In a world where free markets and capitalism dominate the business landscape, the traditional tenets of capitalism (lower costs, higher profits and competitive advantage) necessarily imply a competitive environment in which conflict will exist. Adding to this competitive environment is conflict generated on the social or personal level, as those who compete are individuals or groups of individuals trying to achieve their aims in relation to the desired achievements of those with whom they must compete. Conflict is either cognitive or value generated, and it is either unidimensional or multidimensional:
Unidimensional: single issue or single underlying issue
Multidimensional: multiple issues (may be easier to solve)
There are a variety of sources of conflict. Levels of aspiration in regard to the self engenders conflict, such as perceived power, norms about levels of aspiration, social comparison and past achievements. The perceived aspirations of others include all of these but also include preconceptions or stereotypes regarding others. Further, since people all perceive differently, conflict can be engendered by differences of perspective regarding potential outcomes. Finally, in a culture and workforce that daily grows more diverse, differences regarding social norms and definitions of conflict arise. Negotiating and bargaining, therefore, have taken on an even higher level of significance for organizational and personal success. There are many types of negotiating and bargaining strategies and tactics, but all of them fit into four model parameters: (win-win, win-lose, lose-win, and win-win). Typical bargaining strategies to reduce conflict vary but often involve one or more of the following:
Contending: Trying to impose one’s preferred solution on the other party.
Yielding: Lowering one’s own aspirations and settling for less than one would have liked.
Problem Solving: Pursuing an alternative t...