Robbins & Judge Organizational Behavior 13th Edition Chapter 15: Conflict and Negotiation Student Study Slideshow Bob Stretch Southwestern College 15-0©

Robbins & Judge

Organizational Behavior13th Edition

Chapter 15: Conflict and Negotiation

Student Study Slideshow

Bob StretchSouthwestern College

15-1© 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter Learning Objectives

• After studying this chapter you should be able to:– Define conflict.– Differentiate between the traditional, human relations,

and interactionist views of conflict.– Outline the conflict process.– Define negotiation.– Contrast distributive and integrative bargaining.– Apply the five steps in the negotiation process.– Show how individual differences influence negotiations.– Assess the roles and functions of third-party negotiations.– Describe cultural differences in negotiations.

15-2© 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Conflict Defined• A process that begins when one party perceives

that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about– That point in an ongoing activity when an interaction

“crosses over” to become an interparty conflict• Encompasses a wide range of conflicts that

people experience in organizations– Incompatibility of goals– Differences over interpretations of facts– Disagreements based on behavioral expectations

© 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 15-3

Transitions in Conflict Thought

• Traditional View of Conflict– The belief that all conflict is harmful and must be

avoided

– Prevalent view in the 1930s-1940s

• Conflict resulted from:– Poor communication

– Lack of openness

– Failure to respond to employee needs


Continued Transitions in Conflict Thought

• Human Relations View of Conflict– The belief that conflict is a natural and inevitable

outcome in any group– Prevalent from the late 1940s through mid-1970s

• Interactionist View of Conflict– The belief that conflict is not only a positive force

in a group but that it is absolutely necessary for a group to perform effectively

– Current view


Forms of Interactionist Conflict

• Functional Conflict– Conflict that supports the goals of the group and

improves its performance

• Dysfunctional Conflict– Conflict that hinders group performance


Types of Interactionist Conflict

• Task Conflict– Conflicts over content and goals of the work– Low-to-moderate levels of this type are FUNCTIONAL

• Relationship Conflict– Conflict based on interpersonal relationships– Almost always DYSFUNCTIONAL

• Process Conflict– Conflict over how work gets done– Low levels of this type are FUNCTIONAL


The Conflict Process• Stage I: Potential Opposition or Incompatibility

– Communication• Semantic difficulties, misunderstandings, and “noise”

– Structure• Size and specialization of jobs• Jurisdictional clarity/ambiguity• Member/goal incompatibility• Leadership styles (close or participative)• Reward systems (win-lose)• Dependence/interdependence of groups

– Personal Variables• Differing individual value systems• Personality types

Exhibit 15-1


Stage II: Cognition and Personalization

• Important stage for two reasons:

1. Conflict is defined • Perceived Conflict

– Awareness by one or more parties of the existence of conditions that create opportunities for conflict to arise

2. Emotions are expressed that have a strong impact on the eventual outcome• Felt Conflict

– Emotional involvement in a conflict creating anxiety, tenseness, frustration, or hostility


Stage III: Intentions

• Intentions– Decisions to act in a given way– Note: behavior does not always accurate reflect intent

• Dimensions of conflict-handling intentions:– Cooperativeness

• Attempting to satisfy the other party’sconcerns

– Assertiveness• Attempting to satisfy

one’s own concerns

Exhibit 15-2


Stage IV: Behavior

• Conflict Management

– The use of resolution and stimulation techniques to achieve the desired level of conflict

• Conflict-Intensity Continuum

Exhibit 15-3


Conflict Resolution Techniques– Problem solving– Superordinate goals– Expansion of resources– Avoidance– Smoothing– Compromise– Authoritative command– Altering the human

variable– Altering the structural

variables– Communication

– Bringing in outsiders– Restructuring the

organization– Appointing a devil’s

advocate

Exhibit 15-4


Stage V: Outcomes• Functional

– Increased group performance

– Improved quality of decisions

– Stimulation of creativity and innovation

– Encouragement of interest and curiosity

– Provision of a medium for problem-solving

– Creation of an environment for self-evaluation and change

• Dysfunctional– Development of discontent

– Reduced group effectiveness

– Retarded communication

– Reduced group cohesiveness

– Infighting among group members overcomes group goals

• Creating Functional Conflict– Reward dissent and punish

conflict avoiders


Negotiation

• Negotiation (Bargaining)– A process in which two or more parties exchange

goods or services and attempt to agree on the exchange rate for them

• Two General Approaches:– Distributive Bargaining

• Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed amount of resources; a win-lose situation

– Integrative Bargaining• Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements that can

create a win-win solution


Distributive versus Integrative Bargaining

Exhibit 15-5


Bargaining Characteristic Distributive Bargaining Integrative Bargaining

Goal Get all the pie you can Expand the pie

Motivation Win-Lose Win-Win

Focus Positions Interests

Information Sharing Low High

Duration of Relationships Short-Term Long-Term

Bargaining Tactics and the Bargaining Zone

• Distributive Tactics– Make an aggressive first offer– Reveal a deadline

• Integrative Tactics– Bargain in teams– Put more issues on the table– Don’t compromise

Exhibit 15-6


The Negotiation Process

• BATNA

– The Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement

– The lowest acceptable value (outcome) to an individual for a negotiated agreement

• The “Bottom Line” for negotiations

Exhibit 15-7


Individual Differences in Negotiation Effectiveness

• Personality Traits– Extroverts and agreeable people weaker at distributive

negotiation – disagreeable introvert is best– Intelligence is a weak indicator of effectiveness

• Mood and Emotion– Ability to show anger helps in distributive bargaining– Positive moods and emotions help integrative bargaining

• Gender– Men and women negotiate the same way, but may experience

different outcomes– Women and men take on gender stereotypes in negotiations:

tender and tough– Women are less likely to negotiate


Third-Party Negotiations• Four Basic Third-Party Roles– Mediator

• A neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated solution by using reasoning, persuasion, and suggestions for alternatives

– Arbitrator• A third party to a negotiation who has the authority to dictate an

agreement.– Conciliator

• A trusted third party who provides an informal communication link between the negotiator and the opponent

– Consultant• An impartial third party, skilled in conflict management, who

attempts to facilitate creative problem solving through communication and analysis


Global Implications• Conflict and Culture– Japanese and U.S. managers view conflict differently– U.S. managers more likely to use competing tactics while

Japanese managers are likely to use compromise and avoidance

• Cultural Differences in Negotiations– Multiple cross-cultural studies on negotiation styles, for

instance:• American negotiators are more likely than Japanese bargainers to

make a first offer• North Americans use facts to persuade, Arabs use emotion, and

Russians used asserted ideals• Brazilians say “no” more often than Americans or Japanese


Summary and Managerial Implications

• Conflict can be constructive or destructive• Reduce excessive conflict by using:– Competition– Collaboration– Avoidance– Accommodation– Compromise

• Integrative negotiation is a better long-term method

Exhibit 15-8


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Robbins & Judge Organizational Behavior 13th Edition Chapter 15: Conflict and Negotiation Student Study Slideshow Bob Stretch Southwestern College 15-0©