WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1-CONFLICT MANGEMENT

UMUC HRMN365 WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1

Instructions: Locate an article describing the resolution of a recent business conflict. This article must be from a newspaper, academic journal, or credible online news source.

Cite the complete and proper APA reference for the article(s).

Use proper APA citations within the text as well as on a References page.

Explain what is meant by “the costs of conflict”?

From the viewpoint of the participants, what were the costs of this specific conflict?

If resolved, what strategies were used in the resolution?

If not resolved, what strategies would you recommend?

In responding, you must cite a minimum of three sources, one of which you identify as your key source for this recent business conflict. The other two sources support your discussion and responses to the assignment requirement

Small family-owned and operated businesses generate over 80 percent of the US gross domestic product (Garkovich et al.,1995). Subsequently, more than 600,000 new businesses are small business. Of the 600,000 new businesses, family owned business make up ninety percent of this figure. Family owned co-entrepreneurship is one of the factors that make them unique. The concept of family and firm is different from conventional or non-family- owned small business but family owned business has very challenging conflicts in contrast to non-family owned businesses. One company in particular, American harness racing industry had to overcome challenges of occupational sex segregation, interpersonal conflict and gender neutral work position struggles.

Harness racing industries early on were mostly male dominated business. The trainers, drivers and racehorse owners were primarily men with the exception of a few independent women workers. As standard-bred horses increased and more race tracks opened over the decades, positions such as trainer, driver and race horse owner became more and more gender neutral. Harness racing family businesses usually started out as co-trainer partnership between married couples and progressed to a co-owner hierarchy. Conflicts are prevalent in husband and wife occupational relationships, the further they succeed the hierarchy the difficult it was to avoid conflicts.

During stages of co-trainer amongst married partners, conflict can become severe, seemingly because of unresolved family or firm disagreements. The attempt to minimize conflict results in working on different task or different places to avoid conflict. Depending on how partnerships are segregated, vertically (same occupation but different stages of the career ladder) or horizontal (different occupations) are factors that led to conflicts as well as occupational sex segregation. American harness racing industries actively has conflicts as a result of occupational sex segregation. Females are giving jobs that aren’t as predominant as their male counterparts and the pay inequalities of martial co-trainers (male vs. female in general) are disparities that cause conflicts. Harness racing industries weren’t considered gender neutral positions decades earlier and that unchanged mindset still causes friction between marital owners today.

Each of the gender neutral positions such as trainer, breeder, driver, and horse race owner are seen as masculine position with wives helping or assisting their husbands as a separate entity. Although, husband and wife are equal partners and owners, the consensus was that males are seen as the decision-maker and sole proprietor by most customers and employees. Often times the harness racing male owner would make important decision without collaborating with his co-partner and this led to turmoil. The concept is typically accepted by males and manifested by those that prefer being the authority figurehead with their spouses in charge of decisions made at home. In some co-owner relationships the spouses would concede to the idea of positional power to avoid conflicts. Adjustments of some spouse’s to the idea of their husbands being the key decision aren’t welcomed. Majority of women were essentially dominant in their home lives which transferred over to business and the perceived power they had over their marital partners. A common ground could be found for those relationships with exceptional interpersonal skills but partners without good interpersonal skillsets struggled with conflict resolution.

Family owned and operated businesses have greater challenges of maintaining great interpersonal relationships. As with, American harness racing industry tumultuous work, social and family home environments are often times the cause conflicts. Disagreements about the direction of the business, financial stability, and depression and family arguments are common occurrences in this family owned business. Without the separation of family and firm weak interpersonal skills typically are disastrous for these entities.

The cost of conflict examines the economic, social, developmental, strategic and environmental costs associated in respects to parties involved in the conflict. Cost conflicts of occupational sex segregation facilitated unequal treatment, contributed to lower wages for women and lesser authority with less responsibility. This division of sexes further complicated work dynamics and home relationship which incited stressful environments for employees of harness racing industry. Gender neutral issues often made employees feel incompetent, isolated and not accepted which stifled decision making. Their commitment levels were lower which led to poor performance and none productivity. Harness racing lacked interpersonal skills this resulted to lack in communication, communication breakdown, in fighting, aggressive attitudes and occupational sabotage. The business was on a decline until the American harness industry found ways to manage conflicts.

American harness racing industry used effective conflict resolution techniques to resolve occupational sex segregation, gender neutrality and interpersonal issues. Mediation or third party assistance was used to resolve issues between husband and wife co-ownership disputes. Clear and concise duties and responsibilities were outlined and payment matched job responsibilities. An influx of female employees were hired which balanced out the male to female ratio workforce. A comprehensive human resources element was adopted to handle employee grievances and customer complaints. Effective communication training techniques were incorporated and a life consultant was added to the staff. This gave management and employees an outlet to discuss work or relationships issues without retribution. Instead of segregating by sex, more of the upper management duties were divided evenly by management experience.

Reference:

Garkovich, L., Bokemeier, J.L. and Foote, B. (1995) Harvest of Hope: Family Farming/

Farming Families. Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky.

Larsen, E. A. (2006). The Impact of Occupational Sex Segregation on Family Businesses: The Case of American Harness Racing. Gender, Work & Organization, 13(4), 359-382. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0432.2006.00312.

Marchand, J. F., & Hock, E. (2000). Avoidance and Attacking Conflict-Resolution Strategies among Married Couples: Relations to Depressive Symptoms and Marital Satisfaction. Family Relations, (2). 201.