Managing Workplace Conflict and Collaboration (MGTS3602)

This task comprises of exercises, cases, and simulations that are completed in seminars. 

Portfolio:

This is a portfolio of in-seminar activities. Students will be required to complete (a/an) assigned reading/written learning exercises (a) before seminars and (b) any related written exercises and analysis (e.g. for cases, exercises and simulations) in the seminars. If you have not read the assigned pre-reading, it may impact on your performance in the in-seminar activities.

In addition, the seminar exercises (e.g. cases and simulations-etc) will be completed and submitted in the seminars. Students will complete seminar exercises (e.g. cases and simulations-etc) throughout the semester beginning from Week 4. Although students will complete the in-seminar exercises from Week 4, ONLY YOUR BEST SIX in-seminar exercises (e.g. cases and simulations-etc) will form the portfolio assessment. Each activity is weighted 5% . There will be 6 activities for the portfolio which is 30% of the total course weighting.

This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Conflict Management: Theory and Practice - Please see detailed marking rubrics on the Course Blackboard

This is a team assignment. The assignment (i.e. a report) is 2000 words exactly in length and it is worth 40% of the total course mark. The assignment is due on 4th October, 2024. Please note that a peer assessment of 5 marks is included in the weighting of the team assignment. The primary aim of the assignment is to enable students to see the intricate connection between theory and practice in workplace conflict processes, conflict management and collaborations through a case method. Cases are known to provide a context to experience real-world challenges that are enveloped in complicated processes and uncertainties. The cases are therefore a strong teaching tool and a platform where students engage in experiential learning process by getting them to teach themselves and each other. Altogether, the cases (especially in conflict management) help the students to learn the value of:

• responding actively and constructively to the conflicts in organisations,
• gaining multiple perspectives on situations by using theory, concepts and research findings, and seeking collaboration where possible
• recognizing that a situation may involve many problems and that different stakeholders will most likely experience divergent views and problems
• develop an action orientation and a willingness to take some calculated risks when information is not complete,
• appreciate the complexity of translating proposed solutions into comprehensive and detailed plans for action and
• seeking to understand the consequences and limits of managerial actions.

Background to the Assignment

 Often, family businesses connote small businesses. However, family businesses vary in sizes ranging from small to large businesses. In particular, family businesses include some of the largest and longest surviving businesses, not only in Australia, but around the world. The major names in family businesses that readily come to mind in Australia include Packer, Lowy, Murdoch, Smorgon and Myer (see Kras, FBA). In Australia, family businesses constitute 67% of all private sector firms and employ 50% of the workforce. Recent surveys estimate the combined wealth of family businesses in Australia at $4.3 trillion, over 3.5 times the value of all companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (Kras, FBA).

The Key Tasks:

1. As a team, you will need to decide on a medium to large family business organisation (see more details at https://familybusinessassociation.org/) where disagreement/conflict is a major problem. The disagreement/conflict may be between individuals, team members or may be at the organisational level. It may also encompass all levels of the organisation. In deciding on what organisation to examine as a case study, you may want to first of all consult newspaper articles or the Australian Stock Exchange List for medium to large Family Business organizations for live-cases to get a quick impression of what family business organisation that may be currently experiencing conflict.
2. You may then follow this up with a web search to know more about the organisation and possible face to face interactions with the organisational members. You may even interview organisational members about the major conflict to get an in-depth perspective on the conflict. Before a decision is made to study a given family business organisation (e.g. Ray White, Environclean Australia, Aroma Café, Golden Ox Restaurant and Pillow Talk) as a live case, you will need to discuss this with your facilitator and/or course co-ordinator. They will ensure that the case is rich enough for your analysis. The family businesses that you can study are not limited to those in Australia. You can study family businesses from your own country as well. No two teams are able to study the same case for the purpose of the assignment. The course coordinator and facilitator will keep a list of the cases (live or written) and the team that has nominated to work on each of the cases. Nomination for each of the cases will be on "first come, first serve" basis. Nomination to study a written or live case should be completed by Teaching Week 3. Please consult the facilitator before you lock down the organisation of your choice for the assignment.
3. Based on the content of MGTS3602 learning activities, you will determine the major issues (e.g. culture, emotions, face saving/threat, power, climate, third party, conflict management approaches etc) in your case. More information will be provided on the process of analysing a case during the semester.
4. Also, outline the triggers (e.g. contextual and technological) of the conflict, the conflict process (i.e. how the conflict unfolds) and aspects of the conflict management approaches that parties employed in managing the conflict.
5. Then, conduct a comprehensive review of literature on the major issues as evident in your case.
6. During your literature review, you must isolate a theory (e.g. cooperative and competitive theory; social identity theory, social exchange theory, conservation of resources theory ) or a set of theories that best explain the issues and behaviours of the characters in your case. You are NOT limited to the theories that will be discussed in the course. If you are in doubt, talk to your facilitator. Preferably, use one or at most two theories as an anchor for your assignment. Please refer to the Assignment Writing Guide on the Course website especially for a detailed guidance on how to structure literature review for your report. The librarian will assist you in locating the relevant databases for your literature review.
7. You may interview relevant organisational member(s) about the major conflict challenge that you have identified in this small family business to get an in-depth perspective on the problem. You will NEED to review literature before you conduct your interview. Also excerpts from your interview could be used to buttress your discussions and arguments. Please note that the interview is NOT compulsory.
8. Then, you will critically examine the conflict management/collaborative behaviours of the parties involved in your case. For example, given the conflict episode in your case and its related issues, you may want to examine the influence of the differing conflict communication styles on the conflict interactions, behaviours and outcomes.
9. Next, based on the learning issues in this course, you will determine whether or not the conflicting parties have managed the conflict successful or unsuccessfully. Did it end in collaboration?
10. Also, you will suggest at least two alternative ways in which the conflict management strategies and/or the conflict communication styles as used in your conflict episode could have been improved and why. Where appropriate, you should outline the extent to which the solutions depend on the characteristics of the conflicting parties (e.g. differences in personality, characteristics of the third party, the team climate, organisational environment (national and international) and the features of communication styles (e.g. level of assertiveness etc.)
11. A clear and concise articulation of the connection between conflict theory & practice must be made. For example, in your report it must be evident that you are logically connecting theory with your conflict case and especially using relevant literature for your connections. Please note: You must use relevant theory (including a thorough literature review using quality journal articles) to buttress your arguments throughout the report.
12. Identify three learning issues that you have taken away as an individual or team from the case analysis.
13. Evaluation: Report rubrics and peer evaluation will be enforced. Please see the course blackboard for rubrics and peer evaluation form.

Process:

Team Size: Teams should consist of 3 students

Team composition: Preferably, the team should be diverse in terms of gender, ethnicity and age.

Report Outline: Draw a report outline and discuss with your assigned tutor

Report Proper: Write out your report. Students are encouraged to consult the UQBS Assignment Writing Guide in writing their reports. The UQBS Assignment Writing Guide will be on the course Blackboard. Additional guidance will be provided in the lectures and tutorials throughout the semester.

A minimum of 12 references should be used, 10 of which should be recent journal articles (i.e. 2014-2024). A list of quality journals (e.g. (e.g. International Journal of Conflict Management, Negotiation and Conflict Management Research Journal, Family Business Review, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Small Business Management, Journal of World Business, Journal of Strategic Management, Journal of Management & organization , Strategic Change Journal) is available on the course blackboard.

This is a formal report and should adhere to the standards (including reference styles) of a formal academic report writing. This report should be double spaced (Font 12, Times Roman) and written in well-developed paragraphs. The APA Style (7th Edition) should be used for the references. Again, if you are in doubt, please refer to the UQBS Assignment Writing Handbook which you can access on the course blackboard.

Write up your report using a standard format of report writing e.g.

• Title of report
• Table of contents
• Abstract (or synopsis)-refer to the Assignment Writing Guide and course website for full details.
• Introduction
• Literature review
• Methodology
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• Supplementary material
• References, interview scripts (Appendices)

Again, if you are in doubt, please refer to the UQBS Assignment Writing Handbook which you can access on the course blackboard.

THE ABOVE ACTIVITIES REQUIRE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND DEDICATION. I suggest that you begin the assignment as soon as possible.

Generative AI Statement:

This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

Criteria & Marking:

UQ Students: Please access the profile from Learn.UQ or mySI-net to access marking criteria held in this profile. Also, see detailed marking rubrics on the Course Blackboard

Submission: Assignment must be submitted on the provided Blackboard assessment link using Turnitin

Assessment 3: Reflection on Conflict Management throughout the semester

Rationale/Purpose 

Reflection is known to enable students to make sense of material/experience in relation to oneself, others, and the conditions that shaped the material or the students' experience. Additionally, it provides the opportunity to rethink the material/experience for future personal or social benefit. Finally, reflection helps the students to appreciate their own weaknesses and strengths and by doing so, develop skills in self-directed learning, connect theory and reality of practice and implications while guiding students future actions 

Process

Students will submit a 1500-word reflection report on the learning activities (topics and learning materials) you have engaged in and outside the seminars and how these activities/topics/materials have impacted your learning and practice during the semester in the area of Strategic Human Resource Management.

 The reflection report is weighted 30% and will be submitted through Turnitin in the last week of Semester 2, (week beginning 21st of October, 2024, before 17:00). Students must confirm that they have a receipt from Turnitin as a proof of electronic submission and save a copy of their report in a safe place. 

The reflection should include the following sections:

1. Brief description of key activities (e.g. cases, simulations etc) that you found helpful for learning during the semester and why? (250 words).
2. Which learning topics resonated with you throughout the semester and why? In answering this question, you must identify at least 2 major topics you have come across during the semester and how and why they have positively impacted you? (500 words).
3. What have you learnt about Conflict Management in general and /or yourself and how you think your learnings will make you a better Conflict Manager or a better person. In this case, you need to consider your previous approach to Conflict Management (e.g. whether it was successful or not before you engaged MGTS3602), your perceptions of your group members in relation to how they have managed the conflict in your group while doing the MGTS3602 major assignment (250 words).
4. Think about your shortcomings before you engaged the course and how the course may have assisted you in improving upon your shortcomings. In what ways do you think your learnings from the course may help you to overcome the current/future challenges in conflict management and possible collaboration (500 words).

Note

Support and further information about assessment 3 is available on Backboard.

Criteria & Marking:

UQ Students: Please access the profile from Learn.UQ or mySI-net to access marking criteria held in this profile. Also, see detailed marking rubrics on the Course Blackboard

Submission: You should submit your report on Turnitin through the Course Blackboard by the due date.

This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.