Chapter 8
CONFLICT
AND
NEGOTIATION
Conflict and
Negotiation in
the Workplace
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
McShane/Von Glinow OB
5eCopyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights
reserved.
Cross-Generational Conflict
To reward themselves for a
job well done, Generation-Y
(Millennial) employees
might throw a pizza party
during office hours, but this
practice bothers older
employees who have
different views about
appropriate workplace
behavior.
11-3
Conflict Defined
The process in which one
party perceives that its
interests are being opposed
or negatively affected by
another party
11-4
Is Conflict Good or Bad?:Pre 1970s View
Historically, experts viewed
conflict as dysfunctional
• Undermined relations
• Wasted human energy
• More job dissatisfaction,
turnover, stress
• Less productivity,
information sharing
Level of conflict
Conflic
t outc
om
es
Bad
Good
Low High
0
11-5
Is Conflict Good or Bad?: 1970s-1990s View
1970s to 1990s – belief in an
optimal level of conflict
Some level of conflict is good
because:
• Energizes debate
• Reexamine assumptions
• Improves responsiveness to
external environment
• Increases team cohesion
Level of conflict
Conflic
t outc
om
es
Bad
Good
Low High
0
Optimal
conflict
11-6
Is Conflict Good or Bad?:Emerging View
Two types of conflict
• Constructive conflict -- Conflict is aimed at issue,
not parties
• Relationship conflict -- Conflict is aimed at
undermining the other party
11-7
Is Conflict Good or Bad?:Emerging View
Goal: encourage
constructive conflict,
minimize relationship
conflict
Problem: difficult to
separate constructive from
relationship conflict
• Drive to defend activated
when ideas are critiqued
Level of conflict
Conflic
t outc
om
es
Bad
Good
Low High
0
Constructive
conflict
Relationship
conflict
11-8
Constructive Confrontation at Intel
Intel employees learn to fully evaluate ideas
through “constructive confrontation.” The objective
is to attack the problem, not the employee, but
some critics claim the process is a license for
some Intel staff to be bullies.
11-9
Minimizing Relationship Conflict
Three conditions that minimize relationship conflict
while engaging in constructive conflict
1. Emotional intelligence
2. Cohesive team
3. Supportive team norms
11-10
The Conflict Process
Sources of
Conflict
Manifest
Conflict
Conflict
Outcomes
Conflict
Perceptions
Conflict
Emotions
Conflict
Escalation Cycle
11-11
Differentiation
Task
Interdependence
• Different values/beliefs
• Explains cross-cultural and generational conflict
• Conflict increases with interdependence
• Parties more likely to interfere with each other
Incompatible
Goals
• One party’s goals perceived to interfere
with other’s goals
more
Structural Sources of Conflict
11-12
Ambiguous
Rules
Communication
Problems
• Creates uncertainty, threatens goals
• Without rules, people rely on politics
• Increases stereotyping
• Reduces motivation to communicate
• Escalates conflict when arrogant
Scarce
Resources• Motivates competition for the resource
Structural Sources of Conflict
11-13
Interpersonal Conflict Handling Styles
Win-win orientation
• believe parties will find a mutually beneficial
solution
Win-lose orientation
• belief that the more one party receives, the less the
other receives
11-14
Assert
iven
ess
Cooperativeness
Forcing Problem-solving
Compromising
Avoiding Yielding
High
Low High
Five Conflict Handling Styles
11-15
Conflict Handling Contingencies
Problem solving• Best when:
- Interests are not perfectly opposing
- Parties have trust/openness
- Issues are complex
• Problem: other party take advantage of information
Forcing• Best when:
- you have a deep conviction about your position
- quick resolution required
- other party would take advantage of cooperation
• Problems: relationship conflict, long-term relations
11-16
Conflict Handling Contingencies
Avoiding
• Best when:
- relationship conflict is high
- conflict resolution cost is higher than benefits
• Problems: doesn’t resolve conflict, frustration
Yielding
• Best when:
- other party has much more power
- issue is much less important to you than other party
- value/logic of your position is imperfect
• Problem: Increases other party’s expectations
11-17
Conflict Handling Contingencies
Compromising
• Best when…
- Parties have equal power
- Quick solution is required
- Parties lack trust/openness
• Problem: Sub-optimal solution where mutual gains
are possible
11-18
Structural Approaches to Conflict Resolution
1. Emphasizing superordinate goals
• Emphasize common objective rather than
conflicting sub-goals
• Reduces goal incompatibility and differentiation
2. Reducing differentiation
• Remove sources of different values and beliefs
- e.g. Move employees around to different jobs
11-19
Structural Approaches to Conflict Resolution (con’t)
3. Improving communication/understanding
• Employees understand and appreciate each
other’s views through communication
- Relates to contact hypothesis
• Two warnings:
a) Apply communication/understanding after reducing
differentiation
b) A Western strategy that may conflict with
values/traditions in other cultures
11-20
Structural Approaches to Conflict Resolution (con’t)
4. Reduce Task Interdependence
• Dividing shared resources
• Combine tasks
• Use buffers
5. Increase Resources
• Duplicate resources
6. Clarify Rules and Procedures
• Clarify resource distribution
• Change interdependence
11-21
Resolving Conflict Through Negotiation
Negotiation -- attempting to resolve divergent
goals by redefining terms of interdependence
Which conflict handling style is best in
negotiation?
• Begin cautiously with problem-solving style
• Shift to a win-lose style when
- Mutual gains situation isn’t apparent
- Other part won’t reciprocate info sharing
11-22
Your Positions
Initial Target
InitialTarget
Opponent’s Positions
Area ofPotential
Agreement
Bargaining Zone Model
Resistance
Resistance
11-23
Situational Influences on Negotiation
Location
Physical setting
Time passage and
deadlines
Audience
Courtesy of Microsoft
11-24
Effective Negotiation Behavior
Preparation and goal
setting
Gathering information
Communicating
effectively
Making concessions
Courtesy of Microsoft
11-25
Types of Third Party Intervention
Mediation
Arbitration
Inquisition
Level of
Process
Control
Level of Outcome Control
High
HighLow
11-26
Choosing the Best 3rd Party Strategy
Managers prefer inquisitional strategy, but not
usually best approach
Mediation potentially offers highest
satisfaction with process and outcomes
Use arbitration when mediation fails
11-27
Conflict and
Negotiation in
the Workplace
11-28McGraw-Hill/Irwin
McShane/Von Glinow OB
5e
Copyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights
reserved.