Conflict management, prevention, and resolution in medical settings

Everything about conflict is difficult for physicians, who are by nature and conditioning quite confrontation adverse. But conflict is inevitable, and conflict management skills are essential life skills for effective people. The keys to conflict management are prevention, effective communication, and anger management, skills that can be learned and polished. Conflict management skills can enhance all aspects of life for physicians, as well as those who work or live with them.     

"Conflict management" and "conflict resolution" are not synonymous terms

Robbins sees functional conflict as an absolute necessity within organizations and explicitly encourages it. He explains: "Survival can result only when an organization is able to adapt to constant changes in the environment. Adaption is possible only through change, and change is stimulated by conflict." Robbins cites evidence indicating that conflict can be related to increased productivity and that critical thinking encourages well-developed decisions. He admits, however, that not all conflicts are good for the organization. Their functional or dysfunctional nature is determined by the impact of the conflict on the objectives of the organization. The author identifies several factors underlying the need for conflict stimulation: (1) managers who are surrounded by "yes men"; (2) subordinates who are afraid to admit ignorance or uncertainty; (3) decision-makers' excessive concern about hurting the feelings of others; or (4) an environment where new ideas are slow in coming forth. He suggests techniques for stimulating conflict; manipulating the communication channels (i.e., repression of information); changing the organizational structure (i.e., changes in size or position); and altering personal behavior factors (i.e., role incongruence). Robbins stresses that the actual method to be used in either resolving or stimulating conflict must be appropriate to the situation.     

地位冲突不对称与团队创造力的曲线关系研究

基于互动过程视角,构建地位冲突不对称对团队创造力的倒U形影响模型,并通过103个团队484份有效调查问卷进行实证检验。研究结果表明:地位冲突不对称对团队创造力呈现“过犹不及”的倒U形曲线效应,并且任务复杂性和任务互依性显著调节了上述关系,其中,当任务复杂性越高时,主效应倒U形曲线的拐点处于团队中拥有更多高地位冲突感知成员的结构下,且拐点位置更高;当任务互依性越高时,主效应倒U形曲线的拐点处于团队中拥有更少高地位冲突感知成员的结构下,且拐点位置更高。     

Part 2, Conflict management. Managing low-to-mid intensity conflict in the health care setting

Physician executives face low to mid-level intensity conflicts, day-to-day issues and problems associated with pressures and changes in the health care environment. Such conflicts can be sorted on the basis of relationship, duration, and intensity. The authors apply the five major modes of conflict management--competition, avoidance, compromise, accommodation, and collaboration--to specific scenarios taken from their work in health care and suggest guidelines for managing conflicts with peers, supervisees, and authority figures. Thorough preparation and a portfolio of skills build flexibility through the conflict management process. In part 1 of this article series, the authors presented the conflict management checklist, a diagnostic tool for assessing conflict in organizations.     

基于归因理论的冲突类型分析

现有的冲突分类是从冲突的结果出发作出的,这不利于进行冲突管理。本文基于归因理论及其三个维度,在知觉冲突的层面上进行全新分类。由于知觉冲突尚未演化到实际的冲突,因此,这种分类方式更有利于管理者进行冲突管理。最后,本文提出了针对这种新型冲突分类的未来研究方向以及冲突管理建议。     

Patterns of Conflict About Risky Technologies

This paper examines taxonomies for classifying risks and conflicts about risky technologies. First, we describe six levels of conflict that represent various " shades of gray" between purely factual and purely value laden conflicts in technology disputes. Subsequently, we survey several recent taxonomies of risks and hazards that were at least partly intended to clarify the nature of the public conflicts about technologies and their risks. After pointing out that non-risk features frequently shape technology debates, we develop a taxonomy of the disputes themselves, based on a collection of 162 cases. Our taxonomy of technological controversies is related to the recent risk taxonomies and to the different levels of conflict. It turns out that the different technological disputes create quite different levels of conflict ranging from mainly factual (consumer products, drugs) to extremely value laden (nuclear power, genetic engineering). Depending on the type of controversy and level of conflict we suggest alternative conflict management strategies.     

The Role of Task and Process Conflict in Strategizing

The implementation of strategic initiatives is central to organizational success because it involves not just the execution of strategy, but also the formulation of strategy content. Yet, strategy implementation is complex, partially because it is critically affected by human dynamics. These dynamics are an integral but poorly understood aspect of how organizations negotiate multiple goals. Conflict is one dynamic that has received little attention in the context of strategy implementation. The authors address this gap by studying task and process conflict as a firm implements a strategy in real time. The study demonstrates that process conflict directs attention to problems with how to implement a strategy, while task conflict directs attention to problems with the content of the strategy. Critically, however, managers can only harness generative effects of conflict if they correctly diagnose process and task conflict, and respond to both forms of conflict. This requires an understanding of the entwined nature of task and process conflict, and highlights the necessity of aligning responses to these forms of conflict. Thus, this study offers conflict as one explanatory mechanism of how actors execute strategy and clarify strategy content.     

一种新的基于粗糙集理论的冲突分析模型

在PAWLAK提出的冲突系统中,局中人对争端的态度只有3种:肯定、否定或中立。这样的冲突系统提供的信息过于抽象,很难从该模型中了解局中人产生冲突的原因,更无法找到大多数局中人一致同意的方案。经深入研究,认为现实生活中的某些冲突系统,其局中人应具有自己的方案,而整个冲突系统应有领域专家提供的方案。同时,各争端之间可能存在相互制约关系。根据这些特点,在PAWLAK冲突系统模型的基础上,引入每个局中人的信息系统和可行方案、领域专家为冲突系统提供的信息系统和可行方案,以及冲突系统中各争端的约束条件和冲突系统的可行方案,从而得到一个新的基于粗糙集的冲突模型。同时,给出了一个求冲突系统可行方案的算法,并以实例说明新模型能较好地刻画现实在生活的某些冲突系统。     

Managing C-suite conflict: The unique impact of internal and external governance interfaces on top management team reflexivity

The ability of Top Management Teams (TMTs) to reflect critically on their own actions represents an important element of effective TMT decision making and governance effectiveness. This paper therefore examines how the TMT-board interface internal to the organization, as well as the TMT interface with the external supervisory authority, shape TMT reflexivity. Drawing from governance and psychological theories, we posit that cognitive conflict at the TMT-board interface can escalate by increasing levels of affective TMT-board conflict, and hereby, harm TMT reflexivity if not managed well. This proposition was tested in a multisource team-level data set collected in the field among TMTs (N = 111 TMT members) and their supervisory boards (N = 152 board members) of 56 Dutch insurance companies. The findings demonstrate that the link between cognitive and affective TMT-board conflict is mitigated by board membership influx. Yet in cases where conflict escalation does occur, its subsequent impact on TMT reflexivity hinges on the degree to which an external supervisory authority monitored TMT actions. The results illustrate that TMT decision making processes can be effectively influenced by internal and external TMT-governance interfaces, yet at different conflict stages, and through different governance actions.     

一个Pawlak粗糙集冲突分析模型的改进

本文在Pawlak冲突系统模型基础上,引入每个局中人的信息系统和可行方案,领域专家为冲突系统提供的信息系统和可行方案,冲突系统中各争端的约束条件和冲突系统的可行方案,得到一个新的基于粗糙集的冲突模型.同时给出一个求解冲突系统的可行方案的算法.最后,用实例说明了新模型的有效性.     

Part 2, Conflict management. How to shape positive relationships in medical practices and hospitals

Managing workplace conflict is one of the most important, stressful, and time-consuming tasks faced by today's physician leaders. In Part 1 of this article series, the authors describe how to assess an organization's interpersonal dynamics. True change comes from interventions that help an organization to become a positive interpersonal culture, one that fosters cooperation and collaboration. Part 2 offers seven steps to solving the disruptive physician problem: (1) provide protection to complainants; (2) listen, empathize, and avoid communication triangles; (3) confront offenders with data, authority, and compassion; (4) if needed, get outside help; (5) offer workplace training and experiences that foster positive relationships; (6) follow-up; and (7) practice what you preach. The self-assessment and intervention guidelines discussed in this series of articles can help physician executive move beyond struggling with episodes of conflict to shaping stress-resilient medical organizations.     

科技型人才聚集效应与组织冲突消减的研究

科技型人才聚集既可能出现1 1>2的积极作用(经济性效应),也可能出现组织冲突,增加内耗,产生1 1<2的消极作用(不经济性效应)。通过组织行为学和聚集经济等理论与方法,界定了科技型人才聚集效应的概念、特征;研究了科技型人才聚集中,产生组织冲突的人才个性特征冲突动因、人才沟通冲突动因、结构冲突动因、权利与利益冲突动因以及竞争环境动因。在此基础上,为消减科技型人才聚集中的组织冲突,充分发挥科技型人才作用,提出了有关化解和消减冲突的对策,对促进人才聚集现象向人才聚集效应转变提供了理论指导。     

The Price Chameleons Pay: Self‐monitoring,Boundary Spanning and Role Conflict in the Workplace*

The vast majority of research on self‐monitoring in the workplace focuses on the benefits that accrue to chameleon‐like high self‐monitors (relative to true‐to‐themselves low self‐monitors). In this study, we depart from the mainstream by focusing on a potential liability of being a high self‐monitor: high levels of experienced role conflict. We hypothesize that high self‐monitors tend to choose work situations that, although consistent with the expression of their characteristic personality, inherently involve greater role conflict (i.e. competing role expectations from different role senders). Data collected from a 116‐member high‐tech firm showed support for this mediation hypothesis: relative to low self‐monitors, high self‐monitors tended to experience greater role conflict in work organizations because high self‐monitors were more likely to occupy boundary spanning positions. To help draw a more realistic and balanced portrait of self‐monitoring in the workplace, we call for more theoretically grounded research on the price chameleons pay.     

企业高层管理者内部冲突和解决策略的实证研究

根据对企业高层管理者的调查结果,分析了高层管理者传记性特征、工作压力及情绪和认知冲突之间的关系。研究发现,随着年龄的增加,高层管理者体验到的工作压力会逐渐减少;学历越高,体验到的认知冲突越多;情绪冲突的增多也会引起认知冲突的增加;工作压力的大小与认知冲突呈正相关关系。另外,高层管理者重视以整合的方式解决冲突,其次也会选择竞争的方式处理冲突。     

三种角色压力对寿险代理人工作满意度的影响研究

本文以中国保险公司的寿险代理人作为研究对象,研究三种角色压力与员工工作满意度之间的关系.本文研究发现角色冲突、角色模糊性和工作家庭冲突对工作满意度的各个维度的影响效果是不同的,并且子女因素在三种角色压力与工作满意度各个维度关系中起调节作用.本文的研究发现不仅丰富了有关工作满意度研究领域的研究成果,而且对于保险公司改进员工工作满意度具有参考价值.     

组织冲突的结构因素研究

本文通过问卷调查的方式对组织冲突、组织结构因素以及它们之间的关系等方面的假设进行了实证考察,指出了组织冲突水平的衡量标准、管理层次、生命周期阶段、业务流程依存性等组织结构因素与组织冲突的关系。最后,提出了在组织冲突和组织结构因素等方面的管理政策建议。     

Conflict and cooperation: A revised model

The authors report one aspect of their study in which they observed and analysed the activities of 21 middle managers at work in five different manufacturing firms. Although originally incidental to the main purpose of their study, they soon observed patterns of conflict and cooperation between colleagues which were not consistent with previous reports. Incidences of cooperation were more frequent than had been expected. The paper analyses the cooperative incidents particularly within lateral contracts and proposes a revised model and calls for more balance in future research between conflict and cooperation.     

基于时间约束网络的项目实施冲突识别算法

提出了一种基于时间约束网络的项目实施冲突识算法。以项目实施网络连接的逻辑结构为基础,建立了项目实施过程网络。在定性时间约束和定量时间约束及其转换规则的基础上,提出了项目实施过程网络到时间约束网络的转换规则。分析了实施冲突,并建立了基于计算机的项目实施冲突识别算法。最后,运用上述方法对某软件系统设计及开发项目实施进行冲突检测。     

企业间冲突解决方式对关系绩效的实证研究

在时企业间冲突、伙伴关系和协调成本的文献综述的基础上,利用结构方程和配对数据探讨上游企业冲突解决方式与供应链关系持续性和协调成本之间的关系.研究结果表明.不同的厂商冲突解决方式对分销商伙伴关系和协调成本的影响不同,合作性冲突解决方式能促进关系的持续性和协调成本的降低,竞争性冲突解决方式和回避性冲突解决方式则负面影响伙伴关系.揭示了当今中国分销供应链运作中如何有效处理企业问冲突,进而促进供应链的有效运行.     

An Empirical Evaluation of Conflict in the Franchise System

This paper articulates the theoretical rationale for conflict in franchising, operationalizes conflict through the measurement of franchisee satisfaction and labels empirically supported stratified satisfaction levels. Two propositions are advanced in relation to the drivers of conflict in franchise systems. The first proposition is underpinned by relational exchange theory, which postulates that franchisee–franchisor goal congruence is important to the fulfilment of the alliance efficiencies which motivate inter-organizational forms. Cooperation, communication, coordination and commitment, as perceived by the franchisees, are used in the context of a survey instrument to operationalize goal congruence.
The second proposition involves franchisor-provided services. Transaction-cost analysis suggests that long-term contractual relationships must be flexibly interpreted and governed if the relationship is to be maintained over a series of transactions. We propose that the transactional intersection of the franchise system is in franchisor-provided services. The perceived importance and subsequent adequacy of delivery of these services established a tolerance zone within which transactions support and/or enhance the relationship between the franchisor and the franchisee.
The empirical objectives of the study are accomplished utilizing a questionnaire sent to nine franchise systems, to which 621 franchisees responded. Three clear clusters of franchisee conflict emerged in near equal proportions. The propositions are supported and illustrated empirically and in CHAID tree diagram form.