Question

What characteristics are associated with functional versus dysfunctional conflict? Please explain your answer.  

Answer 1

The disagreement in opinion, attitude, viewpoint or behavior between two or more parties may give rise to the situation which is called conflict. Conflict has always been considered as something negative and harmful experience. Conflict can be good or bad but it totally depends on the individuals how to take it. The values, beliefs, feelings of the individuals or groups who are involved in conflict plays major role in a good or bad conflict.

There are two kinds of organizational conflict. They are:-

1. Functional conflict - It is a healthy and constructive disagreement between two or more individuals. People get adjusted to the situation and help them to reset their moral values. Example - Conflict situation between employee and manager because on over-time issue. The manager conducted meeting and took input from the employee. The manager tried to understand his situation and found that due to family issues the employee is not ready to do over-time. The manager gave him the solution to do over time every alternative day. In this way he can balance both work and family life.
2. Dysfunctional conflict - It is destructive disagreement between two or more individuals. It create disturbance and people lose their moral values. Example - Conflict situation between employee and manager which did not get resolved on time. This delay resulted in poor performance of the employee and resulted in job dissatisfaction. The employee later resigned the company.

The characteristics associated with functional conflict are: -

• Functional conflict is a healthy and constructive disagreement between two or more individuals.
• In constructive conflict, people get adjusted to the situation and help them to reset their moral values.
• Constructive conflict supports the goal of the organization and improves the performance.
• Constructive conflict gives the opportunity to the parties to solve the problem and come up with the productive solution.
• Constructive conflict helps in building trust and confidence between the parties. The parties respect each other’s point.
• In constructive conflict, parties get adaptable to change.
• Constructive conflict increases self-awareness and gives job satisfaction.
• Constructive conflict increases innovativeness and creativity.
• In constructive conflict, there is better utilization of resource and time.
• Constructive conflict improve loyalty to the organization.

The characteristics associated with dysfunctional conflict are: -

• dysfunctional conflict is destructive disagreement between two or more individuals.
• destructive conflict create disturbance and people lose their moral values.
• destructive conflict threatens the goal of the organization and hinders the performance.
• destructive conflict does not give the opportunity to the parties to solve the problem.
• In destructive conflict the parties lack trust and confidence. The parties also disrespect each other.
• In destructive conflict, they are not adaptable to change.
• destructive conflict increase stress and reduce job satisfaction.
• destructive conflict increases tension and distrust.
• destructive conflict, there is waste of resource and time.
• destructive conflict reduce loyalty to the organization.