In the second stage of the Tuckman model comes the Storming, which requires what is called Conflict Management, which is the process of identifying conflicts between members of the same group and effectively dealing with them to reach the most favorable results and to avoid destructive conflicts (De Dreu et al., 2001). There are two types of disputes that occur between group members, which are as follows:
Functional Conflict:
According to Amason (196), It can be defined as a healthy conflict between work team members in which different points of view are shared that benefit the work.
How to deal with it? Organizations have to work to promote this type; where this type works to find different and new solutions.
Dysfunctional Conflict:
It can be defined as a personal conflict that leads to a decrease or lack of communication between work team members. This type of conflict imbalances the quality and efficiency of the work team (Amason, 1996).
How to deal with it? Organizations must find a quick solution to this type of conflict; as the gap increases, the more I, which always leads to poor results.
Application On Bechtel Group
According to Smith (199), the methods of dealing with conflicts in mega projects—such as the Jubail Industrial City project—differ from those of dealing with conflicts in small groups regarding mechanism and implementation. Bechtel has implemented a strict system of checks and balances, the main component of which is the reporting chains of operational groups and at the departmental level (Bechtel, 2019).
Department managers supervise the integration of work among team members and send their reports to the higher level, through project managers, to the program manager. Coordination meetings are held that impose the concept of teamwork and ensure that problems are addressed immediately. In light of the semi-separate sharing of responsibilities among the members of the same team, conflict is almost limited, as each individual has the power to decide on the matters assigned to him (Smith, 1991).
How Bechtel Came To This Conclusion:
Companies with long experience managing people have many ways to overcome conflict constructively; according to (Smith, 1991), BECHTEL had to focus on the conflicts between the members of the same team and encourage different points of view because it always comes with great benefit, and assigning responsibilities according to the capabilities of people working to increase specialization within the work team, so everyone knows their responsibilities. Still, if a conflict occurs between two persons, it meets with them and solves the problem quickly before it escalates.
Conclusion
According to (Influence & Persuasion, 2018), Conflicts can occur between members of the work team as a result of multiple reasons, such as the difference in goals between them; if the conflict is functional, it will be in the interest of the organization, as for the dysfunctional strife, it must be resolved in the best and most successful way because conflicts that are not appropriately managed affect the productivity of the organization, as success in organizations depends on the extent of understanding of its employees.
References
Amason, A. C. (1996). Distinguishing the effects of functional and dysfunctional conflict on strategic decision making: Resolving a paradox for top management teams. Academy of Management Journal, 39(1), 123-148.
Bechtel. (2019). Corporate Compliance Committee.
https://www.bechtel.com/about-us/ethics-compliance/oversight-assessment/corporate-compliance/
De Dreu, C. K., Evers, A., Beersma, B., Kluwer, E. S., & Nauta, A. (2001). A theory‐based measure of conflict management strategies in the workplace. Journal of Organizational Behavior: The International Journal of Industrial, Occupational and Organizational Psychology and Behavior, 22(6), 645-668.
Influence & Persuasion. (2018). Difference between functional and dysfunctional conflicts [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unL8ScUo5K0 (4:33)
Smith, J. C. (1991). Mega-project construction management--the Corps of Engineers and Bechtel Group in Saudi Arabia (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).