Consequences of Organization Conflicts

Organizational conflicts can be functional or dysfunctional to individuals and organizations.

i.     Functional Consequences

Among the major functional results are:

•    Dissociating elements in a situation may be removed and unity may be established. After open expression of conflict the combatments may feel closer to each other.

•    After conflict new leadership may be brought into the organization because the former leaders may be found unsuitable under the pressures of conflict.

•    All goals and policies may be modified or replaced by more relevant goals as a result of the conflict.

•    Conflict may become institutionalised. After several instances of intergroup conflict, outlets may be established where potential conflict may be resolved.

•    Informal group discussions between members of management and employees is an example of institutionalization of conflict.

•    Motivation of energy available to complete tasks may be increased under the influence of intergroup conflicts.

•    Conflict may increase innovation because of the greater diversity of view points and heightened sense of necessity.

•    Each group member may develop increased understanding of his own position because conflict forces people to bring forth all supporting arguments, think more clearly about issues and seek support of evidence of the views.

•    Groups may achieve awareness of their own identities, each group thereby becoming more limited. They may identify where they belong more clearly.

•    Inter-group conflicts may satisfy the aggressive urges inherent in many people.

ii. Dysfunctional Consequences

•    The mental health of some combatants may be adversely affected because of the emotional stress reactions precipitated in such people. Tolerance levels are different i.e. low and high.

•    Intergroup conflict of a high intense nature usually results in a misallocation of organizational resources i.e. time wanted to fight or combat one another, material and personnel are likely to be misused. People waste the organizations time, funds, materials and personnel in carrying out the warfare.

•    Sub-optimization of part of the system occurs when disputants push their own position to the extreme.

•    The distortion of goals may occur as people begin to concentrate their attention on petty issues or embark on fault finding, regarding their opponents instead of pursuing their assigned missions.