Conflict! - Reality of management and organizational behavior (PDF)

Essay from the year 2004 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 1,3, University of Applied Sciences Bremen, language: English, abstract: Conflict can be regarded as a reality of management and organizational behavior. Most of us will understand what is commonly meant by organizational conflict and be aware of its existence and effects. Yet conflict is another term which can be defined and interpreted in a number of ways. We can see conflict as behavior intended to obstruct the achievement of some other person's goals. Conflict is based on the incompatibility of goals and arises from opposing behaviors. It can be viewed at the individual, group or organizational level.

Conflict is not necessarily good or bad but inevitable feature of organization life. Even if organizations have taken great care to try and avoid conflict it will still occur. Conflict will continue to emerge despite attempts by management to suppress it.

Conflict, if it appears, means that the organization is alive. The group tries to solve now and then quite difficult tasks by using different ideas. It can significantly improve the company's performance when it is oriented on the task solving. But it can very quickly move from task to the people and their emotions. In this case the influence of the conflict on the organization may be very destructive. And everyone should realize that.