1. Do you think it is possible to view conflict as a good thing when there are s
ID: 363550 • Letter: 1
Question
1. Do you think it is possible to view conflict as a good thing when there are so many negative connotations in our minds when we hear the word "conflict"? How can we overcome this?
2. What do you see as the positive and negative aspects of a matrix organization? What is gained by structuring an organization in this manner? What is lost? Does this type of organizational system work better in some industries over others? Explain why or why not.
3. Describe a situation in which you were involved where one was a functional conflict and the other, dysfunctional.
Explanation / Answer
a) Conflict need not be a bad thing always especially when the differing opinions arising out of a conflict can be channelized to find a solution which is acceptable to all and is innovative. In our minds we feel conflict has negative connotations, however conflict can arise due to differing views and that can actually result in various brainstorming and can give output to innovative ideas and implementation practices. Thus conflict should not be construed as negative when perceived from organizational point of view and root is principally a clash of ideas.
b) Positive aspects of matrix organization is that the various departments and functions work together and all people have dual reporting one to the functional heads and one to the project head in which he or she is assigned. This also prevents working in silos and helps in taking a more holistic picture.
The bad aspects of the matrix organization is that it is difficult to priorities project goals versus functional goals and management of resources and co-ordination is difficult especially the softer elements relating to inter personal relations and communications becomes very tricky.
This type of matrix structures works well in project organizations such as aircraft manufacturing, space agencies as these organizations are project focused rather than operations focused and requires functional knowhow from all departments all the time.
c)
I have been part of functional conflict many times where I have different point of view regarding a deal with my superiors. It led to intensive discussions and deliberations and was constructive as it led to generation of many ideas and enrichment of knowledge and also we could manage to find a middle path and secure the deal from our customer.
In case of a dysfunctional conflict, it was when one of my colleagues started sabotaging my ideas due to pure envy. This was not a case of genuine different viewpoints, instead it was more of trying to score a point over another. It led to quite a bit of heart burn in the team and was resolved only after intervention of my reporting manager.
Related Questions
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.