A large number of potential sources of conflict exist in organizational
life as antecedent/pre-cursor conditions for some
conflicts. Some of the for potential conflict are:
1. Competition for
Limited Resources: Resources are limited and different groups have to
compete for these scarce resources and many conflicts arise from this source.
2. Diversity of Goals:
Each department develops its own goals, which may conflict with another
department's goals and one department may try to achieve its goals at the
expense of another. This happens quite often when the reward system is linked
to group performance rather than to overall organizational performance.
3. Task Interdependence:
Groups in an organization have to interact with one another in order to
accomplish their tasks. Three types of interdependence can cause intergroup
conflict
- Pooled Interdependence exists when two work groups may not directly interact with each other but are affected by each other's actions. For example, when one independent product group performs poorly, all other groups may suffer financially. This can happen when rewards are contingent upon collective performance.
- Sequential interdependence occurs when one group's performance depends on another group's prior performance. In a construction project, for example, the excavating team must prepare the foundation before the masons can work on the building structure. Since the masons depend on the excavators, conflict between the groups can occur when the excavators' work is delayed.
- Reciprocal interdependence occurs when two or more groups are mutually interdependent in accomplishing their tasks. For example, in developing and marketing a new product, three major departments (marketing, production and research) depend on each other to perform their tasks. Information possessed by one department is needed by another department. When one group is unable to meet the expectations of another group, intergroup conflict usually results.
4. Differences in Values and Perception: A lot of conflict is
generated within organizations because various groups within the organization
hold `conflicting' values and perceive situations in a narrow, individualistic
manner.
An example that comes readily to mind is that of the managment-labour
conflict. Labour feels that management is exploiting it because in spite of
making a profit, management does nothing for the economic welfare of labour. On
the other hand, management feels that the profits should go to cash reserves so
as to make the company an attractive proposition for investors.
5. Organizational Ambiguities: As implied, conflict may emerge
when two organizational units compete over new responsibility. Intergroup
conflict stemming from disagreement about who has responsibility for ongoing
tasks is an even more frequent problem.
6. Introduction of Change: Change can breed intergroup
conflict. Acquisitions and mergers, for example, encourage intergroup conflict,
competition, and stress. When one organization is merged into another, a power
struggle often exists between the acquiring and acquired company.
7. Nature of Communication: One of the major fallacies
abounding about conflict is that poor communication is the cause of all
conflicts. Apparently, an increase in communication is functional up to a
point, where after it is possible to over communicate with a resultant increase
in potential for conflict. Too much information as well as too little
information can lay the foundation for a conflict
8. Aggressive Nature of People: Evidence suggests that certain
personality types-for example, individuals who are highly authoritarian,
arrogant, autocratic and rigid/inflexible lead to potential conflict.
It is important to emphasize that it is not possible to
design an organization which will remain conflict-free for all times to come.
Conflict is inevitable in an organization as some of these sources will always remain
in any organization.