,

and non-cooperation.

An example includes an ONGC employee advocating against an unfair workload.

This approach is steeped in principles of ahimsa and moral responsibility (Sinha,
1987).

Mediation

Neutral mediators, often senior leaders, focus on principles of daan and harmony.

Example: L&T's HR department mediates conflicts between R&D and production.

The collectivist approach supports third-party intervention (Leung, 1987).

Negotiation

Negotiating with high aspirations emphasizes flexibility and relationship focus

(Kumar, 2004).

An illustrative case is Tata Steel's acquisition of Corus, which balanced gains with
relationship management.

Considerations involve idealistic versus materialistic goals, neutral venues, and

hospitality.

Resolution Skills

Emotional and Cultural Intelligence aid in managing emotions and differences

(Davaei et al., 2022); for instance, Mahindra’s training in Emotional Intelligence.

Open communication channels are critical, as demonstrated by Infosys’ regular

meetings.

Leadership qualities, particularly transformational styles, foster trust, as seen with

Aditya Birla’s leadership approach.

Challenges

Avoidance can delay resolution efforts (Sinha et al., 2002).

Power dynamics may lead to imposed resolutions (Lin & Germain, 1998).

Corruption can undermine collective goals, as highlighted by issues in POSCO

Orissa’s land acquisition (Transparency International, 2007).

Conclusion
The Indian approach to conflict resolution emphasizes cultural values such as
collectivism, non-violence, and relationship preservation, offering valuable insights
for organizational practices in a diverse world.

CONFLICT MANANGEMENT : MANAGING WORK LIFE

CONFLICTS IN ORGANIZATIONS
Work–life conflicts grabbed management’s attention in the 1980s, largely

as a result of the increased entry into the workforce of women with dependent
children. In response, most major organizations took actions to make their

workplaces more family-friendly. 76 They introduced on-site child care, sum-

mer day camps, flextime, job sharing, leaves for school functions, telecommut-

ing, and part-time employment. But organizations quickly realized work–life

conflicts were not limited to female employees with children. Male workers

and women without children were also facing this problem. Heavy workloads

and increased travel demands, for instance, made it increasingly hard for

many employees to meet both work and personal responsibilities. A Boston

College survey of nearly 1,000 fathers who have professional careers showed

that the participants put more importance on job security and flexible, family-

friendly working schedules than on high income and advancement opportu-

nities. Organizations are modifying their workplaces with scheduling options and

benefits to accommodate the varied needs of a diverse workforce. Employees

at NestléPurina can bring their dogs into the office, SAS Institute has on-site

childcare, a health care center, and a fitness center; and other firms offer perks

ranging from on-site laundry to food services and free child care.
Case Study: Tata Group’s Conflict Management Approach

Tata Group, India’s leading conglomerate, fosters a culture of **constructive conflict

resolution** rooted in its values of trust and ethical leadership. The company
emphasizes **open dialogue** through platforms like "Tata Engage," where
employees voice concerns without fear, aligning with the **Interactionist View** of
conflict. Task-based disagreements, such as strategic debates in Tata Motors or TCS,
are encouraged to spur innovation, while **mediation systems** and HR-led
interventions address interpersonal conflicts early. The group’s **"Tata Code of
Conduct"** mandates respectful dissent, ensuring conflicts remain issue-focused,
not personal. By balancing **collaboration and healthy debate**, Tata turns conflicts
into opportunities for growth, maintaining cohesion across its diverse businesses.
NEGOTIATION (PROCESS ND BARGAINING STRATEGIES )

Definition - The process by which two or more parties in dispute with one another
exchange offers, counteroffers, and concessions in an attempt to find a mutually
acceptable agreement.
1. Avoid making unreasonable offers. Imagine that a friend of yours is selling
a used car with an asking price of $10,000—the car’s established “book
value.” If you were to attempt to “lowball” the seller by offering only $1,000,
your bad-faith offer might end the negotiations right there. A serious buyer
would offer a more reasonable price, say $9,000—one that would allow both
the buyer and the seller to come out ahead in the deal. In short, extreme
offers tend to anger one’s opponents, sometimes ending the negotiation
process on a sour note, allowing none of the parties to get what they want.

2. Seek the common ground - All too often people in conflict with others
assume that their interests and those of the other party are completely
incompatible. When this occurs, they tend to overlook the fact that they
actually might have several areas of interest in common. When parties focus
on the areas of agreement between them, it helps bring them together on the
areas of disagreement. So, for example, in negotiating the deal for purchasing
the used car, you might establish the fact that you agree to the selling price of
$9,000. This verifies that the interests of the buyer and the seller are not
completely incompatible, thereby encouraging them to find a solution to the
area in which they disagree, such as a payment schedule. By contrast, if
either party believed that they were completely far apart on all aspects of the
deal, they would be less likely to negotiate a win-win solution.
 3. Broaden the scope of issues considered - Sometimes, parties bargaining
with one another have several issues on the table. When this occurs, it is
often useful to consider the various issues together as a total package. Labor
unions often do this in negotiating contracts with company management
whenever they give in on one issue in exchange for getting what they want
on another. So, for example, in return for not freezing wages, a company may
agree to concede to the union’s other desires, such as gaining representation
on key corporate committees. In other words, compared to bargaining over
single issues (e.g., the price of the used car), when the parties get to
bargaining across a wide array of issues, it often is easier to find solutions
that are acceptable to all sides.

4. Uncover “the real” issues - Frequently, people focus on the conflicts

between them in only a single area although they may have multiple sources
of conflict—some of which are hidden. Suppose, for example, that your friend
is being extremely stubborn when it comes to negotiating the price of the
used car. He’s sticking firmly to his asking price, refusing to budge despite
your reasonable offer, possibly adding to the conflict between you. However,
it may be the case that there are other issues involved. For example, he may
be trying to “get even” with you for harming him several years ago. In other
words, what may appear to be a simple conflict between two people may
actually have multiple sources, only some of which are apparent. Finding
long-lasting solutions requires identifying all the important issues—even the
hidden ones—and bringing them to the table.

ADR – ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

A set of procedures, such as mediation and arbitration, in which disputing parties

work together with a neutral party who helps them settle their disagreements out of
court.

Forms of ADR :

 Mediation

The process of mediation involves having a neutral party (the mediator) work
together with both sides to reach a settlement. Typically, mediators meet with each
side together and separately, attempting to find a common ground that will satisfy
everyone. Mediators do not consider who’s wrong and who’s right, but set the stage
for finding a resolution. They have no formal power and cannot impose any
agreements. Instead, they seek to clarify the issues involved and to promote
communication between the parties.

 Arbitration

As you might imagine, for mediation to work the two sides must be willing to
communicate with each other. When this doesn’t happen, ADR may take the form of
arbitration. This is a process in which a third party (the arbitrator) has the power to
impose, or at least to recommend, the terms of an agreement between two
parties.47 Four types of arbitration are most

common. These are as follows:

Binding arbitration. The two sides agree in advance to accept the terms set by the
arbitrator, whatever they may be.

Voluntary arbitration. The two sides retain the freedom to reject the
recommended agreement.

Conventional arbitration. The arbitrator can offer any package of terms he or she
wishes.

Final-offer arbitration. The arbitrator chooses between final offers made by the
disputing parties themselves.