Nature And Types Of Conflict

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Conflict is a process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party (Kreitner and Angelo, 2007). Conflict can either escalate or deescalate over time and due to this reason managers need to understand the dynamics of conflict and know how to handle it effectively. Wilmot and Hocker (2007) describe conflict as "an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from others in achieving their goals". I believe that conflict is unavoidable in any organization. If you want to avoid conflict at work, you can. All you have to do is find a job that doesn’t require you to have any contact with people. This may be hard because for anyone to get anything done we must work and get assistance from someone else. Functional conflict is considered positive, because it enhances performance and identifies weaknesses. Dysfunctional conflict, however, is confrontation or interaction between groups that harms the organization or hinders attainment of goals or objectives. Some conflict involves us directly and some we observe; but all of it affects us in some way and the organizations we belong to. There are different types of conflicts experienced at the work place. Personality conflict This is defined as interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike, disagreement or different styles. We each have a unique way of interacting with others. We may see others as charming, irritating, and approachable or intimidating but this all depends on ones personality style. Due to the uniqueness of our personality there shall always be some form of personality conflict within the workplace. Intergroup conflict Intergroup relations between two or more groups and their respective members are often necessary to complete the work required to operate a
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