Conflict is a frequent and familiar reality in organizations. The traditional approach was based on the supposed negative nature of the conflict, making it synonymous with violence, destruction, and irrationality and trying to avoid it at all costs. The current position defends that conflict is not necessarily bad and can have constructive effects along with other negative ones. Furthermore, it is inevitable, therefore, organizations should try to maximize its positive effects and minimize its negative effects. Delimitation of the concept and definition There are three approaches to the topic of conflict: Psychological, at the level of motivations and individual reactions. It has an important tradition: psychoanalysis, field theory, cognitive dissonance, role theory. Sociological, at the level of conflictive social structures and entities. Together with classic positions such as functionalist or Marxist theories, the sociology of conflict has emerged.
The main elements of a conflict episode are the following:
- The antecedent conditions.
- The experience of frustration.
- The conceptualization of the conflict situation and the existing alternatives.
- The behavioral interaction with the other party.
- The establishment of results.
Background conditions
Individual and structural conditions that tend to create conflict situations within organizations are relatively common. Among the structural aspects are:
- differentiation into groups and departments,
- the limitation of resources,
- the level of interdependence.
These aspects can cause members to perceive incompatibilities between the objectives of the different groups and situations of interference (aspects that trigger conflict). Other structural aspects such as size, degree of routine, specialization, reward systems, . . . Special mention deserves the structural bases, the communication processes (interferences, noises, distortions, . . .)
Personal variables such as personal value systems and personality characteristics also influence. Experience of blocking attempts and frustration Conflict arises when one party perceives that the other is blocking or trying to block the achievement of its objectives, needs or expectations. Thus a feeling of frustration develops with impulses of aggression against the other party.
There are two aspects in this phase: a cognitive process of perception and awareness of the situation, an affective and emotional state of tension, anxiety and frustration. If in each part there is more than one individual, these processes are completed with another communication process about the perception of the conflict situation and feelings. Conceptualization of the conflict situation and existing alternatives
This phase involves:
Definition of the situation, of conflict in terms of the interests of both parties. It involves the evaluation of the basic interests of each party, affected by: the degree of egocentricity, by the greater or lesser ability to discover underlying interests and by the size of the problem-situation.
Consideration of alternatives, and its consequences. It must be taken into account that there are limitations in the human subject endowed with limited rationality, therefore, the possible alternatives and their consequences are almost never exhaustive. They determine the vision of each party to the conflict. Considering the satisfaction of the interests of both parties, four alternatives are possible: Incompatibility; one or the other may satisfy your interests but not both. Zero sum situation; Both parties can satisfy part of their objectives but what one party gains, the other loses. Indeterminate solution; The outcome will depend on your interaction with the other party.
It can become integrative if collaboration and the search for alternatives that do not sacrifice the interests of any of them are possible. Unresolvable situation, either because it is presented incorrectly, or because both parties remain in irreconcilable positions. Behavioral interaction with the other party, and where appropriate with the mediators The procedural model developed by Thomas devotes careful consideration to the behavioral aspects of the conflict.
The latent conflict becomes manifest conflict, producing an exchange of behavior between the different parties. These behaviors can be categorized from three different aspects: The orientation of behaviors, can be established from two characteristics of these behaviors: their degree of assertiveness and cooperation.
The strategic objectivesare characterized based on two dimensions: The integrative, which seeks satisfactory solutions for both parties. The distributive; It tries to determine the greatest possible satisfaction even at the expense of the interests of the other party. The dimensions tacticsthere are two kinds: Competitiveare negotiation tactics. CollaborativeThey are the solution to problems. Conflict behavior has an interactive nature, that is, the behavior of one party can be modified in its orientation, strategy or tactics by the behavior of the other. The sequence of interactions follows two orientations in opposite directions:
- The escalation or progressive increase in the conflict due to the behavior of each of the parties.
- The de-escalation which produces the opposite effect. Results and effects of conflict The effects are not identical for all parties involved and can occur in the short and long term.
If the basic points are not resolved, the potential for future and perhaps more powerful conflicts is part of the aftermath. Also the resolution of the conflict can produce greater cooperation between the parties.
Within this perspective, conflict has social origins and fulfills social functions, being considered the engine of social change and the renewal of society itself. Psychosocial, interaction of the variables of the individual and the social system. It is a conflict conducted and put into practice by individuals, but also an interpersonal phenomenon within a social system in which individuals can appear grouped in different ways, so that it cannot be summarized in a mere addition of individual psychological processes. . Definition of “conflict”.
The definitions of conflict are multiple and diverse. Some have seen it as an alteration of normative behavior, others as attacks on stability. A review carried out by Fink presents a series of aspects present in many of the definitions: It must be perceived by the parties. Suppose opposition between those parts. This opposition consists of blocking of one party on the other, preventing it from achieving its objectives. It is caused by a previous situation (the existence of scarce resources).
Among the differences, Fink indicates that some definitions focus on intention while others only consider manifest behaviors. A first definition of conflict would be: “a process in which a propositional effort is made by A to counteract the efforts of B through some type of blockade and whose result will be to frustrate the achievement of its objectives or the achievement of its interests by part of B”. Another review has highlighted the divergence of definitions according to the basic phenomena, and has classified them into four groups:
- Definitions that referred to antecedent conditions.
- Definitions that insisted on the emotional states of the parties.
- Definitions focused on the consideration of cognitive states.
- Behavioral definitions, verbal or non-verbal, ranging from passive resistance to active aggression.
According to this, Thomas has defined conflict as: “a process that includes the perceptions, emotions, behaviors and results of the parties involved, which begins when one party perceives that the other can frustrate something relevant to it”
The negative conception of the conflict has been largely overcome. Many authors have pointed out the existence of functional effects of conflict along with other dysfunctional ones, and they depend on the criteria adopted and the perspective considered. Among the functional aspects we can highlight:
- Increase the motivation and energy in the performance of each of the parties.
- Increase innovation.
- Increase internal cohesion and unification of group objectives and criteria. Direct the attention of managers towards changes.
It allows you to discover new and better ways and strategies. Change leadership or introduce mechanisms to restore the balance of power. Changes in the allocation of rewards or resources, adapting them to the current reality. Find the most appropriate means to solve the problem. Eliminate dissociated elements and restore harmony.
Increase the level of activation that motivates behavior. Development of one’s own skills. Clarify and elaborate one’s position in order to make it more defensible and convincing. Dysfunctional aspects:
- A high personal cost and produces tension and stress, as well as frustration and hostility.
- Inadequate location and distribution of resources.
- Suboptimization of the performance of the organizational system and a waste of energy that could displace the organization’s objectives.
- Target distortion.
Reduce performance by introducing delays in communications, reducing collaboration and cohesion and producing activity blocks. This relationship raises two problems: The establishment of criteria. The conditions under which a given conflict has constructive rather than destructive effects. Robbins suggests general hypotheses: Extreme levels of conflict are rarely functional. A factor that intervenes in the level of functionality is the type of task performed by the group in which it appears. The greater the innovation required by the task, the greater the likelihood of the emergence of conflict being functional.