There are six parts to this chapter (see study/lecture outline) which relate to either conflict or the negotiation process. However, it is mostly about three things: 1) the conflict process model that is illustrated in Exhibit 11.2, 2) the five conflict management styles, and 3) how to resolve conflict through negotiation. If you find a very close relationship between those three parts, there is a good reason for that. The conflict management styles closely approximate the classic negotiator styles as well. Moreover, negotiating is essentially the process of resolving differences between people or groups. These differences can arise out of a number of factors, but we’ll just stick to the six sources presented in the chapter.

In the first part, you learn about the ways conflict is revealed. That’s the manifest conflict box. Next, the positive and negative outcomes of conflict are discussed. The bad kind of conflict is called relationship, and to minimize it three suggestions are offered. It’s this kind of conflict that leads to dysfunctional behaviour, and is problematic for organizations wishing to be effective.

In the second part, you are introduced to five interpersonal conflict management styles depicted in Exhibit 11.3. These are placed on an X-Y axis (assertiveness and cooperativeness). It’s ok to be cooperative sometimes, but sometimes one needs to be assertive instead – it depends. Some suggestions are given as to which styles are most appropriate and under which conditions. In this part, there’s also a section that looks at various approaches that can be used to address the structural sources of conflict.

The last part of the chapter deals with intervention and the negotiation process, beginning with the three most common types of third-party interventions. Next, you are introduced to the bargaining zone model in Exhibit 11.6. This is a good model to study and apply when you decide to buy your next (first?) car or home. Negotiations don’t happen in a vacuum, or as systematically as the model would suggest. Therefore, there is some discussion of the process along with the best distributive and integrative strategies to use. The chapter closes with a comparison between expert and average negotiators. We know they behave differently, and a look at the table in Exhibit 11.7 makes that clear.