Towards Organizational Conflict

M. Afzalur Rahim is Professor of Management at Western Kentucky University. He holds B.Com. (Hons.) and M.Com, M.B.A., and Ph.D. degrees. Dr. Rahim teaches courses on organizational behavior, strategic management, and management of organizational conflict. He is the author of over 65 articles and book chapters, five cases, and three research instruments on conflict and power. He is the author of six books, four of which are on conflict management. He is the editor of the International Journal of Conflict Management and the International Journal of Organizational Analysis. He is the founder of the International Association for Conflict Management and President of the International Conference on Advances in Management.

This article summarizes the desertion that was made by Rahim him published by journal of international conflict management in 2002, VoL. 13. No.3. …. Under the title called “TOWARD A

THEORY OF MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT……”

The purpose of his study is to design a guide line for a level of conflict at which it could be functional; and how they could be managed in different organizational conflict situation in different level to increase organizational learning. According to Him, a comprehensive study of conflict must diagnosis the level of conflict in organization, the source and its management style. And their analysis the amount of substantive and affective conflict and handling style at different level as to weather they differ from their corresponding norm; the relationship of conflict style to organizational learning and effectiveness he also said the result of diagnosis should indicate weather intervention is needed or type of intervention needed, if any. Rahim argued against the approaches that conflict must be avoided at all cost and these managers who argued conflicts disrupt the organization and prevent optimal performance. He pointed that a synthesis of these viewpoints regarding the usefulness of conflict, are necessary and...