Successful Conflict Management Research Articles

Conflict management in entrepreneurship: strategies, communication, and leadership

This paper delves into the critical importance of conflict management in the entrepreneurial landscape, particularly in the face of war and heightened uncertainty. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the distinct stages of a conflict’s lifecycle, categorized based on the intensity of the conflict. A comparative analysis of these stages is presented, considering the essence of the conflict at each stage, its visibility, and potential outcomes. This analysis reveals the context-specific nature of conflict resolution dynamics, emphasizing the significant influence of the context, individuals involved, and available resources. The paper identifies the prerequisites for effective conflict management in entrepreneurial ventures. It outlines the primary barriers that hinder such management, including the perception of mutually exclusive interests, differing interpretations of the conflict’s essence, and institutionalization. The paper defines distinct patterns in how participants behave during conflicts. Recognizing the direction of each party’s actions can develop a more tailored approach to conflict resolution. Conflict resolution strategies guide individuals toward a solution, extending beyond mere actions. These strategies encompass two critical aspects of conflict management: the overall strategy and its effectiveness factors. The paper discusses five core conflict management strategies based on the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Management Model. It concludes that the most suitable approach depends on the specific situation, the individuals involved, and the issue. Additionally, the paper explores conflict management strategies based on Glasl’s model, assigning specific conflict resolution strategies to the stages in Friedrich Glasl’s conflict escalation model. Apart from various strategies, the paper categorizes tactics as “soft” or “hard” based on their impact on the opponent. The application of tactics ranges from gentle persuasion to heavy coercion. Some tactics are direct, clearly stating the desired outcome, while others are indirect, subtly influencing the other party. In conclusion, the paper underscores the instrumental role of successful conflict management in guiding confrontations toward positive outcomes. This is achieved by addressing immediate behaviors and underlying issues and fostering an environment conducive to constructive dialogue. Keywords: management, entrepreneurship, conflict resolution, Thomas-Kilmann model, Friedrich Glasl model

Organisaatioiden eettinen infrastruktuuri konfliktien johtamisen suunnannäyttäjänä

Ethical infrastructure of organizations as a guide for conflict management Unethical behavior at the workplace may have a negative impact on workers´ job satisfaction, engagement, and overall wellbeing. However, organizations have different strategies and orientations to managing and sustaining an ethical environment. In this qualitative study we explore what contributes to individuals´ experience of successful conflict management. We study this from the perspective of ethical infrastructure, that is a set of formal and informal systems that build ethical culture in organizations. We conducted nine in-depth interviews and used the first two phases of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) (define and dream) to identify and envision good practice. The study identified constructive practice, collective agency, communication, emotional skills, and a working culture based on dialogue as factors supporting future workplaces in conflict resolution. The study highlights the need to understand conflict management as being dependent on, and in interaction with other elements

The promises of the bureaucratisation of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding in post-conflict regions: lessons from anthropological fieldwork in four Western Balkan states

ABSTRACT Anthropology and critical heritage studies share a rather negative view of the role of bureaucracy in heritage management as utilised by the international community in post-conflict regions. However, fieldwork findings among ethnologists working as expert bureaucrats in four Western Balkan states (Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina) suggest that the ongoing process of the ‘bureaucratisation’ of collective identities, based on UNESCO principles, holds more promise for successful conflict management than relying solely on day-to-day politics or a purely academic critique. The safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage has emerged as a powerful tool for redirecting identity-based conflicts towards abstract concepts such as ‘elements’, ‘lists’, and ‘registers’. These abstractions are less susceptible to suffering than real individuals. Consequently, this approach offers a greater chance of success in mitigating conflicts. Anthropology’s most significant contribution to the global implementation of the heritage-for-peace paradigm could be to reconcile with ethnology, despite any disciplinary incongruity that may arise.

НАПРЯМИ УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ УПРАВЛІННЯ ПЕРСОНАЛОМ У ЗАКЛАДАХ ГОТЕЛЬНО-РЕСТОРАННОГО ГОСПОДАРСТВА

The activities of enterprises are directed at achieving an economic effect. Hotel and restaurant establishments are an element of the social sphere. The effectiveness of their activities depends on the level of satisfaction of various customer requests. Qualified personnel are the value of such enterprises and form their competitive advantage. Thus, personnel management is one of the most important functions of hotel and restaurant management. The key to success in the market is not the efforts of specific specialists, but the success of teamwork. In the hotel and restaurant sector, the services provided require the cooperation of employees. Team building is part of personnel management and helps individual employees and businesses achieve desired results. Team building tasks are aimed directly at the formation of a team – true Team Building and are related to the formation of team spirit – Team Spirit. Motivation is a set of motives that favorably influence the behavior of employees. It is noted that material motivators are wages, bonuses, bonuses, a percentage of the economic effect, a social package, and holiday gifts. Intangible motivators – career growth, flexible work schedule, training and self-improvement, decent working conditions, additional days off. The success of managerial decision-making by managers depends on the level of their communicative competence – the ability to establish contacts, hold a conversation, interact with the environment, argue, convince, and speak publicly. The personnel management strategy of hotel and restaurant enterprises should be integrated into the business strategy of the enterprise, based on accumulated knowledge and experience, the use of innovative approaches, and the integration of the efforts of the manager and specialists. Specialists with soft skills that allow effective communication, cooperation and successful conflict management, organizing work and negotiating with colleagues are valued in the labor market. In the hotel and restaurant industry, they are important for employees of both contact and non-contact services. They can be developed throughout life.

Conflict Management Technologies in Hotel and Restaurant Business

Topicality. In modern conditions, conflicts in hotel and restaurant business are intensified. Such phenomena slow down and unbalance their development, as well as cause the liquidation of enterprises. This is a natural process. Therefore, it is important to learn how to manage them. Opposites and contradictions are inevitable in the enterprises activities of the service sector, as they are based on the communicative level. The aim of the article is to determine conflict management technologies in hotel and restaurant business using conflict theories. Research methods. The study used general scientific methods: induction and deduction – to generalize opinions on conflict theories, technologies and conflict management in hotel and restaurant business; abstraction, theoretical analysis and synthesis – in determining approaches to conflict management strategy in hotel and restaurant business; comparison – in highlighting the causes of conflicts; generalization – for the construction of conflict management technology in hotel and restaurant business, the algorithm for working with conflicts in hotel and restaurant business; inference – in building the basic patterns of reaction to resistance, the rules of successful conflict management in hotel and restaurant business. Research results. Conflict theories are identified and their evolution is shown. It is established that conflict management is an inevitable process, and stems from the service sector peculiarities. It is noted that conflict management technologies should include development strategy, strategic aims, conflict management strategies, problems of conflicts appearance, patterns of response to resistance, conflict management models. Rules for successful implementation of conflict management technologies are elaborated as well. Conclusions and discussions. It is determined that hotel and restaurant business is changing, that conflicts and contradictions are inevitable. They are exacerbated by COVID-19. An algorithm for dealing with conflicts in hotel and restaurant business are elaborated. It contains 5 steps: listening, concretization, compassion, variability, gratitude for feedback. Marker words that should be used in resolving conflicts are suggested.

Policy’s role in democratic conflict management

This article proposes rethinking democratic conflict management by acknowledging the increasingly important role policy plays in it. As the debate on the health of democracy intensifies, research on how democracies manage and absorb political and societal conflicts becomes broadly relevant. Existing theories and perspectives view conflict management through the lens of elections and other institutional mechanisms, or they examine the social and economic preconditions for successful conflict management while inadequately understanding how policies contribute to conflict management. The article develops a theoretical framework that allows for the analysis of how policies’ material and interpretive effects influence societal conflicts and thereby strengthen (or weaken) democracy. While the article focuses on hypothesis-generation rather than hypothesis-testing, it draws on a large variety of policy and case examples to corroborate and illustrate the theoretical expectations embodied in the framework. Insights into policy’s role in democratic conflict management expand our understanding of the challenges to democracy in the twenty-first century and create new possibilities for comparative, policy-focused research into what makes democracy work.

Compilation and prioritizing human-wildlife conflict management strategies using the WASPAS method in Iran

Wildlife habitats provide several essential services, and humans’ needs for development cause a growing conflict with wildlife. Formulating and prioritizing strategies improve conflict management and save time and costs. We used the experts’ opinions to formulate strategies. 45 management strategies were extracted that formed a decision matrix. These strategies were evaluated by 40 experts using the five-point Likert range in five criteria, i.e., productivity or efficiency, adaptability, running costs, social acceptability, and sustainability. Strategies were prioritized by forming a decision matrix and inserting it into WASPAS software. The selected strategies are “training environmentalists, waste management, empowering the local economy, modifying hunting laws, land use planning before project executions, training local communities, social-based management, training tour guides and tourists, modifying tourism-related laws, banning alien species, and road management.” Conflict is a complex phenomenon, and managing it requires multiple strategies. Therefore, combining several strategies can increase the chances of successful conflict management.

Mengelola Konflik di Tempat Kerja: Apa dan Bagaimana?

An organization cannot avoid conflict. Individual characteristics and the types and pressures of work can lead to conflict in organizations. Conflict occurs when the desires of two or more people are incompatible. Likewise, the will of one organization that is different from another can also lead to conflict. Some individuals or groups can benefit from confrontation if it is appropriately resolved. Conflict management refers to handling disputes or disagreements constructively and effectively. Conflict management aims to minimize negative consequences and maximize positive outcomes for all parties involved. Effective conflict management involves identifying the root causes of conflict, fostering open communication, and implementing strategies to deal with the problems. Successful conflict management can lead to improved relationships, increased productivity, and increased organizational performance. However, ineffective conflict management can lead to prolonged conflicts, damaged relationships, and reduced morale. Therefore, understanding and practicing practical conflict management skills is essential for individuals and organizations to succeed in today's complex and interconnected world.

Enhancing leadership qualities for conflict management in intercultural business environments (as part of professional and foreign language preparation of future economists of international economic relations)

The goal of this writing is to advocate the significance of educating and enhancing leadership qualities and skills for successful conflict management situations. By analyzing the current trends in doing business nationally and globally, understanding approaches to manage conflicts in a cross-cultural business environment we have identified professional requirements for graduates seeking beneficial and successful careers in international business, economic relationships and management. Analyzing relevant articles the author points out that today’s business environment is notably sustainability-driven and aimed at maintaining the conditions that allow it to flourish in cross-cultural teams over time. Thus, organizations’ leaders and managers are and will be aimed at building enduring business institutions. The author underlines the importance of acquiring cultural awareness, basic knowledge of conflict management and cultivating leadership qualities in the process of foreign language preparation at university. The novelty of our research lies in the fact that we have undertaken an attempt to connect the importance of leadership qualities with the relevance of analyzing conflict management in general. We also emphasize that in future the global business will undoubtedly face a talent void, and, consequently, professionals able to think and treat different situations holistically will predominate the labour market. In the article, we also share our own experience of improving our students’ leadership qualities. The conflict management grid is analyzed. Based on the recent publications we suggested some crucial steps to be undertaken to achieve success in conflict management.

New “Others” in Post-Conflict Consociations: A Continuum of Exclusion?

Debates on consociationalism seek to explain how and why prescriptive power-sharing can support successful ethnic conflict management in post-conflict societies and if the differences between liberal and corporate consociationalism affect system stability. At the same time, a new and growing body of work has begun to examine the previously under-considered effects of power-sharing on “Others,” that is, those communities not in alignment with the included ethnic groups. This paper adds to understandings of liberal and corporate consociational models and their impact on a specific type of Other – “newcomers” – through interviews with civil society organizations representing their interests. Current approaches to the liberal-corporate distinction do not reflect the impact of institutional design on newcomers navigation of power-sharing systems. Through a comparative analysis of newcomer engagement in (liberal) Northern Ireland and (corporate) Lebanon, this paper will reveal how institutional design cultivates path-dependent elite behaviors that negatively impact newcomers through different policy responses.

Walking and talking sensors: conceptualising restorative leadership to enhance people management education in engineering

ABSTRACTThe social dynamics interfering with engineering design expose engineers to workplace conflicts, undermining well-being and productivity. This strengthens the case for engineering management competences, and conflict management in particular. This conceptual study deepens understanding of industrial leadership by integrating prior knowledge of successful leadership and effective conflict management. Their parallel analysis shows that conflict management capacity is inherent in successful industrial leadership and that at their crossroads emerges a novel management mode, restorative leadership. It draws on two levels of personal capacity: (1) on the intrapersonal level, qualities promoting self-leadership help minimise the risk of relationship conflict and maximise the probability of constructive dispute resolution; (2) on the interpersonal level, clarity of communication and directness help prevent the risk of disputes and serve as instruments in conflict resolution. The findings are promising for higher engineering educators as the critical components of restorative leadership are learnable and teachable.

Respect Sensibility as a Prerequisite for Conflict Management in the South China Sea

The People’s Republic of China is the most influential and potent actor in Southeast Asia. Its economic, military and political influence on the tense and conflict prone setting of this region constitutes a huge challenge for future regional order and stability. The multidimensional dispute concerning territorial and maritime border delimitation and status concerns in the South China Sea (SCS) represents a vivid example of this region’s mounting challenges. Subjective experiences of disrespect and closely associated negative emotions have contributed, particularly throughout the past decade, to a growing propensity of SCS conflict parties, especially China, to favor much more robust and uncompromising policies towards the SCS. However, these preference building processes render successful conflict management less likely. This article, hence, calls for a more respect sensitive diplomacy among all conflict parties in order to mitigate tensions, prevent negative emotions from arising and to create fertile ground for sustainable conflict management.

COMMUNICABLE COMPETENCE AND MANAGEMENT OF CONFLICTS IN THE HEALTH MANAGER'S ACTIVITY

Every organization in which people interact has potential for conflict. Health institutions include many interacting groups and teams that can be a source of conflict. In most cases the root of all problems lie in a broken or bad communication. A classic option for a conflict situation is the lack of feedback between the superiors /managers/ and the inferiors /executives/. When there is no dialogue between the levels in the hierarchy, solving even a minor conflict is really a difficult task. There are still not many health organizations in our country where there is an awareness of the enormous role of the proper implementation of the internal communications in order to achieve efficiency. The failure of a constructive tackling of conflicts destroys relationships rather more than their existence. This fact shows the need for preventive measures and clever conflict management. Own studies among 313 healthcare managers and 1171 health professionals from the hospital care in Bulgaria indicate the needful behavioral competencies necessary for the effective implementation of the managerial functions at operational and team level in healthcare practice.Methods used: documentary method - national and European documents have been studied; survey method - direct survey; semi-structured interview; statistical methods. The results show that on the first place, among the leadership skills, respondents put communicative skills, followed by skills to plan, set targets and set up a team. Leadership in the work of the health manager is a responsibility that involves developing and directing the full potential of people, teams and organizations. An important part of this process is the ability to resolve conflicts. The management style of the manager determines to a great extent how the problems will be solved (or deepened). Their timely and effective resolution is essential for improving the microclimate in the health care facility and achieving higher results. Conflict behavior is а result of the personal attitude and the requirements of the situation. Styles are a reflection of personal beliefs, values, and motives that form conflict behavior in a certain, sequential direction.An effective health manager is able to use varied approaches according to differences and to choose a specific approach based on the diagnostic self-knowledge and understanding of the factors he faces. The successful conflict management techniques are based on the importance of communication, persistent dialogue, disciplinary measures and control. There is no doubt that the success of the health manager and the medical establishment depends on such personal qualities as: communication skills, motivation, personal responsibility, leadership, trusting relationships. The more effective internal communications, the more successful the organization itself is. An effective approach to reducing conflicts in the organization - both interpersonal and intergroup – is the building of a unique culture at the healthcare institution that facilitates the development of naturally occurring processes and affirms the ethical side of behavior and communication.

From conflict to collaboration: the contribution of co-management in mitigating conflicts in Mole National Park, Ghana

AbstractFew studies exist about the extent to which co-management in protected areas contributes to conflict prevention or mitigation and at what level of the conflicts such collaborative efforts are possible. Following varying degrees of conflict, Mole National Park, Ghana, embarked on a collaborative community-based wildlife management programme in 2000. Using Glasl's conflict escalation model, we analysed the contribution of co-management to mitigating and preventing conflicts from escalating. We conducted a total of 22 interviews with local traditional leaders, Park officials and local government officials, and 26 focus group discussions with farmers, hunters, women and representatives of co-management boards, selected from 10 of the 33 communities surrounding the Park. Our findings indicate that co-management can help mitigate or prevent conflicts from escalating when conflicting parties engage with each other in a transparent manner using deliberative processes such as negotiation, mediation and the use of economic incentives. It is, however, difficult to resolve conflicts through co-management when dialogue between conflicting parties breaks down, as parties take entrenched positions and are unwilling to compromise on their core values and interests. We conclude that although co-management contributes to successful conflict management, factors such as understanding the context of the conflicts, including the underlying sources and manifestations of the conflict, incorporating local knowledge, and ensuring open dialogue, trust and transparency between conflicting parties are key to attaining sustainable conflict management in protected areas.

Role and Work Style of the Manager Nurses for Successful Conflict Management in the Hospital

INTRODUCTION: The health care management in hospitals is assigned to the members of the Health Care Council - the chief nurse and the senior nurses. These managers, supported by their high level of professionalism, skills and knowledge, can lead the planning, organization, coordination, motivation, evaluation and control of the activities of the health care professionals. The effective management of emerging conflicts depends on the position, style and approach of the chief nurse and senior nurses. AIM: To establish how the roles of the management staff in the Health Care Council influence the team performance, including the successful management in hospital wards. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in the period April 2015 - February 2016 at the Hristo Botev Hospital, Vratsa using the Belbin psychometric test. STUDY SUBJECTS: Twenty-five senior health care professionals and the chief nurse. The study used a sociological method of analysis. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: One of the great benefits of the HCC teamwork is in the fact that the people complement each other and everyone contributes with what he/she can do best. According to the Belbin psychometric test the eight team roles accurately describe the specific work adjustments and behaviors of people in the HCC team. ROLES IN THE AUDIT TEAM: Strong roles: Teamworker, Coordinator, Completer Finisher Weak roles: Resource Investigator and Plant Missing representatives of strong roles in the team: Resource Investigator Category of the team: Rather a good team Problematic areas for team performance: Generating new ideas Leadership: Not successful enough RECOMMENDATIONS: One of the recommendations is effective recruitment of management staff in the HCC. In order to prevent conflicts, the leader should recognize the personality type of each associate and use that knowledge to motivate them to give the best of themselves.

Conflict and Conflict Management in Innovation Processes in the Life Sciences

Research on social conflicts in innovation processes has been rare, leaving an important research gap, as conflicts often arise in innovation processes and are even part of a researcher's everyday life. This study examines innovation and the variables of innovation success in the life sciences; it tests a conflict management model and examines the impact of both conflict type and conflict management style on innovation performance. This study surveyed 152 basic and applied researchers on their conflict management style through a multi‐method approach incorporating both survey and qualitative methods. The substantive aspects and relational effectiveness of conflict management styles were compared, considering their number of publications and patents, problem solution quality, project newness, conflict de‐escalation and communication. Applied researchers showed significantly more domination than did basic researchers, and a dominating conflict management style was significantly related to project newness. Moreover, problem solving was not always the most successful conflict management style. These findings have important practical implications for conflict management training and can help managers and researchers strengthen their co‐operation and improve productivity.

Don’t mess with the crowd! The emergence and management of crowdsourcing disasters

This paper contributes to a more holistic picture of social conflict in crowdsourcing initiatives and thereby deepens the understanding of the risks and downsides. It explores the sources, formation, patterns, and dynamics of conflicts and further investigates strategies for successful conflict management in online environments. Based on a real-field setting of a crowdsourcing contest, procedural, distributive and interactive fairness violations were found to trigger conflict. Moreover, results show that claimants “frame” perceived injustice and spread it across the boundaries of the crowdsourcing platform to influence and mobilize adherents. Group affiliation and herding behavior generate social dynamics that may lead to viral spread and contagious adoption. By investigating the consequences of conflict management practices the theoretical understanding of conflict avoidance and de-escalation is deepened. We provide managerial implications for the handling of crowdsourcing initiatives, and illustrate recommendations for hosting organizations.

Engineering argumentation in marriage

Understanding argumentation in marriage as a design enterprise focuses researchers’ efforts in understanding how such arguments can go wrong and helps to identify designs that might help reduce unproductive conflict. Given the importance many marriage experts place on successful conflict management, designing procedures that help couples resolve their differences can potentially reduce the negative personal and societal results of failed marriages. In this paper I analyze the Fair Fight for Change (FFFC) conflict management procedure as a strategic maneuvering activity type. The purpose of this analysis is to examine the adequacy of the procedure itself in helping couples produce rational decisions about marital disagreements balanced by strategic maneuvers aimed to maintain the identity and relationship needs of the participants. Specifically, I recommend a redesign of the FFFC that incorporates a simplified version of the critical discussion rules to help guide couples as they attempt to resolve their differences.

Wildlife law and policy

Wildlife law and policy

Enhancement of Entrepreneurial Leadership: A Case Focusing on a Model of Successful Conflict Management Skills

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study focusing on a new technology start-up firm, founded by two graduate students, an engineer and a business major, who met during their university studies. The case is timely, in that only ten percent of new product introductions result in a profitable business. The causes of failure are numerous and include the following: the market may create failure; inadequate funding and capitalization; and competition from established enterprises. Several research studies also point to rising indications of interfunctional conflict in high technology companies. One reason may be that, today, management teams in such companies are typically comprised of greater levels of diversity in age, gender, ethnicity, education, and life experiences, all of which exacerbate conflicts. New venture teams, especially in a technology start-up, may be united because of the product innovation, but they may easily become disconnected and unrealistic when it comes to the management of the enterprise. The presentation and analysis of a conflict management process herein indicates that the way a start-up team manages its conflicts may have a permanent affect on the success of its entrepreneurial venture. Conflict management does not imply terminating conflict, but involves understanding strategies to minimize dysfunction and enhancing constructive effectiveness as a result of conflict. This case exposed the problems that arise due to the differences in the founders’ education, background, experience and understanding of the necessary entrepreneurial mindset for success. By using a model of conflict management that encompasses four negotiation skill sets, including assessment, intervention, resolution and maintenance, their conflicts were resolved quickly and their partnership re-engineered, increasing the chance of their firm’s long-term success.