Conflict Resoltuion in Projects Environments
Memorandum on Conflict Management and Resolution in the Project Environment
1. Introduction
The current project will involve several suppliers, various cross-functional and departmental activities, interaction with different stakeholders and client groups. Ohlendorf (2001) states that this high level of interaction and possible diversities between and among these various components, attitudes and activities of the project, has a high possibility of causing conflict, at some point in time, during the course of the project. According to Werner (2012:296), conflict is best defined as a situation whereby there exist disagreements or antagonism between two or more parties emanating from differences in power, values and attitude.
Once conflict arises, the project team should be well prepared to effectively manage and deal with such conflict; otherwise failure to do so will contribute significantly to the project’s failure and overall, threaten the project team’s unity, partnerships, business relationships and interpersonal synergies (Capozzoli, 1999 &Werner, 2012:296).
This office memorandum seeks to highlight and discuss possible conflict that can arise during the life-span of the project in order to assist team members in conflict resolution and management. In The memorandum focuses on what a conflict is, what the potential causes or sources of conflicts in project could be, what type of conflicts there is and how best to manage and resolve them for improved project team productivity. The memorandum also gives an analysis of the positive and negative nature and effects of conflict on the overall management and success of the project.
2. Types and Views of Conflict In the Workplace Conflict can be described as either functional or dysfunctional.
2.1 Functional and Dysfunctional Nature of Conflict
Conflict can be functional which is productive in nature and has positive effects on the organisation and its interests and in the case of projects it will
1. Introduction
The current project will involve several suppliers, various cross-functional and departmental activities, interaction with different stakeholders and client groups. Ohlendorf (2001) states that this high level of interaction and possible diversities between and among these various components, attitudes and activities of the project, has a high possibility of causing conflict, at some point in time, during the course of the project. According to Werner (2012:296), conflict is best defined as a situation whereby there exist disagreements or antagonism between two or more parties emanating from differences in power, values and attitude.
Once conflict arises, the project team should be well prepared to effectively manage and deal with such conflict; otherwise failure to do so will contribute significantly to the project’s failure and overall, threaten the project team’s unity, partnerships, business relationships and interpersonal synergies (Capozzoli, 1999 &Werner, 2012:296).
This office memorandum seeks to highlight and discuss possible conflict that can arise during the life-span of the project in order to assist team members in conflict resolution and management. In The memorandum focuses on what a conflict is, what the potential causes or sources of conflicts in project could be, what type of conflicts there is and how best to manage and resolve them for improved project team productivity. The memorandum also gives an analysis of the positive and negative nature and effects of conflict on the overall management and success of the project.
2. Types and Views of Conflict In the Workplace Conflict can be described as either functional or dysfunctional.
2.1 Functional and Dysfunctional Nature of Conflict
Conflict can be functional which is productive in nature and has positive effects on the organisation and its interests and in the case of projects it will
References: Blake, R. R., & Mooton,J. S. (1964). ‘The managerial grid. Houston, TX: Culf Publishing Capozzoli, T.K.(1999) Champoux,J.E (2006). Organisational Behaviour. London: Thompson. p262-264. Hill, R Kinicki, A., Williams, B. (2010) Management: A practical Introduction (5th ed).USA: McGraw-Hill. p431. Koberg, C., Boss, W., Senjem, J., & Goodman, E (1999). Antecedents and Outcomes of Empowerment. Group & Organization Management. Vol. 24. p.73. Ohlendorf, A. (2001). Conflict Resolution in Project Management. Available: http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/488_f01_papers/Ohlendorf.htm Posner, B.Z.(1986). What 's all the fighting about? Conflicts in project management. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, EM–33: p207-211. Thomas, K Thamhain, W. I., & Wilemon, 0. L. (1975). Conflict management in project life cycles. Sloan Management Review. 16 (3).p31-50. Verma,V.K. (1998). Conflict Management . In: Pinto,J.K Project Management Institute: Project management handbook. USA: Wiley. p353-368. Verma, V. K. (1996). Human resource skills for the project manager. Upper Darby: Project Management Institute.p122. Werner, A., et al. (2012). Organisational Behaviour: A contemporary South African perspective.2nd Edition, Pretoria: Van Schaik.p295-315