Sources Of Conflict

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.