Introduction
Conflicts are unavoidable at the family level, as well as, within organizations that people depend up on to satisfy their needs and wants. Even though people who constitute an organization are bound together by common and shared goals, conflicts are inevitable in the course of working towards the realization of those goals.
In most cases, conflicts within an organization stem from disagreement between and among employees, as well as, with other stakeholders like customers, suppliers, authorities, shareholders, and competitors. Moreover, differences might stem from differences in personality, emotional stability/intelligence, and cultural intelligence (Robbins & Judge 2009, p.165).
Contrary to the popular thinking, conflicts are not entirely disruptive or destructive to an organization’s performance, productivity, and focus. When handled properly and professionally with an open mind that is not unnecessarily clouded by emotions of the parties involved, conflicts can be the origin of positive change in an organization that leads to another level of better organizational performance and productivity (Alper, Tjosvold, & Law 2000, p. 627).
Thus, depending on how conflicts are dealt with, they can inspire positive progress within an organization. In short, from a given perspective conflicts are significant and a central feature of a functional organization. This paper is a case study report on conflict in Seatcor Manufacturing Company.
Classification of the conflict
A conflict is a difference involving at least two individuals or groups who interact with each in a given way and who see some incongruity between themselves (Rahim 1992, p.120). In other words, it is a situation whereby, in the process of interaction, one party feels that its interests are being contested or adversely affected by another partner party (Wall & Callister 1995, p.517).
From a systems approach to conflict management in an organization, one main form of conflict is visible in the Seatcor Manufacturing Company within the largest desk assembly plant (Jackson 2000, p.358). It encompasses an intra-organizational conflict that is mainly inter-group and to some extent inter-personal.
An inter-personal conflict refers to an individual to individual conflict. It is the most common form of conflict in various organizations. On the other hand, an intra-organizational conflict occurs among the various formal, as well as, informal groups in an organization (Nicotera 1995, p.46).
In this case, there is an inter-personal conflict between Joe, the vice president and general manager of the desk assembly plant and Amanda Stewart, assistant vice president and Joe’s second in command. Amanda is aggrieved because Joe did not involve her in the drafting of a five-year plan for their plant.
Conventionally, being the second in command to Joe, she should have been the pioneer champion of the plan. Instead, Joe chose two junior managers, working under her, to complete and popularize the plan. Furthermore, Joe does not support her in dealing with disobedient junior managers. Mainly, there is an intra-organizational conflict between two groups, that is, Joe and his loyalist smokers on one hand and Amanda and the non-smokers, on the other hand.
Players in this conflict
Players in this conflict include Joe the vice president and general manager of the plant, his loyalists Mitchell and Ken, Amanda assistant vice president and Joe’s second in command, smokers and non-smokers. Joe’s role in the conflict includes causing disharmony and indiscipline among members of his department.
For example, while it is expected that he should work closely with his assistant Amanda in dealing with disobedience from junior managers, he does not. In fact, his loyalists Mitchell and Ken defy job-related instructions from Amanda with impunity because Joe would protect them from being disciplined.
While Amanda would obviously want pleas from non-smoking members heeded in keeping with public health requirements and safe working conditions, Joe does not care about non-smokers’ health and possible turn over. He also does not respect the chain of command within the plant; thus, he chooses junior managers at the expense of his assistant to spearhead drafting of the plant’s five year plan.
Amanda plays the role of an aggrieved party and a justified whistleblower due to the turn of events within the plant since her appointment to the post of assistant vice president, and an apparent heir of Joe’s position. Her perspective is that of a genuinely concerned employee who would like to be part of an organization, and give back for what s/he takes home at the end of the day.
Mitchell and Ken, together with others especially smokers, play the role of loyalists to Joe who in their perspective is always right and final. Non-smokers are neutral parties who would like to work in an organization where their safety is fully guarded, and where rules and regulations are the foundation of operations and not individual or group whims.
Major issues in this conflict
Intra-organizational conflict includes role based, line-staff, horizontal and vertical conflicts or issues (Kondalkar 2003, p.343). Major issues in this conflict include differences occurring at various levels of managerial hierarchy in the plant. There is a conflict between the newly recruited assistant vice president Amanda and junior managers and other subordinates (Kondalkar 2003, p.343).
For example, Mitchell and Ken openly defy job-related instructions from Amanda. In addition, there are issues between Joe who is the vice president and general manager the plant and his assistant and second in command to him Amanda. For instance, Joe appoints junior managers to spearhead the drafting and championing of a five-year-plan and overlooks her.
He also does not support Amanda in dealing accordingly with cases of indiscipline from junior managers. This aspect of an intra-organizational conflict is referred to as a vertical conflict (Kondalkar 2003, p.344). It is caused by differences in insight, personal value system, goals that an individual employee has been assigned, cognition and variation in personal behaviour (Kondalkar 2003, p.344). Sometimes it is caused by ineffective communication between employees at two different levels of hierarchy (Kondalkar 2003, p.344).
There are certainly issues between Amanda who is an extremely determined, bright, and well-trained business graduate and junior managers in terms of perception, goals assigned to each, cognition and personal behaviour. There are also considerable differences between Joe and Amanda from the above mentioned perspectives.
For example, while Amanda appears to know the importance of honouring the managerial chain of command in relation to maintenance of organizational harmony in shunning conflict of interests, Joe and his sycophants do not understand its importance. Joe ignores his assistant in chief departmental matters and instead involves junior managers who are probably far much lesser qualified than Amanda.
This automatically results to role issues raised by Amanda to the CEO. Behaviour wise, Amanda is a law abiding person who would like to see others respect set organizational rules and regulations while Joe and his lieutenants lack in respect for law. There are also issues between non-smoking employees and smoking workers.
On one hand, non-smokers are concerned about their health, which is endangered by secondary smoke and would like the organization to enforce a non-smoking policy at the work place or else they will leave. On the other hand, smokers with the support of Joe break the policy with impunity especially his lead loyalists Mitchell and Ken who continue smoking at the work place irrespective complains from others.
This phenomenon has led to what is referred to as horizontal conflict within the assembly plant because of incompatibility of personal value system and individual interests (Kondalkar 2003, p.343). This has led to misunderstanding, frustration, and tension on the two sides and the non-smokers have already warned that they are on exit if the non-smoking policy is not implemented with immediate effect (Kondalkar 2003, p.343).
There are also similar issues between Joe and Amanda his assistant based on differences in goals, variation in time orientation and differences in expertise and skills (Kondalkar 2003, p.344). Joe ignores outright the value that Amanda can bring on board in the drafting of the five-year plan, as well as, her efforts in instilling discipline among junior managers.
This has in turn led to role issues because of variation in expectations in duties assigned to each employee in accordance to his or her rank. Traditionally for instance, Joe should be supportive of Amanda’s efforts in whatever she does provided it is within her powers yet this is not the case. In fact, Joe is keen to frustrate any effort by Amanda.
This has led to tension and frustration between the two parties. Other clear outstanding issues in this conflict include power imbalance and gender conflict (Kondalkar 2003, p.344). Joe is all-powerful and does not recognize the authority of Amanda his senior assistant even in serious departmental issues. Consequently, junior managers and subordinates have emulated him. They neither recognize nor respect Amanda’s authority.
This has distressed Amanda and is negatively affecting her performance. There are also gender issues as indicate by the rumours that Joe has vowed to ensure that a male counterpart takes up his position after retiring. This partly explains his decision to leave out Amanda in the main assembly plant issues and determination to frustrate her efforts.
Most appropriate Strategies for effective management of this conflict
Effective management of this conflict should encompass implementing strategies that limit its adverse aspects and promote its positive aspects at the level where it is occurring, and higher than that.
The aim of conflict management is to facilitate learning and performance or effectiveness of the parties and groups involved in a conflict within an organization (Rahim 2002, p. 208; Alper, Tjosvold, & Law 2000, p. 627; Bodtker & Jameson 2001, p.260). Conflict management does not entail avoiding or eliminating conflicts because, as pointed out earlier, conflict can be valuable to organizations and groups when handled properly.
The most appropriate Strategy for effective management of this conflict is Collaboration because there is a clear drifting apart of employees at various levels in the assembly plant (Omika 2007, p.87). Collaborating conflict management style is characterized by evident mutual and assertive behaviour (Omika 2007, p.87).
It is an effective and practical conflict management strategy that is earmarked by deliberate attempts towards coming up with solutions that meet the needs of all parties involved. This approach involves the use integration and problem-solving methods. Collaboration is appropriate because it has numerous advantages, which will ensure that all parties to the conflict come out fairly and satisfied. First, using this strategy will enable parties to work together so that everyone can win (Omika 2007, p.88).
Importantly, selecting the style guarantees that individuals endeavour to identify an elucidation that will assists all parties apprehend their interests and help everyone maintain a healthy relationship (Omika 2007, p.88). Its ability to enable parties maintain healthy, long-term, and beneficial relationships make up its core strength, which makes it suitable for various conflicting situations involving groups within the assembly plant.
Collaboration will be effective in managing this conflict because it will enable parties to treat conflict as natural, and see its potential in helping and leading to a more creative solution if handled properly. It will ensure satisfaction for all thus increasing chances of loyalty and commitment to the solutions arrived at, as well as, its implementation (Omika 2007, p.88).
How to implement chosen conflict management strategies
Collaboration management strategy should be put in to practice by all the parties involved in this conflict. Parties should be loyal to all the solutions arrived at. In fact, its implementation calls for team work in order to facilitate flourishing of the desired long-term beneficial relationships among all employees in the assembly plant.
In short, every party should be an active implementer of the solutions arrived at in accordance to individual abilities and without minding ones rank. For purposes of successful implementation, parties should ignore prestige and status of their ranks so that they may operate from a similar level. This will enhance integration in the long run.
Conclusion
Conflicts are part and parcel of daily activities within individuals, romantic relationships, at the family level and places of work, as well as, the general wider society. Conflict is usually valuable to individuals, organizations and groups when managed properly. They can be an impetus of improved individual and group performance and productivity within an organization and personal life.
Therefore, the chosen conflict management strategy in this conflict should encompass implementing strategies that minimize its adverse aspects and promote its positive aspects at the level where it is taking place and higher. Collaboration is an effective approach to this conflict because it enables individuals using it to treat conflict as natural, and see its potential in helping and leading to a more creative solution if handled properly. It ensures satisfaction for all thus increasing chances of loyalty and commitment to the solutions arrived at.
References
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