NAME : MALIKMUHAMMAD ZAFRAN AWAN

F/NAME : ABDUL REHMAN MALIK

CLASS : MBA (BANKING&FINANCE)

ROLL NO: AD 514701

Subject : project management.

Code : 5539

Topic : conflict in project offices.

Submitted to: Sir Ahsan.

Table of contents:

What is conflict? Why do conflicts arise?

Effects of conflicts on work environment

Types of Managerial Actions that Cause Workplace Conflicts What is conflict management? Resolving team conflict in the workplace The conflict management process

Practical study

Organization selected History of organization Conflict Types of conflict Conflict resolution

The conflict management process Conflict handling intentions Relationship between conflict causes and sources SWOT Analysis Conclusion References

Topic: Conflict management in project offices.

What is conflict?

Definitions vary, depending on the source of the definition. Psychologists define conflict in the perspective of intra-mind differences. Sociologists tend to define conflict as differences between the interests of people or groups, and so it goes. When we examine the common elements in almost all of these various definitions, we find that a definition of conflict can be reduced to: “Conflict occurs when there are two or more competing responses to a single event.” (Cummings, Long, and Lewis 1983) This sort of impact-neutral definition allows us to focus on the context and sources of conflict rather than exclusively on the result or impact of the conflict.

Cummings, Long, and Lewis, in their 1983 book, Managing Communication in Organizations, suggest six contexts for conflict.

1. Intrapersonal - the internal, mental struggle to select from among alternatives. 2. Interpersonal - differences between individuals 3. Intra group - differences between members of a group pursuing a similar

corporate goal 4. Inter group - differences between groups with competing goals 5. Intra organizational - generalized differences in goals or perceptions of various

factions within an organization 6. Inter organizational - differences between organizations (companies or

governments) competing for a similar goal or to advance competing ideologies

What is conflict?When people think of the word conflict, they often think of wars or violence. However, conflict exists at all levels of society in all sorts of situations. It is easy to forget that we experience conflict every day of our lives.

Conflict happens when two or more people or groups have, or think they have, incompatible goals.

Conflict is a fact of life. God made each of us in his own image, but he also made us unique.Therefore some of our views and opinions will differ from those of others. Conflict often occurs because of a lack of respect for one another’s needs and views.However, in most cases we resolve the conflict. From a personal level to international level, good communication is usually used to overcome differences and to reach an agreement before violence breaks out. At a personal level, we often do not realize we are overcoming our differences.

It is important to remember that conflict can be creative. Conflict is sometimes necessary to bring justice where injustice exists. It can provide an opportunity for new social and political systems to be established and can help to shape the future. However, when conflict becomes violent it will usually do more harm than good. After violent conflict, it is often difficult to see the opportunities for a better future due to the widespread destruction of infrastructure and livelihoods, the breakdown of trust and the suffering caused through bereavement, trauma, grief and anger. It is also likely that such social change could have occurred before the conflict became violent.

The differences between "competition" and "conflict"

"Competition" usually brings out the best in people, as they strive to be top in their field, whether in sport, community affairs, politics or work. In fact, fair and friendly competition often leads to new sporting achievements, scientific inventions or outstanding effort in solving a community problem. When competition becomes unfriendly or bitter, though, conflict can begin - and this can bring out the worst in people.

Why do conflicts arise?

Conflicts arise in the corporate climate every other day and while there might be many reasons behind them, the basic reasons for conflicts can be broken down into the following categories:

Clash of ideas

Most of the people believe that they have the best ideas and they want others to follow their lead rather than listening to what their peers have to say. These people do not appreciate hearing ideas put forward by the coworkers and often find faults with them. When such people are challenged by their colleagues or feel threatened by the ideas put forward by the coworkers, they create problems and hence give rise to conflicts.

Different personality types:

Everyone that is working in an organization has a different personality type and most of the time people are able to work in collaboration. However, some people have difficult personalities and they do not only make it hard for people to work with them but also disrupt the office environment. Such people are often used to getting things done their way and do not like changes. While is tough to deal with such people, it is not entirely impossible. Managing such people is a challenge and if handled properly, they can be an asset to the company.

Competition:

Majority of the times, competition is the most common reason behind conflicts in the workplace. Everybody knows that competition can get ugly as your coworkers often stop at nothing to prove to the boss that they are better at the job than you. In such scenarios, conflicts are bound to occur as coworkers start accusing each other of stealing their ideas and taking credit for their hard work. Sometimes such conflicts are resolved in no time but mostly these conflicts grow to such an extent that the employees stop talking to each other. This kind of behavior retards the growth of the company and mars the reputation of the workers.

Effects of conflicts on work environment:

For an organization to prosper, the environment of the workplace has to be positive. It will only then allow the employees to function at their maximum potential and exploit their talents to the fullest. However, regular conflicts among the employees have a negative effect on the environment in many ways, such as:

Lowering productivity Causing lack of motivation Increasing frustration at work Inducing lack of commitment Disrupting team work

(http://blog.rozee.pk/2010/04/14/manage-conflicts-work/)

Types of Managerial Actions that Cause Workplace Conflicts:

Poor communicationsa. Employees experience continuing surprises, they aren't informed of new decisions, programs, etc. b. Employees don't understand reasons for decisions, they aren't involved in decision-making.c. As a result, employees trust the "rumor mill" more than management.

The alignment or the amount of resources is insufficient. There is..a. Disagreement about "who does what".b. Stress from working with inadequate resources.

"Personal chemistry", including conflicting values or actions among managers and employees, for example:a. Strong personal natures don't match.b. We often don't like in others what we don't like in ourselves

Leadership problems, including inconsistent, missing, too-strong or uninformed leadership (at any level in the organization), evidenced by:

a. Avoiding conflict, "passing the buck" with little follow-through on decisions.b. Employees see the same continued issues in the workplace. c. Supervisors don't understand the jobs of their subordinates.

(http://managementhelp.org/intrpsnl/basics.htm)

What is conflict management?

Conflict may be defined as a struggle or contest between people with opposing needs, ideas, beliefs, values, or goals. Conflict on teams is inevitable; however, the results of conflict are not predetermined. Conflict might escalate and lead to nonproductive results, or conflict can be beneficially resolved and lead to quality final products. Therefore, learning to manage conflict is integral to a high-performance team. Although very few people go looking for conflict, more often than not, conflict results because of miscommunication between people with regard to their needs, ideas, beliefs, goals, or values. Conflict management is the principle that all conflicts cannot necessarily be resolved, but learning how to manage conflicts can decrease the odds of nonproductive escalation. Conflict management involves acquiring skills related to conflict resolution, self-awareness about conflict modes, conflict communication skills, and establishing a structure for management of conflict in your environment.

Resolving team conflict in the workplace:

Overcome Conflict in the Workplace and Build Stronger Teams by Working withPeople's DifferencesStrong team needs diversity. People who bring a lot of different skills, knowledge,Experiences, values, attitudes and viewpoints to the table can often achieve far more than a group who are of very similar backgrounds - having a diversity of opinions and viewpoints on a team can be one of its greatest strengths. However, it is this very diversity that creates problems in teams.

When you work with others, it is inevitable that the occasional conflict in the workplace will arise. We all have our own points of view, ways of viewing a situation, ways of wanting to be communicated with, ways of being led and managed, ways of resolving problems; and given the right circumstances, these differences of opinion can escalate into a full-blown conflict in the workplace.

(http://www.leadership-and-motivation-training.com/conflict-in-the-workplace.html)-

Topic: Conflict management in project offices.

Conflict:

Conflict is an unavoidable aspect of everyday life. Whether it is with others, yourself or an organization, conflict is an inevitable aspect of life experience. Understanding how it starts and how it escalates goes a long way towards knowing how to use it to your advantage. This article will address how to spot the seeds of conflict in a situation and take advantage of the possible outcomes that conflict can provide.

(www.ehow.com/about_4576718_what-is-conflict.html)

Types of conflict:

The different types of conflicts which is facing by the company are as under….

Personality and Communications FactorsPersonality differences can cause problems between co-workers, particularly if two people with very different personalities and working styles must work together to complete a project. Personality may also play a part in communication styles. A person who believes that communication should be short and direct may become annoyed and frustrated by a co-worker who provides long, detailed explanations to every question. The co-worker may be similarly annoyed by what he perceives as his colleague's lack of attention to detail or unwillingness to share information.

Cultural factor:Conflicts may also arise when people of different cultures, values or backgrounds work together. Humor and sarcasm may be perceived as insulting behavior by employees of other cultures or backgrounds. Employees who constantly point out minor faults in other people's work, style or approach can cause conflict, according to Women Work! Resource. Gossiping about a co-worker may also cause resentment and anger.

Performance Issues:When employees fail to complete their share of the workload as expected or perform poorly, co-workers may become angry or resentful, especially if they must complete the unfinished work. If an expected outcome does not happen, people become frustrated and upset and look for someone to blame, according to the International Association of Business Communicators. Inconsistent direction and unclear goals from management and supervisors can also cause conflict, particularly if goals are constantly changing. Conflict may also occur if one person or department seems to have a favored position within the company and receives more attention or praise.

Differences in Style:People have different styles when doing their work. For example, one person may be very task oriented and may just want to get the work done quickly. Others may be more concerned with having it done in a very artistic way or some may even want to include other people in the project.

Differences in Background/Gender:Conflicts may arise between people because of differences in educational backgrounds, personal experiences, ethnic heritage, gender or political preferences.

Conflict resolution:

In many cases, conflict in the workplace just seems to be a fact of life. We've all seen situations where different people with different goals and needs have come into conflict. And we've all seen the often-intense personal animosity that can result.

The fact that conflict exists, however, is not necessarily a bad thing: As long as it is resolved effectively, it can lead to personal and professional growth.

In many cases, effective conflict resolution skills can make the difference between positive and negative outcomes.

The good news is that by resolving conflict successfully, you can solve many of the problems that it has brought to the surface, as well as getting benefits that you might not at first expect:

Increased understanding: The discussion needed to resolve conflict expands people's awareness of the situation, giving them an insight into how they can achieve their own goals without undermining those of other people.

Increased group cohesion: When conflict is resolved effectively, team members can develop stronger mutual respect, and a renewed faith in their ability to work together.

Improved self-knowledge: Conflict pushes individuals to examine their goals in close detail, helping them understand the things that are most important to them, sharpening their focus, and enhancing their effectiveness.

The conflict management process:

The process which is followed by the company in order to remove or to resolve the conflict is as under this process is known as conflict management process. The process of conflict consists of five stages.

Explanation:

In the first two steps we identify or recognize the conflicts in the work place by perceived or by felt the conflict. Than in the third step which is intention, in this step we decide that which conflict handling intention should applied this is determined on the basic on intensity and the type of conflicts and then in the fourth step we check the behavior of the conflicted parties and the results of the conflict management process the performance of the project is increased if the conflict is effectively resolved and if the conflict is not properly or effectively resolved the performance of the project decrease

Conflict handling intentions:

The conflict handling intentions are as follows.

Confronting:

Confronting is also described as problem solving, integrating, collaborating or win-win style. It involves the conflicting parties meeting face-to-face and collaborating to reach an

agreement that satisfies the concerns of both parties. This style involves open and direct communication which should lead the way to solving the problem. Confronting should be used when:

Both parties need to win. You want to decrease cost. You want create a common power base. Time is sufficient. Trust is present. Learning is the ultimate goal.

Drawbacks: The process takes lots of time and energy Some may take advantage of other people's trust and openness

Compromising:

Compromising is also described as a "give and take" style. Conflicting parties bargain to reach a mutually acceptable solution. Both parties give up something in order to reach a decision and leave with some degree of satisfaction. Compromising should be used when:

Both parties need to win. Time is not sufficient. You want to maintain the relationship among the involved parties. You will get nothing if you do not compromise.

Drawbacks: Important values and long-term objectives can be derailed in the process May not work if initial demands are too great Can spawn cynicism, especially if there's no commitment to honor the

compromise solutions

Smoothing:

Smoothing is also referred to as accommodating or obliging style. In this approach, the areas of agreement are emphasized and the areas of disagreement are downplayed. Conflicts are not always resolved in the smoothing mode. A party may sacrifice it's own concerns or goals in order to satisfy the concerns or goals of the other party. Smoothing should be used when:

Goal to be reached is overarching. You want to create obligation for a trade-off at a later time.

Stakes are low. Liability is limited. Any solution is adequate. You would lose anyway. You want to gain time.

Forcing:

Forcing is also known as competing, controlling, or dominating style. Forcing occurs when one party goes all out to win it's position while ignoring the needs and concerns of the other party. As the intensity of a conflict increases, the tendency for a forced conflict is more likely. These results in a win-lose situation where one party wins at the expense of the other party. Forcing should be used when:

A "do or die" situation is present. Stakes are high. Important principles are at stake. Relationship among parties is not important. A quick decision must be made.

Avoiding:

Avoiding is also described as withdrawal style. This approach is viewed as postponing an issue for later or withdrawing from the situation altogether. It is regarded as a temporary solution because the problem and conflict continue to reoccur over and over again. Avoiding should be used when:

You can not win. Stakes are low. Stakes are high, but you are not prepared. You want to gain time. You want to maintain neutrality or reputation. You think problem will go away. You win by delaying.

Relationship between conflict causes and sources:

S o u r c e s

Functional Manager.

FunctionalPersonnel.

BetweenProjectpersonnel

Superior Sub-ordinates

Schedules

* *Priorities

* * *Manpower

* *Technology

* * * *Procedures

* * * *Personality

* * * * *Costs

* * *

Association between perceived intensity of conflict and mod of conflict resolution:

Forcing Confrontation Compromise smoothing withdrawal

CONFLICT

CAUSES

Between PM and his personnel

▼ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▼

Between PM and his superior

▼ ▲

Between PM and Functional support dep’t.

▼ ▼ ▲

▲ Strongly favorable association with regard to low conflict

▼ Strongly unfavorable association with regard to low conflict

SWOT Analysis:

Strength:

Identify the critical features and benefits of conflict management. Identify different types of conflict and different techniques for managing them. Increase collaborative endeavors Reduce stress for interpersonal interactions Improve the way conflict are resolved before they affect other parts of the

organization Minimize the escalation of conflict Conflict fosters an awareness that problems exist. Discussing conflicting views can lead to better solutions. Conflicts encourage people to grow.

Weaknesses:

Time consuming process Put more workload on the manager

Opportunities:

Loyalty Respect for boss

Increase performance of the group

Threats:

May decrease the performance of the company May not resolved conflict properly

May hurt any parties

Conclusion

Conflict in project management is not necessarily unfavorable when properly managed. Several advantages have been identified such as increasing personal growth and morale, enhancing communication, and producing better project outcomes. However, conflict can

be the decline of an organization if it is not effectively managed. The challenge for organizational leaders and project managers is to try to maintain the right balance and intensity of conflict in project management. By utilizing project management principles, understanding the dynamics of conflict, and learning approaches to conflict resolution, managers will be able to establish an environment in which creativity and innovation is encouraged and project goals are accomplished.

(http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/488_f01_papers/Ohlendorf.htm#uc)