Organisational Conflict: Meaning, Nature, Views and Process

What is Organisational Conflict?

Organisational conflicts occur when people or groups within an organisation have disagreements or differences that make it difficult for them to work together. These conflicts can happen because of things like different opinions, values, or goals. For example, one group may prioritize saving money while another wants to invest in new technology. These conflicts can cause tension and problems within the organisation. Organisations need to recognize that conflicts are a normal part of working together, but they need to be managed properly. If conflicts are left unresolved or ignored, they can lead to lower morale, decreased productivity, and even the failure of the organisation. Organisations can find solutions that benefit everyone involved by addressing conflicts positively and proactively.

Nature of Organisational Conflict

These are some of the natures of organisational conflicts:

1. Conflict arises when parties have mutually exclusive values or goals that cannot be pursued simultaneously. This means that one goal can only be achieved at the expense of another.
2. Conflict involves intentional behaviour. It requires one party deliberately obstructing the goals of others. Accidental interference does not qualify as conflict.
3. Conflict can exist at both latent and overt levels. While conflict typically refers to overt acts by the parties involved, simply thinking about conflicting goals or values does not constitute a conflict.
4. Conflict is distinct from competition. In conflict, one party seeks to interfere with the other’s access to resources or hinder their activities. In competition, both parties strive to win but do not actively impede each other.
5. Conflict stands in contrast to cooperation. Cooperation entails mutual trust and confidence among employees, with a shared common goal and willingness to assist one another in achieving it. Cooperation is vital for organisational success, whereas conflict is detrimental unless managed effectively. When individuals in an organisation lose sight of the common goal and become overly attached to their own departmental or personal goals, conflicts can arise.
6. Conflict is a dynamic process consisting of a series of events and interlocking conflict episodes.

Different Views on Organisational Conflict

There are different perspectives on organisational conflicts, each offering a unique viewpoint. These three are the common views:

• Traditional View: The traditional view sees conflicts as undesirable and harmful to organisations. It believes that conflicts bring turbulence, agitation, destruction, and irrationality. According to this view, conflicts indicate problems in the organisation and result from poor management. The traditional view suggests that effective management should eliminate conflicts by addressing underlying issues and fostering harmony between employees and the organisation.
• Behavioural View: The behavioural view takes a more nuanced stance, recognizing that conflicts are bound to happen in organisations due to the diverse goals, values, and perceptions of individuals. This perspective understands that conflicts can arise naturally when employees have different priorities or conflicting ideas about resources and work methods. While conflicts may cause disruptions, the behavioural view suggests that they can also lead to innovative solutions and positive outcomes. However, it emphasizes the importance of resolving conflicts through effective policies, structures, and communication to minimize their negative impacts.
• Interactionist View: The interactionist view sees conflicts as not only inevitable but also potentially beneficial for organisations. It argues that a prolonged period of harmony and cooperation can lead to complacency and resistance to change. Therefore, a certain level of conflict is necessary to stimulate innovation, critical thinking, and organisational growth. However, the interactionist view also highlights the need to manage conflicts appropriately to prevent them from becoming excessively harmful. It emphasizes regulating conflicts to ensure they contribute positively to the organisation’s performance.

Process of Organisational Conflict

The process of organisational conflict is a dynamic sequence of events that unfolds in a particular manner. It involves various stages, including antecedent conditions, cognition, personalization, conflictive behaviour, conflict management behaviour, and aftermath:

1. Antecedent Conditions: Conflict arises when certain conditions create opportunities for conflict. These conditions can include scarcity of resources, diverse goals, and differences in values. However, the presence of these conditions doesn’t automatically mean conflict will occur.
2. Perception and Personalization: Whether conflict develops or not depends on how individuals perceive the situation. If they see it as highly threatening, conflict may arise. At this stage, conflict may remain hidden or become personal when individuals start feeling threatened, hostile, mistrustful, or fearful.
3. Conflict Behavior and Management: In this stage, one party consciously tries to block the other party’s goals. This behaviour is called manifest behaviour and can range from subtle interference to more aggressive actions, like strikes. Conflict management styles, such as resignation, compromise, or collaboration, also come into play, depending on how people choose to handle the conflict.
4. Aftermath: The consequences of conflict depend on how people behave and manage the conflict. These consequences can affect satisfaction levels, relationships, and group performance, and even lead to changes in structure and policies. The aftermath can also influence the likelihood of future conflicts, as it may plant the seeds for new conflicts to arise.