Conflict may be defined as the disagreement between
two or more individuals or groups over an issue of mutual interest. A variety of factors can lead to conflicts. Some of these are :
Organizational Change :- Organizations undergo due to new technological, political and social developments that affect them or due to changes in the competitive forces.
Personality clashes :- Individuals personalities differ widely due to differences in their levels of maturity, emotional stability and their behavior when they do not recognize or appreciate these differences, conflicts occur. Differences in value sets :- Different people have different widely due to differences in their levels of maturity, emotional stability and their behavior when they do not recognize or appreciate these differences, conflicts occur. Threats to status :- Most individuals associate their identity with their status in society or the organization. Perceptual differences :- People perceive different things, issues and their environment differently.
Classification of conflicts Intrapersonal conflicts :- According to most behavioral theories, people are motivated to achieve a goal when meeting the goal results in the satisfaction of a need, An individual may have conflicting needs or he may have to overcome many barriers to achieve his goals. In the process an individual may experience stress and frustration and may face internal conflict. Interpersonal Conflict :- People always try to maintain their image and respect. When someone threatens their self- concept, they try to retaliate and this leads to interpersonal conflict.
Inter-group Conflict :- In an organization, people from different departments compete for limited resources such as funds, personal and support services. This competition often results in conflict. Organizational Conflict Individual versus individual conflict :- When two people in an organization are fighting for one post , conflicts arise when people try to get a larger share of organizational resources or money, power or status.
Individual versus Organizational Conflict:- Such conflicts arise when personal and organizational goals are incongruent.
Hierarchical Conflict:- The roles and responsibilities of personnel at different hierarchical levels in an organization are different . This difference in outlook and focus at different hierarchical levels may result in conflict.
Functional conflict:- In most manufacturing organizations conflict between the finance and marketing functions is fairly common.
Line versus Staff Conflict:- Different perception that each function has of the other, and the different ways in which they are evaluated.
Individual versus Informal Group Conflict:- An individual who wants to earn more money by making extra efforts, he may have to defy the group norms which set production target low.
Formal Informal Conflict:- Formal and informal systems and cultures exits within an organization . Sometimes there might be a conflict between the two systems. Formal system in an organization may have certain economic expectations from its employees . Informal system in the organization may set an acceptable rather than maximum achievable, level of output.
Status Conflict:- This type of conflict arises when an experienced persons has to work under a person with a less work experience .
Political Conflict:- this type of conflict arises when an individual tries to move up in an organization by adopting any means possible.