Organizational_Culture

Chapter 13 Conflict and Negotiation & Chapter 16 Organizational Culture (Supplementary Notes) Learning Points: 1. Conflict can “poison” the organization as well as those who work within it. Managers need to reduce the effects of organizational toxins and maintain organizational health. A healthy workplace is good for every individual as well as its stockholders. 2. Don’t overlook the importance of high EI in the work of a good conflict manager. The ability to influence your own and others’ emotions is not just a practical tool, but it can also serve as an important tactical asset, making you a better negotiator in a variety of situations and helping reduce conflict and increase productivity in your organization. 3. Culture provides us with ready-made solutions for basic human problems and a sense of identity, but it also limits our ability to see and sometimes appreciate alternative behaviors. 4. Multicultural groups can be the source of learning and creativity, but only when groups can be open about their differences and use them to enhance understanding. I. Organizational conflict A. What is Conflict : Conflict : Any situation in which incompatible goals, attitudes, emotions, or behaviors lead to disagreement or opposition between two or more parties. B. Two Types of Conflict : (1) Functional conflict : A healthy, constructive disagreement between two or more people. It can translate into increased productivity. e.g. creation of new ideas (2) Dysfunctional conflict : An unhealthy, destructive disagreement between two or more people. It involves personalized anger and resentment towards other people and creates a lose-lose situation. e.g. Fighting, unco-coperative C. Consequences of Conflict : (1) Positive Consequences (2) Negative Consequences |Positive Consequences |Negative Consequences | |Leads to new ideas |Diverts energy from work | |Stimulates creativity |Threatens psychological well-being | |Motivates change |Wastes resources | |Promotes organizational vitality |Creates a negative climate | |Helps individuals and groups establish identities |Breaks down group cohesion | |Serves as a safety valve to indicate problems |Can increase hostility and aggressive behaviors | Groups in conflict tend to stereotype the other party, see their own group as ideal, and overvalue the contributions of their own members, while devaluing those of the other group. Their perceptions of one another become distorted and hostilities tend to escalate. D. Causes of Conflict : (1) Structural Factors a) Specialization : When jobs are highly specialized, conflict arises because people have little awareness of the tasks that others perform. b) Interdependence : It requires groups or individuals to depend on one another to accomplish goals. When there is a problem, it becomes very easy to blame the other party and conflict arises. c) Common Resource : Conflict occurs when multiple parties must share resources which become scarce. d) Goal Differences : When work groups have different goals, these goals may be incompatible; e.g. sales increase, service department’s workloads increase too. e) Authority Relationships : Boss-employee relationship exists conflict as some bosses are very autocratic and demanding. f) Status Inconsistencies : Some managers may enjoy special privileges – such as flexible schedules, and longer lunch hours; that will result in conflict to nonmanagement employees. g) Jurisdictional Ambiguity (unclear line of responsibility) : When there is no definite source of responsibility within an organization, conflict emerges. (2) Personal Factors : a) Skills and Abilities : Experienced, competent workers may find it difficult to work with new & unskilled recruits or inexperienced new boss. b) Personalities : One personality trait that many people find difficult to deal with is abrasiveness (harshness). A harsh person ignores the feelings of colleagues and his style of doing things creates stress. c) Perceptions : Difference in perception can also lead to conflict. d) Values and Ethics : Older & younger workers carry different values and ethics at work, and this will heat up disagreement because of the personal nature of the differences. e) Emotions : The moods of others can be a source of conflict and are difficult for others to deal with. f) Communication Barriers : Distortions in messages and misinterpretations in meanings will lead to conflict. g) Cultural Differences : (See Globalization and Conflict) II. Globalization and Conflict : (Supplementary note) Hofstede’s dimensions of National Culture Masculinity vs Femininity Individualism vs Collectivism High Uncertainty Aviodance vs Low Uncertainty Avoidance High Power Distance vs Low Power Distance Long-term Orientation vs Short-term Orientation The ability to deal with people from other cultures is becoming more and more necessary in business. Technical competence is a necessary but insufficient condition for success. Effectiveness depends upon an ability to develop good interpersonal relationships that are built upon an acceptance and appreciation of differences, respect for the cultural beliefs of others, and a willingness to learn from people who are different. III. Common Reactions to Conflict: Defense Mechanisms Defense Mechanisms are common reactions to the frustration that accompanies conflict. There are altogether 9 mechanisms under 3 categories: A. Aggressive Mechanism: 1) Fixation : A mechanism in which an individual keeps up a dysfunctional behavior that obviously will not solve the conflict. 2) Displacement : A mechanism in which an individual directs his or her anger toward someone who is not the source of the conflict. 3) Negativism : A mechanism in which a person responds with pessimism to any attempt at solving a problem. B. Compromise Mechanism: 4) Compensation : A mechanism in which an individual attempts to make up for a negative situation by devoting himself or herself to another pursuit with increased vigor. 5) Identification : A mechanism whereby an individual patterns his or her behavior after another’s. 6) Rationalization : A mechanism characterized by trying to justify one’s behavior by constructing bogus reasons for it. C. Withdrawal Mechanism: 7) Flight / Withdrawal : A mechanism that entails physically escaping a conflict (flight) or psychologically escaping (withdrawal). 8) Conversion : A mechanism that in which emotional conflicts are expressed in physical symptoms. 9) Fantasy : A mechanism that provides an escape from a conflict through daydreaming. IV. Conflict Management Styles : |Conflict-Handling Style |Appropriate Situation | | | | |Competing |When quick decisive action is vital (e.g., emergencies). | | |On important issues where unpopular actions need implementing (e.g., cost cutting, enforcing unpopular | | |rules, discipline). | | |On issues vital to company welfare when you know you are right. | | |Against people who take advantage of noncompetitive behavior. | |Collaborating |To find an integrative solution when both sets of concerns are too important to be compromised. | | |When your objective is to learn. | | |To merge insights from people with different perspectives. | | |To gain commitment by incorporating concerns into a consensus. | | |To work through feelings that have interfered with a relationship. | |Compromising |When goals are important, but not worth the effort or potential disruption of more assertive modes. | | |When opponents with equal power are committed to mutually exclusive goals. | | |To achieve temporary settlements to complex issues. | | |To arrive at expedient solutions under time pressure. | | |As a backup when collaboration or competition is unsuccessful. | |Avoiding |When an issue is trivial, or more important issues are pressing. | | |When you perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns. | | |When potential disruption outweighs the benefits of resolution. | | |To let people cool down and regain perspective. | | |When gathering information supersedes immediate decision. | | |When others can resolve the conflict more effectively. | | |When issues seems tangential or symptomatic of other issues. | |Accommodating |When you find you are wrong – to allow a better position to be heard, to learn, and to show your | | |reasonableness. | | |When issues are more important to others than to yourself – to satisfy others and maintain cooperation. | | |To build social credits for later issues. | | |To minimize loss when you are outmatched and losing. | | |When harmony and stability are especially important. | | |To allow employees to develop by learning from mistakes. | To become a successful manager, he must enhance his EQ (Emotional Intelligence). It is power to control one’s emotions and perceive emotions in others, adapt to change, and manage adversity. It also relates to the ability to manage conflict. ----------------------- - People are demanding - Men should take dominant role - Women should be caring Vs - Concern about relation - Concern about others - Help others - Stress on quality of life - People look after their own interest - Stress on group value & welfare Vs Vs - People are demanding - Men should take dominant role - Women should be caring - People accept risks & uncertainty - People feel secure Vs - People threatened by uncertainty - Tend to have more rules & regulations - People are conservative & believe in absolute truth Vs - Values based on past & present - Values based on future (saving & persistence) Vs - Employees are not afraid to their boss - Accept power in organization