Cooper (2012) considers three conflicting responsibilities, (1) conflicts of authority, (2) role conflicts and (3) conflicts of interest. Conflicts of authority are based on the subordination of one person to several people (laws, rules) and in case one contradicts another one the conflict appears.
The most disappointing aspect is that there is no way out without negative consequences. A person who has appeared in this situation will be punished for nonperforming the task, either prescribed by the rule of given by one of the authorities. Authorities do not listen to the explanations why it is impossible to complete the task, they are usually more interested what is done for the task to be done.
Role conflicts usually appear in the corporations with multiple levels of organizational structures. Cooper (2012) states that there are situations when being subjected to one person an employee understands that he is also subordinate to another one whose authority is spread on his/her first boss.
The fusion of roles is observed. On the one hand, an employee is to subject to both these people, however, having one and the same boss with another employee, this person feels some difficulties in understanding whether to subject to both of them or only to the one whose position is higher.
Conflicts of interest comprise a number of particular cases which difficult to enumerate. Cooper does not offer one specific sample case, as he does while discussing those two conflicts as they are too numerous and cannot be covered by one situation. The main idea of the conflicts of interest is based on the conflict between personal and corporate interests. In most cases, this dilemma is connected with the ethical and moral rules of the company which may contradict to moral considerations of a person.
Let’s take the conflict of interest as the basis for consideration of the situation from a personal experience. The company has particular rules to follow. A company forbids delivering the information about the business it runs. The company employees are not allowed to tell anyone about the sphere of their business.
However, at the same time, the company managers insist (still, without pressure) that the employees should invite their college friends and other people who have the same specialization for employment.
On the one hand, an employee wants to invite some people for employment as the work is interesting and the salary is appropriate, however, a person faces the problem of the corporation rules, he/she is unable to tell a friend about the company, what it does and which responsibilities one is going to perform. Therefore, an ethical dilemma appears, whether to ignore the requirement and do not offer a friend a good job position, or to violate the company rules and to tell a friend about company responsibilities.
Cooper (2012) also believes that human drive for individualism is at the root of many of their ethical dilemmas and this is exactly the reason for conflicts. If people did not want to be equal, they would not behave in the way which creates the reasons for conflicts. Many conflicts in the company are based on the human personal beliefs. Thus, for example, the company may be directed in one particular religion with following all the rules of this religion. One person may have another religion and it creates a conflict.
Reference List
Cooper, T. L. (2012). The Responsible Administrator. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.