SRI RAMAKRISHNA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, COIMBATORE-10
(Approved by AICTE, New Delhi – Affiliated to Anna University, Chennai)
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering
Strategic Issues in Project Management
- Conflict Environment
Dr.S.Anila
Professor/ECE
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CONFLICT
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Sources of Conflict
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Project priorities—priorities
• conflict between project leaders and functional managers.
This is often as to which project or work has the most
urgent need for resources or for the use of some facilities.
• Organizations do not do well in assigning project priorities
and create this situation for the project leader.
Organizations will take the position that ‘‘everything is
priority one.’’ When everything is priority one, there is no
priority system.
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Project management methodology
• methodology for managing projects typically ‘‘modified’’
during project execution. Some parts are omitted or
changed to accommodate the project work. This change
creates conflict among the project team as to which is the
best method for planning and executing the project.
• Testing is often reduced to ‘‘save time’’.
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Schedules and resources
• resources—project dynamics will change the time frame in
which resources are needed for the project.
• Functional managers want a fixed time that resources can
be allocated to the project
• no more time, no less time, and within the baseline
schedule planned for the assignment.
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Sexual harassment
• Harassment— this is currently defined as the unwanted
sexual advances of another, male or female, that creates a
hostile environment.
• The advances may be physical acts or oral statements
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Jokes
• Inappropriate humor that degrades another or an ethnic
group is inappropriate, whether that person or a
representative of the group is present or not.
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Sources of Conflicts
• The dynamic nature of projects
• Getting consensus during meetings
• Organizational culture is a source of conflict
• Organizational culture also affects decision-making at all
levels. The culture will not allow one person to make a
decision that affects another without the other person’s
consent or acceptance. This delays decisions and places work
in queue. Conflicts arise when another person cannot
perform his /her work because of the delayed tasks.
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Classification of Types of Conflict
• Open conflict—when one or more parties challenge another. This is
healthy to put the issues forward and find resolution. It is the first step
in finding a solution. Open conflict can be recognized and managed.
• Hidden conflict—when one or more parties conceal a difference from
another, but will work to actively sabotage or will fail to give full
support.
Conflict resolution is difficult in this situation because only the sabotage or lack of support are
identified, not the reason for the conflict.
Until the reason for the conflict is identified, it is difficult to remove it.
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Conflict Environment
In the project environment, conflicts are inevitable. The most
common types of conflicts involve:
● Manpower resources
● Equipment and facilities
● Capital expenditures
● Costs
● Technical opinions and trade-offs
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Contd…
● Priorities
● Administrative procedures
● Scheduling
● Responsibilities
● Personality clashes
Sometimes conflict is “meaningful” and produces beneficial
results.
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Contd..
• The development of company-wide conflict resolution
policies and procedures
• The use of hierarchical referral
• The requirement of direct contact
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Relationship between conflict causes and sources
Sources – Conflicts occurred mostly with
High
Functional Functional Between superiors Subordinates
manager personnel project
personnel
relative conflict intensity
Conflict causes
Schedules
priorities
manpower
Technical
Procedures
personality
low
Costs
High relative conflict intensity low
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Conflict Resolution Modes
• Withdrawal
• Smoothing
• Compromise
• Forcing
• Problem solving
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Conflict Resolution Modes – contd..
• Good project managers realize that conflicts are inevitable,
but that good procedures or techniques can help resolve
them. Once a conflict occurs, the project manager must:
● Study the problem and collect all available information
● Develop a situational approach or methodology
● Set the appropriate atmosphere or climate
• If a confrontation meeting is necessary between conflicting
parties, then the project manager should be aware of the
logical steps and sequence of events that should be taken.
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These include:
• Setting the climate: establishing a willingness to participate
• Analyzing the images: how do you see yourself and others, and how do
they see you?
• Collecting the information: getting feelings out in the open
• Defining the problem: defining and clarifying all positions
• Sharing the information: making the information available to all
• Setting the appropriate priorities: developing working sessions for setting
priorities and timetables
• Organizing the group: forming cross-functional problem-solving groups
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Contd…
• Problem-solving: obtaining cross-functional involvement,
securing commitments, and setting the priorities and
timetable
● Developing the action plan: getting commitment
● Implementing the work: taking action on the plan
● Following up: obtaining feedback on the implementation
for the action plan
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The effective manager, in
conflict problem-solving situations
● Knows the organization
● Listens with understanding rather than evaluation
● Clarifies the nature of the conflict
● Understands the feelings of others
● Suggests the procedures for resolving differences
● Maintains relationships with disputing parties
● Facilitates the communications process
● Seeks resolutions
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Compromise should be used:
● When both parties need to be winners
● When you can’t win
● When others are as strong as you are
● When you haven’t time to win
● To maintain your relationship with your opponent
● When you are not sure you are right
● When you get nothing if you don’t
● When stakes are moderate
● To avoid giving the impression of “fighting”
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The project manager or team leader should also
understand conflict minimization procedures.
● Pausing and thinking before reacting
● Building trust
● Trying to understand the conflict motives
● Keeping the meeting under control
● Listening to all involved parties
● Maintaining a give-and-take attitude
● Educating others tactfully on your views
● Being willing to say when you were wrong
● Not acting as a superman and leveling the discussion only once in a while
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Preventing Conflict
• Conflicts arise when two or more people are operating
from different instructions or with different
information.
• Conflicting instructions or information must be
obtained from some source. The source of instructions
or information may be delivered directly from someone,
for example, the project leader, or they may be surmised
because of the lack of guidance from the project leader.
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References
• Jack R. Meredith, Samuel J. Mantel Jr., Scott M. Shafer, Margaret M.
Sutton, “Project Management in Practice”, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 4th
Edition, 2011.
• Harold Kerzner, “Project Management. A systems approach to
planning, scheduling, and controlling”, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 10th
Edition, 2011.
• David I. Cleland, Lewis R. Ireland, “Project Manager's Portable
Handbook”, Tata McGraw Hill., 3rd Edition, 2007.
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