SOURCES AND CAUSES OF CONFLICT II

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Conflict Management HRM624

Lesson 12

SOURCES AND CAUSES OF CONFLICT II

Quotation

We have met the enemy and it is us. Walt Kelly, "Pogo comic strip"

In the last lecture, we started talking about different sources and causes of conflict. Knowing the sources of

conflict can help resolve conflicts rather easily and successfully.

The continuing inventory of major sources of conflict can help you identify major sources of conflict.

Explanation

Conflict

Example

Useful approach

type

These types of disputes

Factory

One

Preferenc

are particularly amenable

runoff

disputant's

es and

to creative problem

pollutes the

behaviour

nuisances

solving that acknowledges

stream of a

disturbs the

(Loud

and seeks to preserve the

landowner

other.

music)

underlying interests of the

who loves

(Poverty

disputant but rearranges

to fish.

stricken

the environment, modify

youth)

people's schedules, and so

on.

Conflict

Explanat Example

Useful approach

type

ion

Communi The

Frequently,

Approaches include

cation

meanings

self-interested

becoming familiar with

difficulties of

tactics on the

the other disputant and

language

part of one

his or her cultural

and

disputant are

practices; using active

behaviour

misunderstood

listening; hiring and

may be

by an

mediator, an agent, a

misunder

opponent.

consultant who shares

stood

the cultural background

of the other disputant, or

a translator.

Conflict Management HRM624

Conflict

Explanation

Example

Useful approach

type

Differences

There are

One disputant

It helps resolve the conflict if

in conflict

differences in

sees the

the disputant recognize the

the basic

relationship of

style differences to minimize

orientation

approach to

the parties as

communication difficulties that

mutually

result from differences in

relationship.

cooperative.

conflict orientation.

The cooperative disputant can

The other

refuse to negotiate unless the

disputant is

parties agree to use a set of

basically

objective principles to guide the

competitive.

negotiation.

The cooperator may need to

signal a willingness to fight

hard if the other disputant fails

to act cooperatively.

Conflict

Explanation

Example

Useful approach

Type

Conflicts are

Ongoing

Sometimes, values conflicts can

Values

over

conflicts in

be resolved if the disputants can

personal

Iraq and

agree to disagree about the

beliefs and

Afghanistan

underlying values, as when a

deeply held

may have

disputant agrees to go along with

religious

a settlement without admitting

values.

origins,

liability.

which

include

Values conflicts are difficult to

values

resolve peacefully if the values

involved are central to the self-

conflicts.

concepts or world views of the

disputants or if coupled with

many other sources of conflict,

such as disputes over limited

resources.

Conflict Management HRM624

Conflict Type

Explanation

Example

Useful approach

As with values conflicts,

In a medical mal-

Threats to

What

occasionally these conflicts can

practice case, the

self-concept

disputant's

be managed by having the

patient's

and world

viewpoint

disputants agree to disagree

allegations of

threatens the

view

while implementing a solution

negligence

other

that threatens neither

threaten the

disputant's

disputant's self-concept or

physician's self-

central ideas

world view.

concept as a

about him-

competent

or herself or

It helps to use negotiation

professional.

about how

tactics that confirm and protect

the dignity of each participant.

the world

An employee's

works.

Sometimes, these conflicts can

allegation of

be handled through the use of

racism on the

negotiating agents. Conflicts

part of a

based on the negative

supervisor

stereotypes held by one social

threatens the

group about another social

supervisor's self-

group are very difficult to

concept as

resolve.

racially tolerant.

Conflict Type

Explanation

Example

Useful approach

The more powerful disputant is

Structural

A disputant

School

generally unwilling to give up power

and inter-

perceives

integratio

and may honestly fail to see that a power

personal

an unjust

n and

imbalance exists.

balance of

affirmativ

power issues

power and

e action

If this disputant is made aware of this

struggles to

disputes

imbalance, sometimes he or she can be

convinced to give up power to preserve

are

rectify it.

long-term social structure, avoid

examples.

violence struggle, or make his or her

own actions consistent with deeply held

values (as when discriminatory laws are

pointed out as being inconsistent with

national values of equality and equal

rights).

Frequently, however, appeal to a more

powerful authority (e.g., litigation) is the

only method that produces lasting

change.

Conflict Management HRM624

Conflict

Explanation

Example

Useful approach

Type

Differing

Each

In a products

Some attributional disputes

attributions

disputant

liability case,

boil down to a data-type

believes that

the

conflict (did the consumer

of causation

the existing

manufacturer

kick the washing machine or

state of affairs

contents that

didn't she?), whereas other

is due to a

the product

attributional disputes are

different

was treated

really values conflicts (yes,

cause and

improperly,

she kicked it, but the washing

hence

whereas the

machine should be built to

warrants a

consumer

handle occasional violent

different

contents that

outbursts). The most effective

the product is

treatments depend on which

remedy.

kind of attributional conflict is

defective.

involved.

Explanation

Example

Useful approach

Conflict

Type

Displaced

There is an

Business

The underlying

conflict

unacknowle

partners who

conflict should be

dged

have an

uncovered and

conflict; the

unacknowledge

diagnosed. A

disputants

d conflict over

mediator is often

are

the allocation

useful in such

disputing

of rights and

situations.

over

responsibilities

something

dispute about a

Unfortunately, the

else.

minor aspect of

underlying conflict is

the business.

often deep-rooted

and difficult to

resolve (otherwise, it

would not have

stayed hidden).

Conflict Management HRM624

Conflict

Explanation Example

Useful approach

Type

Misattributed There is an

A teen living in

It is important to uncover the

unacknowle

the inner city

`real' conflict to avoid

conflict

dged

under

repetitions of misattributed

conflict; one

circumstances

conflict.

disputant

of grinding

Often, the underlying conflict

picks a fight

poverty, loses

is a structural/power issue that

with

his temper and

the disputant feels powerless

someone

fights with a

to change.

else.

neighbour.

Sometimes, the former

disputants, once aware of the

misattributions, can band

together to address the real

problems with the formerly

acknowledged disputant.

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