Organization theory and design: Lecture 39

Organization theory and design: Lecture 39 provides students with content about: conflict, power and politics; group identification; observable group differences; frustration; goal incompatibility; differentiation; task interdependence;... Please refer to the lesson for details!

Conflict, Power & Politics

39

What’s Conflict

Inter group conflict requires three ingredients:

1 Group identification

2 Observable group differences

3 Frustration

• If one group achieves its goals, the other

group will not

What’s Conflict

• Inter group conflict can then be defined

as “the behavior that occurs among

groups when participants identify with

one group and perceive that other

groups may block their group’s goal

achievement or expectations”

• Inter group conflicts in organizations can

be horizontal or vertical

Why Conflict Exists?

The sources of inter group conflict are:

1 Goal incompatibility

2 Differentiation

3 Task interdependence

4 Limited resources

• The degree of severity of these sources

determines whether a rational or political

Rational vs Political Model

• When conflict is low Rational model of

organization (just like rational decision making behavior) can be used

• It’s characterized by pooled interdependence,

centralization, extensive information systems

and an efficiency orientation

• The opposite view of organizational processes is the Political model (use of power)