The employee is also a human being with private life, demographic affiliations, and personal preferences. In some cases, conflict in the workplace emanates from inferences from the personal aspects of the employee or group of employees. Similarly, the personal aspects may also augment the adverse effects of a conflict that would erstwhile have been mild. Finally, and on a more positive note, it would be possible to tap into the personal aspects of the employee in order to find ways to mitigate conflict in the office. Among the most conflict-ridden times in any organization is during the pendency of a change-process (Anderson, 2015). A means to effectively alleviate conflict would be useful a leader during organizational change. The article Alderfer (1977) evaluates an innovative approach to solve organizational conflict through a microcosm group. The instant paper will evaluate the article Alderfer (1977) then apply the concepts and recommendations therein in a case study example. Organizational conflict is largely an extension of human conflict; hence, understanding the human components of the parties enables effective resolution of the conflict itself.
Review of the Article
The article Alderfer (1977) reports on an innovative primary study relating to organizational leadership. The research process was a combination of a Case-control Study and a cross-sectional study. The primary hypothesis behind the study was that organizational conflict stems from interpersonal conflict between the members of the organization. The ability to understand the members and their relationships at an interpersonal level would enable the mitigation of organizational conflict. The researchers sought to understand the personal aspects of workers in an organization and use those aspects to mitigate the larger conflicts in the organization.
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The researchers took the time to study and understand the members of staff from the different levels of the organization. The different levels combined professional and individual issues. On a professional level, the researches evaluated different ranks and job affiliations to understand how they interacted. From a personal level, the team studied demographical factors such as gender, age, and race. The team then used the data gathered to establish the different cohorts, cliques, and groups within the organization. Using representatives from each segment and section of the organization the team made a microcosm of the organization. The microcosm would meet regularly, discuss the issues affecting the organization and try to solve arising issues.
Based on the results and discussion reported in Alderfer (1977), the microcosm approach was an exponential success. For example, the different groups were able to realize similarities between them that they were erstwhile unaware. These similarities enabled a shared point of view that eased the process of resolving conflict. On the other hand, the microcosm also enabled management to notice underlying interpersonal issues that fueled organizational conflicts. Resolving the interpersonal conflicts eased the process of mitigating organizational conflicts. However, the researchers also noticed that participating in the microcosm visited a massive amount of stress on the participants. The organization flourished due to reduced conflict but at an exponential psychological and emotional cost to the members of the microcosm.
Implications and Recommendations
The research, analysis, and conclusion in Alderfer (1977) provides evidence that interpersonal relationships are an important bearing factor in organizational conflict. To solve organizational conflicts, leaders may want to look beyond the apparent professional and work-related issues and into interpersonal issues. It is important to clarify that over and above the interpersonal grounds, conflict may also arise from bona fide organizational issues. Management and leadership need to understand and resolve work-related issues. However, it is necessary to appreciate the interpersonal dynamics and the role they play in organizational conflict. As per the article’s recommendations, such interpersonal issues could be getting in the way of solving the conflict. In such a case, management should resolve such issues. Conversely, interpersonal elements can play positive role by providing a means for solving organizational conflict. In such circumstances, management should capitalize on the interpersonal issues to solve organizational conflict.
Case Study Application
Overview of the Situation
The focus organization is a computer-repairs startup. Initially, the organization was supposed to be a group of young friends working together in their private time. However, by 2012, the number of people using computerized devices that needed repairs kept on rising. The increase expanded demand for the repair shop, making it a full-time job for the seven friends. Within five years, the business had expanded to over a hundred employees who included technicians, a sales-team and office assistants. The original seven friends remained and co-partners in the organization. In recent months, the organization has experienced inordinately high level of employee conflict. There have been three different incidences of sit-ins by two departments. Further, the organization has seen a sharp rise in employee turnover. Finally, managers from the sales team have reported a rumor that the entire team plans to resign and start their startup, as the company seems to value technicians only.
Diagnosis
It seems that the organization has grown too fast for the leadership capabilities of the managing partners. There was no effective strategy for managing an organization as large as its current state since the leadership never anticipated such a large organization. The company needs a comprehensive change process that includes establishing proper organizational structures. However, alongside the organizational problem lies an interpersonal problem as well. For a start, there seem to be interpersonal differences between technicians and the sales team. The organization needs both teams to work together in harmony for it to succeed. In a collection of over a hundred members of staff, there will also be demographic-based differences based on issues such as gender, ethnicity, and race. The volatile situation caused by the interpersonal differences would jeopardize any change-based project in the organization.
How to Improve the Situation
The organization has two important issues to handle. The first is the management and leadership issue, while the second is the interpersonal issue. A human resource management expert can provide a roadmap for solving the management issue. However, going into a change process in the middle of interpersonal conflict is perilous. Management can apply the recommendation of Alderfer (1977) by forming a microcosm group. The microcosm should consist of representatives of top management, which comprises of the founding partners, middle management, and regular employees. The microcosm should also factor demographic differences such as race, gender, and age. At the microcosm meetings, leadership should allow members freedom to speak freely in the issues affecting the organization. It is possible that honest sharing will create an understanding between the groups, facilitating the mitigation of conflict. Conversely, the microcosm will enable leadership to understand interpersonal aspects of the workforce that have fueled the conflict. Resolving these interpersonal issues should enable the company to prepare for the necessary substantive change process, which forms the next step for the company.
Conclusion
As evidenced by the analysis and discussion above, organizations bring together human beings who bring their personalities and personal aspects with them. When organizational conflicts arise, they often combine a measure of organizational and interpersonal issues. To solve the organizational dispute compressively and effectively, the leader should understand both sets of issues. An evaluation of the organization will reveal the corporate aspects of the problem. Conversely, a microcosm approach provides a viable means of evaluating interpersonal issues. An innovative leader may even use the two sets of issues to establish a means of both solving the conflict and effecting change in the organization.
References
Alderfer, C. P. (1977). Improving organizational communication through long-term group intervention. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 13, 193-210.
Anderson, D. L. (2015). Organization development: The process of leading organizational change . Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
