By any standard of comparison, conflict in organizations represents an important topic for managers. A good example of the magnitude of the problems that conflict can cause in an organization is the case of General Concrete, Inc., of Coventry, Rhode Island.

It was found that approximately 20 percent of top and middle managers’ time was spent dealing with some form of conflict. 1 In another study, it was found that managerial skill in handling conflict was a major predictor of managerial success and effectiveness.

Conflict — The four types of conflict are goal conflict, cognitive conflict, affective conflict, and behavioral conflict. Negotiation — The process by which individuals or groups attempt to realize their goals by bargaining with another party who has at least some control over goal attainment. organization — the case of General Concrete, Inc., of Coventry, Rhode Island. BATNA — An acronym popularised by Roger Fisher and William Ury which stands for ‘Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement’. BATNA answers the question: ‘What would you do if you….

Be able to describe the types and levels of conflict found in organizations; describe the process of the conflict model; describe conflict strategies that seldom work.