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Summary

Chapter 10

Communication and Conflict

Conflict can be defined as an altercation between individuals or groups who hold different opinions on one subject and often aims to justify each party’s point of view. This chapter expounds on conflict matters in an organizational setting. The chapter also elaborates on several conflict styles that people can apply prior to finding other alternative options that third parties intervene in the process. Moreover, the chapter gives light on two detrimental forms of conflict that can arise in an organizational setting, usually on bullying and sexual harassment that involves coworkers.

Conflict may arise at various levels in institutions. Firstly, there is an intrapersonal conflict. Some of the day-to-day conflicts that people encounter in organizational settings are internally orchestrated based on varied expectations that people have on themselves. At times, those conflicts are subject to respective roles given to employees. The second level of conflict is interpersonal conflict. Antagonism between individuals stands higher chances of receiving much attention since they tend to be very visible. Interpersonal conflicts may involve conflicting individuals either in the same department or group. Thirdly, the intergroup conflict that usually involves group altercations, generally due to matters relating to inadequate resource distribution in an organization. Lastly, inter-organizational conflicts involve two or more conflicting organizations by hindering each other’s goal achievement.

People usually try to avoid conflict by accommodating others, competition, compromise, and collaboration. In cases where a dispute arises, it can always be resolved through communication. It is somewhat an unpredictable process as it entails negotiations bargain as conflicting parties try to find common ground on the matters at hand in the best ways that satisfy both parties. Methods of bargaining in conflict involve integrative strategies and distributive strategies. In conclusion, all people expect to be treated with absolute respect and civility when working. Still, some coworkers are fond of displaying behaviors that aim to humiliate, discourage, and harm their colleagues, usually through bullying and sexual harassment.

Chapter 11

Communication, Power, and Resistance

Chapter 11 elaborates on various issues linked to power and resistance in institutions. It concentrates on the significance of power exercise as a dynamic process arising between two parties instead of viewing power as subject to having control over another party. At the bottom of the human hierarchy or a more different power level, the most common exchangeable resources people often exchange are money, services, or status. Money, services, and class are not equally distributed; hence, based on people’s position, some tend to display a legitimate power, and can influence rewards with ease, or are more knowledgeable and experts. Personal characteristics may be subject to the manner in which they execute power with regards to others at the lower level.

On a structural level that is somewhat deeper, power is created into an organizational structure, not to mention the meaning that individuals obligate to how an institution operates. Such aspects are essential as they are assumptions that naturalize the usual way of executing tasks and more often represent a single entity (owners and upper management) as mutually beneficial. The adoption of power by such structures and meaning drives people to take part in their suppression through hegemonic engagement.

Since power is subject to an interaction instead of being absolute, people can resist or comply with attempts to exercise control, even though surface power is easily distinguishable from deep structure power. The most notable form that resistance may arise is decaf resistance, which is less significant on changes and often leads to adherence. Resistance can also be real in accounts where it challenges both power categories to facilitate growth.

Chapter 12

Communication and Work-Nonwork Issues

People often presume that organizational or work roles are primal and that people’s roles in an organization or work runs independently from any other obligation a person might be having. That is not always the case. People have to deal with conflicts relating to multiple work roles. At the same time, they more often experience antagonism while attending to work roles and other life roles. An example of such roles includes one being a volunteer or even a family member. Chapter 12 is about communication matters associated with work and life roles intersection.

Chapter 12 explores work and nonwork life intersections. It is quite usual for individuals to balance life riles and work because of conflicts relating to time, strain, or behavior, between their roles. Such disputes are subject to overheating based on various social norms that catalyze overcommitment to job roles. Examples of those conflicts include technology norms, ideal workers, consumerism, motherhood, and individualism. They negatively influence job and life satisfaction. Individuals overcome such conflicts by employing ways that aim to balance and separate work and life roles and integrate those conflicts to end up somewhere between those extremes. The vast majority of the people have enrichment roles in accounts where they take part in social activities. The presence of such positions necessitates the need to balance different life roles. Some people prioritize life enrichment roles, but, at the same time, these roles pose duties over-load, leading a significant number of people to consider it as least important.

References