Conflict and Negotiation

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• Conflict and Negotiation

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Conflict

• Functional
• Supports the goals of the group and improves its
  performance.
• Dysfunctional
• Hinders group performance.

3
Research Findings

• Cognitive
• Conflict related to differences in perspectives
  and judgments.
• Task-oriented
• Usually functional conflict
• Affective
• Emotional conflict aimed at a person rather than
  an issue.
• Dysfunctional conflict

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Tips for Employees Having a Personality Conflict

• Communicate directly with the other person to
  resolve the perceived conflict.
• Avoid dragging co-workers into the conflict.
• If necessary, seek help from direct supervisors
  or human resource specialists.

Source R. Kreitner and A. Kinicki,
Organizational Behavior, 6th ed. (New York
McGraw-Hill, 2004), p. 492, Table 14-1. Reprinted
by permission of McGraw-Hill Education.
5
Tips for Third-Party Observers of a Personality
Conflict

• Do not take sides.
• Suggest the parties work things out themselves.
• If necessary, refer the problem to parties
  direct supervisors.

Source R. Kreitner and A. Kinicki,
Organizational Behavior, 6th ed. (New York
McGraw-Hill, 2004), p. 492, Table 14-1. Reprinted
by permission of McGraw-Hill Education.
6
Tips When Managers Employees Are Having a
Personality Conflict

• Investigate and document conflict.
• If appropriate, take corrective action (e.g.,
  feedback or behaviour shaping).
• If necessary, attempt informal dispute
  resolution.
• Refer difficult conflicts to human resource
  specialists or hired counsellors.

Source R. Kreitner and A. Kinicki,
Organizational Behavior, 6th ed. (New York
McGraw-Hill, 2004), p. 492, Table 14-1. Reprinted
by permission of McGraw-Hill Education.
7
Hofstedes Value Dimensions

• Power distance is the level of acceptance by a
  society of unequal distribution of power in
  institutions.
• Uncertainty avoidance This value results in
  formal rules and procedures
• Individualism refers to the tendency of people to
  look after themselves and their immediate family
  only and neglect the needs of society.
• Masculinity refers to the degree of typical
  masculine values, such as assertiveness,
  materialism, and lack of concern for others.

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HOFSTEDE
Individualism Index
High individualism Also termed Low
Context Canada High collectivism Also termed
High Context China
Uncertainty Avoidance Index
Large Mexico Small Canada
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Ronen and Shenkar Geographic Clusters
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Trompenaar Neutral Vs. Affective dimension,
focus on emotional relationships

• Neutral emotions are held in check
• Affective emotions are openly and naturally
  expressed

• Neutral
• Japan,
• U.K.

• Affective
• Mexico,
• Netherlands,
• Switzerland

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G.L.O.B.E.
GLOBE is the acronym for Global Leadership and
Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness, a
62-nation, 11-year study involving 170
researchers worldwide.

• Nine cultural dimensions
• Performance Orientation
• Uncertainty Avoidance
• In-Group Collectivism
• Power Distance
• Gender Egalitarianism
• Humane Orientation
• Institutional Collectivism
• Future Orientation
• Assertiveness

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Resolving Intercultural Conflicts

• Those from Asian cultures show a preference for
  conflict avoidance, compared with Americans and
  Britons.
• Chinese and East Asian managers prefer
  compromising as a strategy, contrary to North
  Americans.
• North Americans prefer a problem-solving approach
  to conflicts, which yields a win-win solution.

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Third-Party Conflict Resolution

• Facilitation
• Conciliation
• Ombudsperson
• Peer Review
• Mediation
• Arbitration

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Negotiation

• A process in which two or more parties exchange
  goods or services and attempt to agree upon the
  exchange rate for them.
• Distributive bargaining
• Negotiation that seeks to divide up a fixed
  amount of resources a win-lose situation.
• Integrative bargaining
• Negotiation that seeks one or more settlements
  that can create a win-win solution.

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How to Negotiate

• Five steps to negotiation
• Developing a strategy
• Definition of ground rules
• Clarification and justification
• Bargaining and problem solving
• Closure and implementation
• Identify BATNA
• Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement.

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Issues in Negotiation

• Gender Differences in Negotiating Styles
• Cultural Differences in Negotiating Style

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Gender Differences

• Women
• More inclined to be concerned with feelings and
  perceptions, and take a longer-term view.
• View the bargaining session as part of an overall
  relationship.
• Tend to want all parties in the negotiation to be
  empowered.
• Use dialogue to achieve understanding.
• Men
• View the bargaining session as a separate event.
• Use dialogue to persuade.

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Cross-Cultural Negotiation

• Negotiating styles vary across national culture
• French Like conflict.
• Chinese Draw out negotiations, believing they
  never end.
• Chinese and Japanese Negotiate to develop.
  relationships and commitment.
• Americans Impatient, desire to be liked.

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From Concepts to Skills Negotiating

• Begin with a positive overture.
• Address problems, not personalities.
• Pay little attention to initial offers.
• Emphasize win-win solutions.
• Create an open and trusting climate.