BUS403 Study Guide

Unit 5: Conflict Resolution

5a. Identify and employ effective communication, problem-solving, and influence techniques appropriate to a given situation

  • Define and explain the difference between substantive and affective conflicts.
  • When contrasting mediation to arbitration, which strategy is appropriate only for parties willing to participate in the process?

Review Unit 1, where we examined different conflict management methods and conflict resolution (see learning outcome 1c). We examined ways to open communication channels to negotiate and work collaboratively with others. This process includes taking steps to reserve judgment and eliminate negative biases (see Unit 2), recognize cultural differences (see Unit 6), and consider a variety of viewpoints when making decisions and solving problems (see Unit 1). In this way, we can promote functional conflict to solve problems, promote innovation, and create mechanisms to avoid dysfunctional conflict.

Substantive conflict in the workplace refers to conflict that occurs when employees disagree about team strategies, policies, or work procedures. Managers should take steps to embrace this type of functional conflict to channel ideas to make quality improvements and incorporate productive and innovative change.

Affective conflict refers to disagreement that occurs due to interpersonal relationships among team members. These types of conflicts can quickly become dysfunctional and damage employees' ability to work together as a team in pursuit of a common goal.

Both types of conflict can occur within an organization (intra-organizational) or among two or more organizations (inter-organizational).

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) refers to the use of a third-party to resolve disputes. Businesses usually try to resolve these disputes through negotiation and mediation, rather than arbitration, because court cases can be extremely time-consuming and expensive.

In mediation, the authority remains with the parties themselves. Arbitration creates a legally-binding contract: parties may have agreed to submit to arbitration or have been required to do so by state or federal law.

A Continuum of Different ADR Methods

A Continuum of Different ADR Methods

To review, see Managing Conflict. Review Alternative Dispute Resolution and the benefits and drawbacks of mediation and arbitration in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation, and Arbitration.

 

5b. Diagnose negotiating problems

  • Define and list three types of conflicts in the workplace: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intergroup.

As we explored in Unit 1, workplace conflict can range from minor disagreements to bullying or workplace violence. Conflict can occur within an individual, between people, or among different groups. While dysfunctional conflict is clearly unproductive and destructive, a moderate amount of conflict can be a "healthy and necessary part of organizational life" when disagreement among employees is channeled respectfully and used to garner new ideas and further the ends of the organization.

To review, see Understanding Conflict.

 

5c. Describe new negotiation ideas and practices

  • Describe the difference between traditional and transformative mediation.
  • Describe a major challenge to resolving conflict in a technology-driven organization.

From a transformative perspective, conflict is primarily about human interaction rather than a violation of rights or conflicts of interest. This type of conflict intervention does not seek an immediate resolution to a problem but emphasizes recognition, emotions, and empowerment.

In this article, two conference presenters discuss the need to address conflict resolution and human interaction in technology. The lack of face-to-face communication is a significant problem in online interaction, where external entities, such as human resource departments, the law, or government, are typically unavailable to resolve disputes. The presenters describe the challenge of working with technicians who can be reticent to talk about feelings and emotions.

The presenters aim to engage engineers in presentations that tout the potential of conflict and "to explore ways to acknowledge its presence in our communities in a more healthy way".

Unit 5 Vocabulary

This vocabulary list includes some terms that may help you answer some of the review items above and some terms you should be familiar with to be successful in completing the final exam for this course.

  • Affective conflict
  • Alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
  • Arbitration
  • Federal Arbitration Act (FAA)
  • Interpersonal conflict
  • Intrapersonal conflict
  • Inter-organizational
  • Intra-organizational
  • Mediation
  • Substantive conflict
  • Transformative mediation