Title: Managing conflict in organisational change

Authors: Andres Kiitam; Allan McLay; Tōnu Pilli

Addresses: Department of Mechatronics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia ' School of Engineering, RMIT University, City Campus, P.O. Box 2476, Melbourne, Vic 3001, Australia ' EstoQual Enterprises Co. Pty. Ltd., P.O. Box 63, Forest Hill, Vic 3131, Australia

Abstract: Organisational change and conflict are two essential topics that engineering managers need to understand and have confidence in acting on, if they are to succeed in today's changing and increasingly competitive environment. This paper examines and dissects the elements of organisational change that almost inevitably result in conflict. Conflicts that impact on organisational change can act as a retardant to progress, creativity, innovation and productivity, and potentially precipitate the demise of an organisation. One of the many difficulties relating to organisational conflict is to define the division between conflict and competition. This paper explores what is known about the various states of conflict and presents an approach to addressing this problem, through identifying and subsequently managing institutional elements influencing organisational change and conflict.

Keywords: affective conflict; cognitive conflict; unrealistic conflict; consequential loss; Lewin; opportunities; problems; change management; conflict management; organisational change; competition.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2016.078575

International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, 2016 Vol.9 No.2, pp.114 - 134

Received: 28 May 2015
Accepted: 18 Feb 2016
Published online: 24 Aug 2016 *

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