Conflict Management | Course Paper

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Introduction

The central concept being studied in this report is *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§Conflict feeds on

communication*ƒ*…½*ƒ. It indicates that more communication will make the conflict

gets even worse. Conflict is destructive to an organization. In other words, when conflict

exists, communication is destructive to an organization. Apparently, conflict is destructive

to an organization. However, the degree of destruction remains unknown. The discovery of

factors affecting the degree of destruction will definitely be helpful for managing conflict

effectively. Therefore, the research topic, *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§How destructive can conflict be?

*ƒ*…½*ƒ, is worth studying. Through this topic, we would like to investigate which areas

conflict can affect, such as productivity and working relationships, and the factors

influencing the degree of impact of conflict.

In other words, the three aspects of the purpose of the research is to discover the area that

conflict has impact on an organization, degree of destruction, and how to manage conflict.

The host organization is the Sales Department of Fortress. Fortress is a Hong Kong

Electricity Group tariff collection and promotion centre for the use of electricity and the

sale of a basic range of electrical products. It has become the leading retailer of electrical

appliances in Hong Kong.

Since the performance of a salesman can be easily measured through the sales volume

made by a salesman, it would be easy to observe how much conflict has affected the

performance of staff. Therefore, the Sales Department of Fortress is a good choice to

investigate the research question, *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§How destructive can conflict be?*ƒ*…½*ƒ

On the other hand, a friend of ours has worked there during last summer vacation. Then we

could access to the organization much easier.

Critical Literature Review

To investigate how destructive conflict can be, we first need to define a number of

communication concepts.

*ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§Conflict*ƒ*…½*ƒ is the central concept from our research. Below is the

definition of conflict stated in the textbook:

*ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§Conflict can be defined as difference of opinion between persons

accompanied by feelings of dislike for the other people.*ƒ*…½*ƒ

Virginia P. Richmod, James C. McCroskey & Linda L. McCroskey, 1949-Organizational

Communication for Survival(3rd ed). Pearson. P177

Besides, in the coming parts, the term *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§orientation*ƒ*…½*ƒ is introduced. In

fact, *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§task-oriented workers*ƒ*…½*ƒ refers to workers that have strong need

for work satisfaction. They will only concentrate on work rather relationship at workplace.

In the opposite, *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§relationship-oriented workers*ƒ*…½*ƒ refers to workers that

have strong need for social relationships. They will not just concentrate on work but also

building up friendships at workplace.

Research Methodology

Data was collected by means of a survey and interviews. All these means are done with the

Sales Department of Fortress.

We decided to interview both the subordinates and manager because the two groups of

people have different considerations and degree of authority or flexibility when managing

conflict. Since the subordinates are much closer to the operation of organization, they are

able to provide a fuller picture of the impact of conflict on the operation of the

organization. Having these interviewees, we trust that we were able to obtain a

comprehensive perspective on the conflict management; interpret how destructive conflict

can be; its destructive influence on the organization; how conflict can be really managed

effectively in real life situations

Profiles of the interviews are as follows:

Sex: Age: Position: Responsibility:

Interviewee 1 Male 21 Salesman To introduce products to customer and

Interviewee 2 Male 20 Salesman encourage them to buy.

Interviewee 3 Female 19 Saleslady

Interviewee 4 Male Manager To manage the Sales Department

(Please see Appendix 1 for the photos of the interviewees.)

In order to study the research question from different perspective, we had prepared two

sets of questions. The first and second sets are for the subordinates and the manager

respectively.

In the first set of questions, we had first asked the subordinates whether they had ever been

in conflict with anybody in the workplace. We also asked those who admitted that they had

been in conflict with their colleagues in the workplace three more questions in order to

find out how conflict affected their performance. We have asked if they felt discouraged

and frustrated when working with the people who were in conflict with them, whether the

operation of the task was smooth and effective and if they were able to accomplish the task

successfully while working with the people they were in conflict with. We have asked

them why if they said they failed to accomplish the task. For more information, we also

asked them to state the methods they had used to deal with conflict and the final outcome.

Furthermore, we have asked if they had attempted to manage other workmates*ƒ*…½*ƒ‚¦

conflicts.

In the second set of questions, to discover the impact of conflict has on the general

productivity of the organization and the ways manager used to manage conflict, we invited

him to state us some examples if he had. We have also asked how the conflicts had

affected the performance of individual worker and that of the whole organization, how he

could manage those serious conflicts and why he had chosen that method. (Please see

Appendix 1 for two complete lists of the two sets of questions.)

Besides, we had conducted survey with 60 staff within Fortress. 60% of the sample is male

and 40% of the sample is female. They were randomly chosen. And the survey question is,

*ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§Have you ever resolved any conflicts?*ƒ*…½*ƒ

Findings

*…¾*ƒ‚« Interview with the Subordinates

All the interviewees admitted they had conflict with their colleagues and illustrated

examples to us. Interviewee 1 said that he disagreed with the version of his colleague

informing the customer about the conditions of the sales contract. So he confronted the

customer and told him his version. The colleague saw this and was angry with him,

thinking that Interviewee 1 was mocking his face. Interviewee 1 thinks that the colleague

is in conflict with him deep down in the colleague*ƒ*…½*ƒ‚¦s heart.

Interviewee 2 said, *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§I am responsible for arranging the lunchtime schedule for

all staff. I am in conflict with one colleague because he objects the time arranged to him. I

can feel that he is frustrated and even dislikes me because I can*ƒ*…½*ƒ‚¦t arrange an

ideal time for him even after negotiation.*ƒ*…½*ƒ

To conclude, their examples are quite similar. At first the two interviewees only had a

disagreement with their workmates. Eventually, the inappropriate handling of the

disagreement had further led to conflict.

We then found out that disagreement can be a potential factor leading to conflict.

Regarding the questions on how conflict affects them. They all felt that conflict had

affected their emotion negatively. Interviewee 1 said, *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§I am unhappy to work

with the people I hate or in conflict with and will try to ignore them.*ƒ*…½*ƒ Interviewee

2 told us that it was hard to tell whether others were really in conflict with him in the

business world as people tended not to reveal their true emotions. He said, *ƒ*…

½*ƒ‚§Before I was asked to work with people I was in conflict with, I only felt quite

uncomfortable.*ƒ*…½*ƒ

Based on their answers, all of them did not enjoy working with workmates that they were

in conflict with. Therefore, the conflict had generated negative effect on their emotions.

Yet, the degree of influence on their emotion varies. Comparatively speaking, Interviewee

1 was more seriously affected than Interviewee 2 who only felt quite uncomfortable when

working with people he was in conflict with.

Besides, we asked them how their work was affected when working with workmates they

were in conflict with. Their answers pole apart.

Interviewee 1 told us that the efficiency was lowered due to lack of communication. He

stated that when he was required to work in a team with the people he was in conflict with,

he would only work on his own and would avoid talking to them. In other words, they

would not co-operate but would work on their own. Without teamwork, efficiency was

lowered.

Interviewee 2 said that the operation was smooth and efficient. He said, *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§I will

divide the work among the teammates and will work on his own rather than cooperating

with them. My ability is more than enough to finish any task. So the efficiency can still be

maintained due to my incredible working ability.*ƒ*…½*ƒ

From their answers, we found out that conflict may not necessarily affect the efficiency of

the tasks assigned. They would try to avoid working in team by dividing the whole job into

several parts and they could finally finish the task by working on their own.

According to the interviewees*ƒ*…½*ƒ‚¦ responses, conflict may affect their approach to

do the tasks, but may not affect the efficiency of their task and performance all the time.

To investigate on conflict management, we asked Interviewee 1 and Interviewee 2 to state

the methods they had used to deal with conflict and the final outcome.

Interviewee 1 suggested that being hypocritical was a good way to maintain a relationship.

He said, *ƒ*…½*ƒ‚§I will pretend not having any conflict with that colleague under

general circumstances. But if I cherish the relationship with that colleague, I will try to

find out the problem of the relationship and work accordingly to mend the broken

relationship.*ƒ*…½*ƒ

Interviewee 2 said he would ask the person he was in conflict with to use other means to

let out their emotions, e.g. punching, so that person would not be angry with him and they