Management and Organizational Behavior

The Concept of Conflict and Negotiation 6 4. Organizational Culture, Impact on Paired Areas and Apple Inc. as Case Study 8 4. Organizational Culture Model 8 4. Apple Inc. While the terms “group” and “team” are usually used interchangeably in most studies, a few pieces of literature have delineated the distinct areas each concept is relevant. As Zlate (2008, p. cites Schein (1965), “a group is a representation of many people who interact one another, are psychologically aware of their interdependence and work towards achieving their set objectives. ” Conversely, work team is a typical primary group formed based on the principles of unity, human relations, member adherence, cohesion, personal commitment and the convergence of efforts for the execution of tasks that constitute a joint work (Preda, 2006). Unlike a workgroup, a team is a special type of group consisting of two or more persons with complementary skills necessary to carry out a common task they are undertaking voluntarily or have been assigned with equal responsibilities.

Huczynski, Buchanan and Huczynski (2013) identify the confusion and uncertainties surrounding the formation stage and points out that the group members are usually anxious and uncertain about the purpose of the group because of the lack of clarity and focus. Zoltan and Vancea (2015) are on the view that overcoming this problem involves defining roles and responsibilities, discussing and setting group goals, outlining the general group rules and identifying the available resources the group will use to achieve its objectives. Bonebright (2010) observes that the storming stage is characterized by conflict and completion because the group members now have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and are confident to address some of the important issues emerging in the group. Yang and Guy (2011) recommends that to avoid the acrimony at this stage can be avoided by clarifying issues revolving around leadership and authority, rules, responsibilities as well as the structure of the group.

Sutherland and Stroot (2010) adds that resolving the issues in the storming stage establish cohesion and increase supportiveness among the group members while Tseng and Ku (2011) remarks that the cohesion in the group ushers in the norming stage of the group where members establish the rules, guidelines, and procedures of the group to cement unity in the group. According to Gilley and Kerno (2010), collaborative work achieves superior results including high employee commitment, increased productivity, and improved shareholder equity and customer satisfaction. Nonetheless, as individuals come together to form groups and teams, their differences concerning values, power and attitudes create conflicts. These conflicts severely affect the organizational effectiveness and hamper change (Rahim, 2017) and thus need to be urgently addressed. The Concept of Conflict and Negotiation As established in the preceding section, conflicts are bound to arise during the storming stage of group development majorly due to the diverse individual perceptions, attitudes, and values (Thomas, 2008).

Tajfel (2010) delimits the three types of conflicts which constitute the intergroup conflict: relational conflict, task conflict and process conflict. However, as Demirbag et al. and Behfar et al. remarks, it is highly undesirable and idealistic to expect a conflict-free workplace. While high levels of conflict are detrimental to the organizational effectiveness, mild levels of conflicts are healthy for the organizational goals through spurring initiatives and innovations. The failure to take appropriate measures to address conflict as soon as it arises can make the situation to escalate and go beyond control. as Case Study 4. Organizational Culture Model Organizational culture is a set of shared assumptions which define the appropriate behavior for various situations to guide what happens in an organization (Ravasi and Schultz, 2006).

Many researchers have pointed out how organizational culture influences the way various people and groups interact with each other, with customers and stakeholders. Precisely, an organizational culture reflects the four essential traits of organizations as depicted by Denison’s (1990) Culture and Effectiveness Model: Adaptability, Involvement, Consistency, and Mission. Cameron and Quinn (2011) contend that the model is based on the competing values framework which is the foundational framework for understanding the corporate culture. The company has rapidly expanded and is now one of the biggest employers in the US economy with the employee base of 123,000 as of June 2018 (Fortune, 2017). According to Apple Inc. in the fourth quarter of 2012, Apple Inc. was reported to have a market share of 44% of tablets, 25% of smartphones and 35% of personal computers.

In light of Tuckman’s (1965) model for group formation, Apple’s group and team formation is critical to its success. However, Apple has been having constant internal conflict which has somewhat been threatening its organizational effectiveness. Cooper (2013) reports that employees have been creating a constant conflict over long working hours and the delay in their salaries. Lashinsky (2012) notes that the intergroup conflicts in Apple Inc. has had a negative effect on its overall productivity due to constant lawsuits. Apple’s executive have been acknowledging their mistakes meted on their workers in China and used apology as suggested by Moran et al. Kolb (2013) emphasizes on the need for managers to manage the group and team conflict effectively while Kozlowski (2018) outlines appropriate ways to enhance the effectiveness of groups and teams for organizational success.

Dewulf et al. and Halevy (2008) suggest negotiation as the appropriate approach to resolving conflicts among groups. In light of Apple Inc. ’s case study, it is evident that teams and groups in an organization trigger conflicts which has a direct impact on organizational culture, notwithstanding the numerous benefits they bring to the company. E. and Kim, P. H. Small worlds, infinite possibilities? How social networks affect entrepreneurial team formation and search.  Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 1(1‐2), pp. Peterson, R. S. Mannix, E. A. and Trochim, W. L. Buono, A. F. A primer on organizational behavior (4th Ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. and Quinn, R. E.  Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the competing values framework. John Wiley & Sons. Champoux, J.

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