A 3 page paper discussing the role of power and power dynamics in conflict situations with a business and a union. Each side approaches negotiations with little real respect for the other but with the realization that the other side has the power to significantly alter the company's business results for some time in the future. Though their attempts at establishing a common ground of basic agreement is sound, first they should establish a common goal that everyone can place in front of them, see as desirable and work to achieve. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
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said and written about corporate culture, and the readings for Unit 4 serve to illustrate the extent to which an organizations culture colors its behavior and response to issues.
The scenarios presented by Schmidt (2000) illustrate the maxim that individuals can find essentially anything they want to find in specific situations. Both management and the union at Hillside
appear to be intent on seeking out every unattractive trait or event from under every rock they can find to overturn. The Hillside case well illustrates Wilmots (2001) discussion
of the relational view of power. Powers Role Wilmot (2001) states that in conflict, every participant will believe that the other side has
"more" power. "Because each person in the conflict so often believes that he or she is in the low-power position, the conflict escalates" (Wilson 111).
Schmidts (2000) presentation of inter-group conflict at Elco Corporation illustrates a scenario much simpler than union involvement. Though Elcos management chose not to take the simple
route, there were several approaches that it could have taken to forming and solidifying cohesion among organizational groups, urging each to strive for a larger goal rather than be and
show concern only for their own interests. The same type of scenario exists with union negotiations, and assessing the unions complaints in terms
of Wilmots (2001) caveat could have done much to overcome the conflict present between it and Hillsides management. Clearly, each side believed that the other had greater effective power
in the situation. The union and the workers it represents believe - or at least profess to believe - that "Management cares only for production, people be damned" (Schmidt
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