Question

1 - conflict in organizations

learning objective: classify the types and levels of conflict found in organizations.

in a candle factory, which of the following situations best illustrates affective conflict?

a.) a manager and an employee have a strong disagreement over a projects timeline.

b.) two employees exhibit strong negative emotions and hostility toward each other, causing disruption in the team.

c.) two team members engage in a spirited debate about the best approach to a project.

d.) a group of colleagues collectively works to address and resolve a challenging customer complaint.

Explanation:

Define affective conflict

Within Organizational Behavior, conflict is generally categorized into cognitive (task-oriented) and affective (relationship-oriented) conflict. Affective conflict refers to interpersonal friction, personal animosities, incompatibility, and negative emotions such as anger, distrust, or hostility between individuals.

Analyze the given scenarios

• Scenario a: A disagreement over a project's timeline represents a task-oriented or substantive disagreement, which is a form of cognitive conflict.
• Scenario b: Two employees exhibiting strong negative emotions and hostility toward each other directly describes interpersonal friction and emotional clash, which is the definition of affective conflict.
• Scenario c: A spirited debate about the best approach to a project is a constructive, task-focused discussion, representing cognitive conflict.
• Scenario d: Colleagues working together to resolve a customer complaint is a collaborative problem-solving effort, not an interpersonal conflict.

Select the correct option

Scenario b is the only option that describes interpersonal hostility and negative emotional dynamics, making it the correct illustration of affective conflict.

Answer:

• a.) A manager and an employee have a strong disagreement over a project's timeline.
• b.) Two employees exhibit strong negative emotions and hostility toward each other, causing disruption in the team. (Correct answer)
• c.) Two team members engage in a spirited debate about the best approach to a project.
• d.) A group of colleagues collectively works to address and resolve a challenging customer complaint.