Conflict Management and its Impact on Employees’ Performance

Introduction

The relationships among the individuals are important in promoting the harmonious ambience in the workplace. Within the management, the relationship also promotes the positive outcome and creates suggestion in achieving the organizational goals. But in the pursuance of each individuals in their goals, conflicts may arise that can deteriorate the value founded in the organization.

Background and Problem Statement

The relationship conflict in work can be part of the competition between individuals but need not lessen the innovativeness of the individuals. In the study of conflict management, the assessment of the relationships in conflict can be characterized to result in damages. The relationship conflicts find within the organization can be associated with the negative outcome in their work. Because of theses concluded outcome in the previous study of conflict relationships, managers are suggested to not immediately eliminate the conflict from their team. Instead, they are expected to encourage the negative individual reactions to be part of the growth of the entire team (Shapiro, et al., 2009). Since the relationship conflict affects the positive functions of individuals, the best recommendation that can be emphasized is the conflict management training. However, what is the impact of conflict management in an individual and even in team’s performance?

Research Aim and Objectives

The main aim of the study is to investigate the most applicable conflict management scheme that will create a positive effect in the performance of an individual or for the team. In order to facilitate the investigation, there are three objectives that need to be satisfied. First is to identify the reasons on why the conflicts arise in the workplace. Second is to describe the actions taken by the management to handle and control the conflicts in connection to the related theories. And third is to state the common effects of conflicts within the organization.

Literature Review

The managers have the opportunity to discover the competency among the individuals through understanding the causes of conflict situations in most of the organizations. In addition, this will give them the way to manage such situation. However, most of the organizations have unresolved conflicts that create adverse organizational effects. The conflicts can greatly influence the team-work and output of each individual and management may find it more difficult to resolve. Through learning the conflict management, a manager can learn the types of conflict that are common within the organizations and the associated effects. Commonly, the attitude of the organization in the presence of conflicts affects the collaboration and communication among the people. The attitude can be described as the refusal to share the achievements. In some areas, the conflicts may arise in the allocation of funds is common but this is through to aim of achieving the most applicable and appropriate research program and the smooth facilitation of the project. The participation of the individuals are important in achieving the work culture in the organizations, but with the presence of the conflicts, the misunderstanding and other factors that will delay the achievement of the goals may arise. There will be differences among the conflicts and it is said to be healthy is there is a conflict between the team having the same aim for the present organizational objectives. On the other hand, the conflict may be unhealthy if the team or the people fail to collaborate because of the past grudges. In this case, the elements of power, demands, and worth play a special role in triggering the organizational conflicts.

Methodology

The suggested method in the study is the use of survey and interview. In the first phase of the study, the survey will be given to the participants who are the employees of a certain organization. The employees can be contractual or regular and with years of experience in working in their organization and may come in different departments. There will be a 100 number of participants who will answer the questionnaire in a Likert Scale form. Through the use of the survey, the researcher/s can identify the perception of the employees regarding the conflicts and its management within their workplace. On the second phase of the study, the interview will be held in the management. The participants are the managers. Through the interview, the researcher/s can identify the actions taken by the leaders in solving the conflicts. The use of the method can help the assessment of conflict management and analyzing the impacts it delivers towards the performance of the individuals.

References:

FAO, (2006) Session 6. Conflict management case study: Dr Agadir, Food and Agriculture Organization [Online] Available at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/w7504e/w7504e08.htm#case%20study:%20dr%20agadir [Accessed 18 August 2010].

FAO, (2007) Session 5. Conflict management, Food and Agriculture Organization [Online] Available at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/w7504e/w7504e07.htm [Accessed 18 August 2010].

Shapiro, D.L., Chen, G., Sharma, P.N., & Edinger, S., (2009) Individual Difference in Innovative Performance as a Reaction to Relationship Conflict: The Moderating Effects of Employee Collectivism and Empowerment [Online] Available at: http://www.management.wharton.upenn.edu/CalendarDocs/Shapiro_Debra.pdf [Accessed 18 August 2010].