CONFLICT

Team decision-making integrates more information and resources; there are advantages of multiple input. However, decision making in teams is not always pleasant. Team decision-making causes conflict. But surprisingly it may have a negative or a positive outcomes. The conflict can influence a great solution and decision, or it can cause failure for the team. ‘Thus conflict is a pivotal variable in team decision-making process’ (Lang, 2008)
Conflict is common, natural, and inevitable. People have different opinions, different interests especially on the one idea, and different understandings and knowledge. Management of negative conflict issues should be already organised before a conflict can arise in a workplace. Knowing the methods of solving a problem is a great way of being prepared to work out the best outcomes for both parties.
In our group, there is much conflict, we do not always decide on the same thing. This can always be a problem because working as a team; the people need to be aiming for a common goal with the same steps in mind. Therefore when conflict arises there needs to be compromise, and the interests of the task need to be the priority…always.
Conflict in terms of employee and employer disagreements is an important factor as we enter into the workplace. Decisions and conflicting ideas on wages, certain tasks to be completed, the success of these tasks and job satisfaction are a major impact on our employments. Dealing with conflict should be done maturely and in a procedural manner.
In business, there are certain factors involved in employment relations. Making sure that the human resource cycle is flowing properly, Acquisition, Development, Maintenance and Separation are done properly.
Acquisition involves recruitment and selection; making sure the employee is being trained and acquiring skill and knowledge is Development; monetary and non-monetary rewards and performance appraisal is Maintenance and redundancy, retrenchment and dismissal are forms of separation. All these aspects have a potential for conflict, such as an employee not being satisfied with a job, or the wages he has been receiving, or the treatment he has been having at work, or the dismissal was unfair or the redundancy or retrenchment packages are not met or satisfactory. These matters are serious and needing to be consulted.
There are rights and responsibilities clearly stated in contracts and legislation. Contracts are important for mutual decision-making before anything legal occurs; there are employee and employer rights and responsibilities known in the business world, and legislation such as the Workplace Relations Act, Equal employment opportunity and anti-discrimination laws and occupational health and safety laws to help when conflict arises.

From
D. Sykes, V. Hansen and E. Codsi, Business Studies Preliminary, Melbourne: Addison Wesley Longman Pty Ltd, 2000


LANG Chungang, XI Youmin, GUO Shiyi, Impact of team conflict on team decision quality
and satisfaction: An empirical research in China, Front. Bus. Res. China 2008, 2(1):1–14
DOI 10.1007/s11782-008-0001-z


Ka Wai Chan & Xu Huang & Peng Man Ng, Managers’ conflict management styles and employee attitudinal outcomes: The mediating role of trust, Asia Pacific J Manage (2008) 25:277–295 DOI 10.1007/s10490-007-9037-4