Organizational Culture and Conflict

Organizational culture and conflict

Alexandru V. Mafteiu

Structure

Chapter 1. The Organization

Types of organisation

Organizational structure

Chapter 2. Organizational culture

Hofstede dimensions

Organizational dimensions

Chapter 3. The conflict

Conflict Theory

Structural Functionalism

Functions of Social Systems

Thomas-Kilmann

Chapter 4. The conflict and the organizational culture: case study AIESEC Cluj

AIESEC

Hypothesis, Research Questions & Goals of the Projects

Background, significance and motivation

Research hypothesis

Research methods, design and data analysis

Human – subject interaction

The subjects

Data analysis and interpretation

Subject characteristics

Hypothesis testing

Limitations of the present research

Future direction of investigation

Conclusion

The Organization

Organization -> mid-15c., "act of organizing," from Middle French organisation and directly from Medieval Latin organizationem (nominative organizatio), noun of action from past participle stem of organizare, from Latin organum "instrument, organ". (Oxford Dictionary, 2012)

Types of organisation

Organizational structure

Organizational culture

Every company has two organizational structures: The formal one is written on the charts; the other is the everyday relationship of the men and women in the organization. Harold S. Geneen

Hofstede dimensions

Organizational dimensions

The conflict

Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. Ronald Reagan

Thomas Kilmann instrument

The conflict and the organizational culture: case study AIESEC Cluj

AIESEC

AIESEC is a global platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential. We are a non-political, independent, not-for-profit organisation run by students and recent graduates of institutions of higher education. Its members are interested in world issues, leadership and management. AIESEC does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion or national / social origin.

AIESEC

Hypothesis, Research Questions & Goals of the Projects

What are the predominant organization’s cultural traits?

How is the conflict represented in an NGO?

Is there a difference between management and unpaid volunteers in matter of culture and conflict?

What the organization’s policy toward conflict? Is in embedded and related to the organizations culture?

What is the trend in conflict resolution approach in management ranks?

What about the unpaid voluntaries?

What is the level of satisfaction in matter of conflict management?

Background, significance and motivation

The motivation of this study relates to 6 months of direct participant observation from management ranks where the conflict that emerged where raised in daily agenda but avoidance was the only acceptable solution from higher chains of command.

Research hypothesis

Hypothesis Question from the questionnaire or method used

H1 – In NGOs where the number of unpaid volunteer is

higher than the number of paid personnel there is a

negation of the existence of conflict and conflictual

situations.

Direct questions: 5

Support questions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12

H2 – If the organisation has a strong control (Hofstede

Organizational Culture dimension) there is a

predominance of latent conflict between individuals

that are aiming towards the chain of command

Interview (Appendix A)

H3 – the management of and NGO tends to approach

conflict resolution in a compromising and

accommodating manner (Thomas-Kilmann conflict

resolution model)

Question 10 from online questionnaire

Thomas-Kilmann instrument (Appendix C)

Interview

H4 – In an NGO with a strong hierarchic chain of

command the conflict is solved by a third party with a

higher rank

Interview (Appendix A)

Research methods, design and data analysis

Survey: self-applied (online and print) or in the case of impracticability applied by questioning the subject (directly, by phone or Skype)

Interview: structured and required just in browsing the sample with specific targeted questions

The subjects

62 respondents. From those 55 were considered valid because they answered all the questions in the form.

24 interviews (structured) and 9 interviews (semi structured)









Yes Yes (blank) No Yes No YesEmployee Executive Team Leader Volunteer

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

In your opinion is AIESEC – its leaders and staff – competent in dealing with conflict? by the role in the organisation

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253540

1

2

3

4

5

6How AIESEC manages conflicts?

Hypothesis 2

No Yes

No; 3

Yes, 22

Are the volunteers dependent in their daily routine of those that have the

power?

Often20%

Rare11%

Very often65%

Very rarely4%

How often is the delegation of responsibility encountered in the organisation?

Often

Rare

Very often

Very rarely

Hypothesis 2 Alexa, 21:“Personally, I haven’t been part of any conflict or major misunderstanding within the organization; however, taking part in a lot of projects, I’ve been able to hear about a few. I remember few years ago, when we were starting a new initiative for a new phase of a local project, we were taking part to a brainstorming session for ideas about the next actions, held within a team of 15 members. Of course, some proposals weren’t eventually selected, but two members were so affected by their proposal exclusion, that they weren’t willing to participate actively to the development of the selected ideas and they were questioning every step in this process, putting resistance to the progress, things that I consider that were unnecessary, especially when all other team members were agreeing on this things. Things got almost back to the normal only when this part of the project was finished.”

Hypothesis 3 - the management of and NGO tends to approach conflict resolution in a compromising and accommodating manner (Thomas-Kilmann conflict resolution model)

Hypothesis 3 - the management of and NGO tends to approach conflict resolution in a compromising and accommodating manner (Thomas-Kilmann conflict resolution model)

12

5

3

3

2

TKI interview subjects (least dominant)

COLLABORATING

COMPETING

ACCOMMODATING

AVOIDING

COMPROMISING

Hypothesis 4 – In an NGO with a strong hierarchic chain of command the conflict is solved by a third party with a higher rank

The majority of the respondents 72% answered that in a case of conflict the person responsible for the solving is “The coordinator that has the persons that are involved” or another common answer was “The Local Committee (referring to the executive managers) are the ones that deal with this problem”. Also, the respondents tend to see that the executive committee’s main responsibility is to solve problems. And by problems most of the respondents understand conflicts.

Hypothesis testingHypothesis Testing

H1 – In NGOs where the number of unpaid volunteer is higher than the

number of paid personnel there is a negation of the existence of

conflict and conflictual situations.

Infirmed due to: the number of unpaid volunteers is smaller than the number of

paid personnel.

H2 – If the organisation has a strong control (Hofstede Organizational

Culture dimension) there is a predominance of latent conflict between

individuals that are aiming towards the chain of command

Confirmed

H3 – the management of and NGO tends to approach conflict resolution

in a compromising and accommodating manner (Thomas-Kilmann

conflict resolution model)

Confirmed

H4 – In an NGO with a strong hierarchic chain of command the conflict

is solved by a third party with a higher rankConfirmed

Figure 22 - the conflict in AIESEC is...

Conflict in one word

Limitations of the present research

In matters of limitations, in this paper could be identify a few by the methodology used, the subject and the sampling and the research design.

In matters of research design, this paper was designed to be a explorativ study that aimed towards the 5W of the organizational conflict. Also, the hypothesis are constructed based on observation (participant observation) and this has a bias that could influence the outcome of the results.

In regards to the methodology half is statistical so, quantitative and the other half is qualitative. The qualitative section of the paper bases itself on interview that were meant to be semi-structured and this can created biases at the level of understanding the question or the answer.

Also, the sampling was presumed to be integrative, but the answers were in a smaller number than expected. This might interfere with the statistical results and also with the hypothesis validation.

Future directions of investigation

A better understanding of the phenomena of conflict denial might improve the outcome and the performance of the activities developed under the organization’s umbrella. Therefor research questions like what is the source of the denial of conflict phenomena? Or what can we do to have a clear and manageable view over the conflict? Might create results that are practicable and will create an immediate impact.

Conclusion and discussions The study raised awareness in matters of organizational conflict perception and management. The organization’s

members agreed upon the existence of conflict but attribute negative words toward conflict. From this perspective a set of recommendation emerged:

Increasing awareness upon the conflict and its implications by Creating a course or a training for with this purpose only

Developing and embedding conflict management culture within the organisation

Having clear proceeding in matters of conflict resolution

Stating the role of executives and their interference within the conflict

Creating a body that deal with this aspect in the HR departments

Assigning people that deal with conflictual situations and training them.

Creating valves of latent conflict ventilation by: Offering team building that are aiming to this purpose only

Creating anonymous feedback mail and encourage the use of it

Assigning or creating a body design to identify and solve this aspect

Developing conflict management techniques of its members by: Assisting and understanding personal conflict management (like using TKI)

Developing self-awareness about own conflict management style

Creating training programs meant to encrust personal conflict management style

Thank youand enjoy the rest of your day

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Organizational Culture and Conflict