Principles of Organizational Behavior, 3rd Edition

24Conflict Resolution Through Negotiation and Mediation

KEVIN TASA AND ENA CHADHA

Schulich School of Business, York University

A manager is by default a negotiator and mediator. They mediate task, process, and relationship conflict; establish rules and goals; and negotiate resources – the latter being one of the more intractable sources of conflict. Conflict is inevitable in all organizations and often is rooted in several predictable catalysts, such as ambiguous lines of authority, conflicting goals, high levels of interdependence, and scarce resources. These structural factors generate a perfect storm of conditions for conflict in the workplace and, whether it is in North America or South Asia, it is estimated that managers spend about 40% of their time managing conflict (Desikan, 2018; Ilgaz, 2014).

What exactly is meant by the term conflict? Conflict may be defined as a “sharp disagreement or opposition, as of interests, ideas, etc.” and includes “the perceived divergence of interest, or a belief that the parties' current aspirations cannot be achieved simultaneously” (Pruitt and Rubin, 1986). Conflict frequently occurs across many aspects of the manager's job; for example, in interactions with their own superiors, dealings with peers or associates, and supervision of employees. Therefore, managers face and must attempt to resolve conflict on a daily basis. Various studies establish that effective conflict management is positively correlated with higher employee performance ...