Different Views on Conflicts in an Organization

Over the years, different researches about conflict have been presented. One of the definitions of conflict is a clash of interest, values, actions, views or directions (De Bono, 1985). Jenh (1995, 1997) define conflict can have potentially contradictory effects on social exchange. Conflict in organization can be seen as the management team using expressive control to maintain the organization’s line and activists creating scenes to disrupt line (Donald, 2007). However, Pondy (1989) defined conflict as an inherent feature of organizational life, rather than an occasional breakdown of cooperation.

Vecchio, Hearn and Southey(1992) summarized the sentiments of most the literature in suggesting that conflict is not necessary good or bad but inevitable, and it is only the effect that conflict has a performance that should be judged. Both too much conflict leads to chaos and disorder while to little can result in complacency and lack of innovation. Amason and Schweiger,(1994) reckoned that conflicts may also create interpersonal tension and generate distress among teammates because they can easily get people emotionally involved.

In addition Michael and Wayne (2001) believed that ignoring or avoiding conflict not only encourages conflict escalation, but also communicates disinterest in shared values, beliefs, and norms.