Module 10: Chapter 13 (Conflict and Stress) Flashcards
Define Conflict, and name the organizational causes
Hint: 5
Conflict: the process that occurs when one person, group, or organizational subunit frustrates the goal attainment of another
* Develops antagonistic behaviours including name-calling, sabotage or physical aggression
- Group identification and Intergroup Bias,
- Interdependence,
- Differences in Power, Status, and Culture,
- Ambiguity,
- Scarce Resources
Causes of Conflict: define Group identification and Intergroup Bias
Group identification and Intergroup Bias
With interaction, people have the tendency to develop a more positive view of their own “in-group” and less positive view of the “out-group” if which they are not a member
Causes of Conflict: Interdependence
Interdependence
When individuals or subunits are mutually dependent on each other to accomplish their own goals
- Ex. The sales department is dependent on the marketing staff for sale leads and advertising and vice versa
Causes of Conflict: Differences in Power, Status, and Culture
explain each
Power
power is not mutual but one way, the potential for conflict increases
- Party B has power over A, and A can’t bargain
○ Ex. Production workers are highly dependent on inspectors to approve their work
Status
When people of lower status are dependent on those of higher status, the potential for conflict increases
○ Ex. Marketers, who spent years in university, will view themselves as superior compared to sales personnel
Culture
When tow or more very different cultures develop in an organization, the clash in beliefs and values can result in conflict
○ Ex. Apple expanded and hired professionals away from several companies with their own strong cultures
Causes of Conflict: Ambiguity
Ambiguity
* Ambiguous goals, jurisdictions or performance criteria can lead to conflict
* Difficult to accurately assign praise for good outcomes or blame for bad outcomes when it is hard to see who is responsible
* Ex. Sales drop following the introduction of a new product, the design group might blame the marketing department for poor advertising campaign
Causes of Conflict: Scarce Resources
Scarce Resources
* Differences in power are magnified when resources become scarce
* Limited budget money, administrative support, or space can create conflict
Types of Conflict: define the three types: Relationship conflict, Task conflict, Process conflict
Relationship conflict: interpersonal tensions among individuals that have to do with their relationship per se, not the task at hand
* Ex. Personality clashes
Task conflict: disagreements about the nature of the work to be done
* Ex. differences of opinion about goals
Process conflict: disagreements about how work should be organized and accomplished
* Ex. Disagreements about responsibility, authority, resource allocation, and what should we do
Types of Conflict: define the two beneficial types
Constructive conflict and Conflict stimulation
Constructive conflict: conflict for which the benefits outweigh the costs
* Promotes good decisions and positive organizational change
Conflict stimulation: a strategy of increasing conflict to motivate change
“friendly rut” in which peaceful relationships take precedence over organizational goals
(Conflict Dynamics) give two event examples
When conflict beings, the events occur:
- “winning” the conflict become more important than a good solution
- The parties conceal information from each other or distort it
Modes of Managing Conflict: List and explain the
five styles for dealing with conflict
Avoiding
○ Can provide short-term stress reduction and does not change the situation
○ Doesn’t engage in the conflict and doesn’t believe they don’t have what it takes to be the winner
○ Ex. Avoiding someone who is angry
Low assertiveness/low cooperation
Accommodating
○ Giving the other party everything they want; not fighting for your own interests
○ Desire to be liked and accepted
Low assertiveness/high cooperation
Competing
○ When it comes to conflict there is a winner and loser.. “I aim to be the winner”
**High assertiveness/low cooperation **
Compromise
○ The “middle ground”
○ 50% of your needs met and 50% of the other’s needs met
**Medium assertiveness/ medium cooperation **
Collaborating
○ A win-win situation
○ Both goals and needs can be fully fulfilled
** Maximizes both assertiveness/maximizes cooperation
**
Define Negotiation and explain the two types: Distributive negotiation, Integrative negotiation
Negotiation: a decision-making process among interdependent parties who do not share identical preferences
- Attempts to either prevent or resolve conflict
Distributive negotiation: parties bargain for shares of a fixed resources
* fighting for whats “on the table”
Integrative negotiation: parties collaborate to find a “win-win” solution to their dispute
Define Stressors, Stress, Stress Reactions, and Personality and Stress
Stressors: environmental events or conditions that to induce stress
* Ex. Heat, isolation, or hostile people
* Individual’s personality determines the extent of stress they experience
Stress: a psychological reaction to the demands of the stressor that makes a person feel tense or anxious
* Stress is not always bad
Stress Reactions: the behavioural, psychological consequences of stress
Personality and Stress:
* Locus of Control: a set of beliefs whether one’s behaviour is controlled mainly by internal or external forces
* Type A behaviour pattern: a personality pattern that includes aggressiveness, ambitiousness, hostility, impatience, and a sense of time urgency
* Workaholism: “addiction” to work in which one has an internal compulsion to work, thinks persistently about work, and works excessively (Type As are this)
Negative Affectivity: propensity to view the world, including oneself and other people, in a negative light
Stressors in Organizational Life: define Role Overload, Boundary Roles, Burnout, Workplace ostracism
Role Overload: the requirement for too many tasks to be performed in too short a time period or to work too many hours
Boundary Roles: positions in which organizational members are required to interact with members of other organizations or with the public
* Ex. Sales reps, consultants - people who interact with clients (trying hard to meet the needs of both)
Burnout: a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced self-efficacy
Feeling drained from work
Workplace ostracism: a group or individual fails to interact with co-worker when it would be normal to do so
Ex. Shunning, ignoring or excluding the person; poor performers are isolated
