Intergroup Conflict
Intergroup conflict may be caused by competition for resources, goal incompatibility, time incompatibility, and contentious influence tactics. There are activities that organizations can participate in to reduce or prevent competition between groups.
- Resources: Resources (e.g., budgets, personnel, physical space) are generally limited within organizations so that competition for resources between groups is often unavoidable.
- Goal Incompatibility: Goal incompatibility occurs when the goals of two or more groups are in direct opposition such that one group will achieve its goal while the other group(s) will be unable to meet the goal. Goal incompatibility may be distinguished between real goal incompatibility and perceived goal incompatibility.
- Time Incompatibility: Work groups perform different tasks, have different goals, and interact with different customers such that groups will have different time frames or deadlines in which they operate.
- Contentious Influence Tactics: Contentious influence tactics (e.g., threats, demands, and other negative behaviours) may be used to attempt to influence others from another group creating cycles of retaliation and influencing the opinions of those within their own group (e.g., creating bad reputations).
Read more about this topic: Group Behaviour
Famous quotes containing the word conflict:
“Sometimes the children who are no problem to their parents should be looked at more closely. This is especially true if those children are extremely obedient and have few friends their own age. A good self-concept allows children to explore the world, risk engaging in conflict and failing. Children who play it safe by never disobeying or risking conflict may be telling you that they feel unqualified to face the world head-on.”
—Lawrence Kutner (20th century)