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Structural Sources of Conflict
1. Incompatible goals.
•One party's goals seem to interfere with other's goals.
2.Differentiation.
•Different training, values, beliefs, and experiences.
3.Interdependence.
•All conflict requires interdependence.•Risk of conflict increases with level of
interdependence.
4. Scarce resources.
•Creates competition for the resource.
5. Ambiguous rules.
•Creates uncertainty, politics.
6.Communication problems.
•Poorly stated messages escalate conflict.
•Conflict causes emotive messages.
•Less communication amplifies conflict.
Conflict Handling Styles Contingencies
Problem solving.
Best when:
1) Interests are not perfectly opposing.
2) Parties have trust/openness.
3) Issues are complex.
Problems: takes time; information increases other's power.
Forcing.
Best when:
1) Quick resolution required.
2) Your position has stronger logical or moral foundation.
3) Other party would take advantage of cooperation.
Problems: relationship conflict, long-term relations.
Avoiding.
Best when:
1) Conflict is emotionally-charged (relationship conflict).
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2) Parties want to maintain harmony.
3) Cost of resolution outweighs its benefits.
Problems: conflict unresolved; causes frustration/uncertainty.
Yielding.
Best when:
1) Issue is less important to you than other party.
2) Value/logic of your position is imperfect.
3) Parties want to maintain harmony.
4) Other party has much more power.
Problems: increases other's expectations.
Compromising.
Best when:
1) Single issue conflict with opposing interests.
2) Parties lack time or trust for problem solving.
3) Parties want to maintain harmony.
4) Parties have equal power.
Problem: Sub-optimal solution where mutual gains are possible.
Cultural differences.
-Conflict handling preferences vary across cultures.
•Example: more avoidance style in collectivist cultures.
Gender Differences
-Men use more (women less) forcing style.
•Female managers use more avoiding style.
•Women use slightly more problem solving, compromising, yielding.
•Reasons: motivation or expectations to protect relationships.
Structural Approaches to conflict management
1) Emphasize superordinate goals.
•Focus on common goals.
•Reduces goal incompatibility and may reduce differentiation.
2.Reduce differentiation.
•Create common experiences.
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•Methods: meaningful interaction, rotating staff through departments/regions, build a
strong culture.
3.Improve communication and understanding.
•Contact hypothesis and Johari window activities.
•Methods: daily interaction, Johari Window, intergroup mirroring.
•Warning: Need to first reduce differentiation.
4) Reduce interdependence.•Create buffers.
•Use integrators.
•Combine jobs into one.
5) Increase resources.
•Weigh costs versus conflict.
6)Clarify rules/procedures.•Establish rules.
•Clarify roles, responsibilities, schedules, etc.
types of Third-Party Interventions
High:
1) mediation
2) inquisition
Low:
1) Arbitration
Choosing the Best Third-Party Intervention Strategy
Managers prefer inquisitional strategy.
•Problem:
•Least effective. •Not good procedural justice.
Mediation:
•Highest potential satisfaction with process and outcomes.
Arbitration:
•Use when mediation fails.
negotiation definition
try to resolve divergent. goals by redefining terms of interdependence
Distributive approach
-Win-lose orientation.
•Most common when the parties have only one item to resolve.
Integrative (mutual gains) approach
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-Win-win orientation.
•Better with multiple issues of different value to each party.
bargaining zone model
The bargaining zone is the area where each side's bargaining range overlaps, and is
the area in which agreement is possible.
Best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA)
-Represents the estimated cost to you of walking away.
-Having more than one BATNA to a negotiation increases your power.
Negotiation Power
-Higher with favorable sources and contingencies of power.
-Sources and contingencies of power also improve BATNA.
BATNA
best alternative to a negotiated agreement
negotiation process; gather information
Sharing information is essential for successful negotiations.
•Objective: discover other party's needs behind stated offers.
Information gathering strategies:
•Listen closely to the other party.
•Ask questions.
•Pay attention to nonverbal communication.
•Summarize other party's statements.
•Communicate your inner thoughts/reactions to other's proposals.
Negotiation Process: Manage Concessions
Concessions communicate priorities and motivation.
Successful negotiators:
•Make fewer, smaller, and clearly-labeled concessions.
•State that the other party should reciprocate.
•Use multi-issue offers (not one issue at a time).
Negotiation Process: Time and Relationships
Manage time.
•Deadline effect, exploding offers, escalation of time commitment.
Build the Relationship (trustworthiness).
•Discover common backgrounds and interests.
•Manage first impressions.
•Signal trustworthiness.
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•Show awareness of shared negotiation norms and expectations.
•Use emotional intelligence.
Negotiation Setting
Location:
•Easier to negotiate on your own turf.
Physical setting:
•Seating arrangements, spacing, formality.
Audience:
•Negotiators are more competitive, make fewer concessions when audience is
watching.
