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Chapter 13Conflict &

Negotiation

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Transitions in Conflict Thought

• Traditional View• Human Relations View• Interactionist View

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The Traditional View: Conflict is bad and synonymous with violence, destruction, and irrationality.

Transitions in Conflict Thought

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The Human Relations View: Conflict is natural and inevitable, and should be accepted as a part of life.

Transitions in Conflict Thought

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The Interactionist View:Constructive conflict should be encouraged; it keeps the group alive, self-critical, and creative.

Transitions in Conflict Thought

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Functional vs. Dysfunctional Conflict

• Task conflict (+/-)• Process conflict (+/-)• Relationship conflict (-)

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Conflict Process Stages

1. Potential opposition

2. Cognition and personalization

3. Intentions

4. Behavior

5. Outcomes

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Conflict Process Stages

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• Communication• Structure• Personal Variables

Stage I: Potential Conflict

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• Potential for opposition realized

• When individuals become emotionally involved, parties experience anxiety, tension, frustration, or hostility

Stage II: Cognition and Personalization

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Stages III & IV: Intentions & Behaviors

• Competing (distributive)

• Collaborating (integrative)

• Avoiding

• Accommodating

• Compromising

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HighConcern for Other’s Interests

Con

cern

for O

wn

Inte

rest

s

LowLow

High

Conflict Handling Behaviors

CollaborationCompetition

Compromise

Avoidance Accommodation

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Distributive Versus Integrative Bargaining

Distributive IntegrativeCharacteristic: Approach: Approach: Goal: Get as much of a Expand the pie; look for

fixed pie as possiblewin/win optionsMotivation: Win-Lose (self serving) Win-Win (mutual gain)Focus: Positions Interests Information Low HighSharing: Duration of Short term Long termrelationships:

Key Assumptions: Adversarial and hostile Collaborative and openproblem solving

Role of Trust: It’s for suckers! It’s the only real currency!

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Negotiation

Negotiation: Process whereby two or more parties attempt to agree on the exchange rate for goods or services.

BATNAThe Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement; the lowest acceptable value (outcome) for someone for a negotiated agreement.

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The Negotiation

Process

E X H I B I T 13 – 5

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Staking Out the Bargaining Zone

E X H I B I T 13 – 4

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Issues in Negotiation

Role of Mood and Personality Traits:– Positive moods positively affect negotiations– Traits appear to have little significant effect on the outcomes

of either bargaining or negotiating processes (except extraversion, which is bad for negotiation effectiveness)

Gender Differences:– Women negotiate no differently from men, although men

apparently negotiate slightly better outcomes.– Men and women with similar power bases use similar

negotiating styles.– Women’s attitudes toward negotiation and their success as

negotiators are less favorable than men’s.

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• Italians, Germans, and French don’t soften up executives with praise before they criticize. Americans do, and to many Europeans this seems manipulative.

• Israelis are accustomed to fast-paced meetings and so have no patience for American small talk.

• Indian executives are used to interrupting one another. When Americans listen without asking for clarification or posing questions, Indians may conclude the Americans aren’t paying attention.

• Americans often mix their business and personal lives. They think nothing about asking a colleague questions like, “How was your weekend?” (it’s a cultural ritual for Americans). In some cultures such a question is intrusive because business and private lives are kept totally separate.

• Many Americans live by the motto: “It’s not personal, it’s business,” whereas many other cultures live by the motto: “It’s not business until first it’s personal.”

Source: Adapted from L. Khosla, “You Say Tomato,” Forbes, May 21, 2001, p. 36.

Issues in Negotiation (cont.)

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Stage IV: Outcomes

Functional Outcomes from Conflict:– Increased group performance– Improved quality of decisions– Stimulation of creativity and innovation– Encouragement of interest and curiosity– Provision of a medium for problem-solving– Creation of an environment for self-evaluation and change

Creating Functional Conflict:– Reward dissent and sanction avoiders of functional conflict

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Stage IV: Outcomes (cont.)

Dysfunctional Outcomes from Conflict:– Development of discontent– Reduced group effectiveness– Retarded communication– Reduced group cohesiveness– Infighting among group members overcomes group goals

Minimizing Dysfunctional Conflict:– Emphasize common goals and objectives– Eliminate elements of relationship that bread distrust