Conflict Resolution and Negotiation Strategies

Posted on Mar 3, 2025 in Business Administration and Management (BAM)

Conflict and Negotiation

What is Conflict?

Conflict is a situation where two or more individuals or groups clash due to differing and incompatible interests, needs, desires, or values.

Features of Conflict:

  • Inherent in organizational and individual life.
  • Inevitable due to conflicting interests.
  • Can be internal or external.
  • Requires minimization, extension, and/or resolution.
  • Is detectable.
  • Consequences can be positive or negative.
  • Can be helpful if properly managed.

Stages of Conflict:

  1. Initial Phase
  2. Awareness Phase
  3. Conflict Management Phase
  4. Final Phase

Types of Conflict:

  1. By Level of Perception: Latent and Manifest Conflict.
  2. By Origin: Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Intragroup, Intergroup.
  3. By Consequences: Positive or Negative Conflict.
  4. From a Legal Perspective: Individual or Collective Conflict.

Methods of Conflict Resolution:

Conflicts can be resolved through negotiation between the worker and the employer. If an agreement isn’t reached, legal recourse is available. Pressure tactics like strikes or lockouts may also be employed.

Methods for Resolving Disputes:

Confrontation: In the workplace, strikes and lockouts are means of confrontation and pressure.

Negotiation: Agreements between employers and workers result from collective bargaining.

Conflict Resolution Involving Neutrals:

Conciliation, mediation, arbitration, and justice.

Negotiation as a Means to Overcome Conflict:

Negotiation is the process of resolving conflicts between two or more parties. It’s a series of actions over time, where parties adjust demands to reach a mutually acceptable compromise.

Conditions for Negotiation:

  1. A conflict exists.
  2. Intention to reach an agreement.
  3. Movement from all parties involved.
  4. A balance of power, avoiding absolute dominance by one party.

Qualities of a Good Negotiator:

  • Flexible and a good listener.
  • Well-informed about relevant issues.
  • Skeptical and continuously verifies data.
  • Skilled at persuasion, setting boundaries, and using humor and emotional intelligence.

Types of Negotiation:

  • Competitive Negotiation (Distributive or Zero-Sum): Aims for a dominant position without compromise.
  • Collaborative Negotiation: Seeks mutually beneficial outcomes.
  • Negotiation of Subordination: Prioritizes the adversary’s interests to avoid conflict.

Strategy and Tactics:

Strategy is the set of actions to achieve objectives during negotiations. Tactics are the maneuvers aimed at short-term goals, forming part of the overall strategy.