Conflict in project management is inevitable. The potential for conflict in information systems development projects is usually high because it involves individuals from different backgrounds and orientations working together to complete a complex task. The cause of conflict in team projects can be related to differences in values, attitudes, needs, expectations, perceptions, resources, and personalities. Proper skills in dealing with conflict can assist project managers and other organization members to handle and effectively resolve conflicts which can lead to a more productive organization.
(Landman. H., 2008)
Good project managers realize that conflicts are inevitable, but that good procedures or techniques can help resolve them. Once a conflict occurs, the project manager must study the problem and collect all available information, develop a situational approach or methodology and Set the appropriate atmosphere or climate. (Lev, B., 2008)
Clashes are not kidding differences that develop inside of the task group amid the execution of a product venture. They might emerge because of differences over needs, assignment of assets, nature of work (Gray and Larson, 2000) or different reasons.
Clashes might be alluring (particularly, when they clear ambiguities or when they raise worries around a specific issue or trap) or can impede the execution of a task (e.g. at the point when both sides in strife aren’t right in the level headed discussion concerned). Alluring clashes are frequently alluded to as useful clashes while undesirable clashes are likewise called broken clashes. Struggle determination aptitudes are essential for a product venture chief to keep practices of colleagues from worsening into beyond reconciliation circumstances that might preclude them from constantly cooperating profitably once more
If a confrontation meeting is necessary between conflicting parties, then the project manager should be aware of the logical steps and sequence of events that should be taken.
These include:
Setting the climate: establishing a willingness to participate
● analyzing the images: how do you see yourself and others, and how do they see you?
● collecting the information: getting feelings out in the open
● defining the problem: defining and clarifying all positions
● sharing the information: making the information available to all
● setting the appropriate priorities: developing working sessions for setting priorities
And timetables
● organizing the group: forming cross-functional problem-solving groups
Problem-solving: obtaining cross-functional involvement, securing commitments,
And setting the priorities and timetable
● developing the action plan: getting commitment
● implementing the work: acting on the plan
● following up: obtaining feedback on the implementation for the action plan
Negotiation
Negotiation in Project Management is a good conflict resolution skill, while there are issues. A project manager should ensure that they listen to both the parties and make decisions in a fair manner and both parties know about this. (William, J., 1997)
Negotiation skills are important to project managers because of interaction with these forces:
• Positional authority of project managers
• Team member reporting structures
• Organizational structures
• Shared resources
• The effects of a dictatorial style
• Multi-cultural project teams
• Global project teams
• Suppliers and manufacturing partners
• Customers.
Substantive issues that need to be negotiated include:
• Terms
• Conditions
• Prices
• Dates
• Numbers
• Liabilities.
Figure 4: Negotiation Life Cycle
Types of Negotiation
Integrative Negotiation
Integrative negotiations are also known as “win-win” negotiations. This is because the expanded list of items being negotiated makes it possible for each side to claim items that have value this is because the expanded list of items being negotiated makes it possible for each side to claim items of value from that side’s perspective.
Distributive Negotiation
Distributive negotiations are also known as “win-lose” negotiations. This is because each party’s objective is to maximize its share of the resource being allocated. If the amount of resources is fixed, the only way one party can win is if the other party loses. It is not possible for both to “win” the distributive negotiation. “Zero-sum” and “fixed pie” are other names for distributive negotiations. (Westland, J., 2006).
Organizational effectiveness
One ought to be discerning of the way that authoritative society has a few critical capacities. An association with a predominant society characterizes the limit which constrains the conduct of its individuals; it passes on a feeling of personality among its individuals; it encourages the era of duty; it improves inside social framework solidness and holds the association together; it additionally serves as a sense-production and control system; and it aides and shapes the state of mind and conduct of the individuals from the association (Farago and Skyrme, 1995). It is consequently imperative for programming venture chiefs to comprehend the corporate society, the authoritative motion and the individual they are managing (Belzer, 2004)
Stress management
Pain can be destructive to the degree that it can prompt the accompanying issues that might influence one’s wellbeing and in the meantime hamper advancement of the task:
• Physical issues like agony, tiredness, colds, a sleeping disorder, dazedness, sickness, palpitations and sweating.
• Emotional issues like uneasiness, blame and absence of control, annoyance, wretchedness, cynicism, crabbiness, silly reasons for alarm and hatred.
• Mental issues like poor memory and focus, negative contemplations, perplexity and loss of comical inclination. Stress sufferers can lose up to half of their fitness to perform their occupations (Chapman, 2001).
• Behavioral issues like smoking, crying, squirming, liquor addiction, lashing out and shouting.