HRM40700 Managing conflict in Organisat

Academic Year 2023/2024

Workplace conflict, how it manifests itself and how it is managed is a core part of the management of the employment relationship. Conflict takes many forms including individual to individual, within groups, between groups, and, in the case of organisations where trade unions are recognised, between management and trade unions. The traditional focus of courses on workplace conflict has been on industrial relations disputes and on management-union negotiation as the primary means of resolving such disputes. Today, with the broadening of the concept of workplace conflict to a range of forms of inter-personal and intra-group conflict, the focus must be extended to other conflict resolution practices such as facilitation, mediation and adjudication. The term ‘alternative dispute resolution’ or ADR has been used to describe many innovative forms of conflict and dispute resolution in the workplace that are used in the case of grievances involving individual employees, problems involving groups and disputes involving trade unions. These include open door policies, mediation, peer reviews, ombudsman systems, external facilitation, problem solving and interest-based bargaining. These practices will be covered in the module.

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Curricular information is subject to change

What will I learn?

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module, students should have an understanding of the sources and symptoms of conflict in organisations and of the many practices available for addressing conflicts and disputes. In particular, students should have achieved an appreciation of the following:
• The sources, symptoms and effects of workplace conflict involving individuals and groups
• Mainstream and innovative management-union negotiation practices
• ADR approaches to conflict including mediation and facilitation
• The role of state agencies in conflict resolution including the Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court.
• The procedures and processes for handling conflict including grievances, complaints of bullying and harassment, protected disclosures and disciplinary issues.
• The experiences of whistleblowing and whistleblowers
Classes will combine formal presentations and class discussion and debate. In addition, there will be a number of workshops in which students will have opportunities to practice different approaches to conflict resolution including negotiation and joint problems solving. At least one class will be facilitated by an IRO from the Workplace Relations Commission.

How will I learn?

Student Effort Type	Hours
Lectures	36
Small Group	1
Specified Learning Activities	102
Autonomous Student Learning	106
Total	245

Am I eligible to take this module?

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.

Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Not applicable to this module.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment Strategy

Description	Timing	Open Book Exam	Component Scale	Must Pass Component	% of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: In-class exercise/assignment	Throughout the Trimester	n/a	Graded	No	15
Examination: Exam	2 hour End of Trimester Exam	No	Graded	No	50
Assignment: Assignment	Throughout the Trimester	n/a	Graded	No	35

Carry forward of passed components
Yes

What happens if I fail?

Resit In	Terminal Exam
Summer	Yes - 2 Hour

Assessment feedback

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will receive written feedback on continuous assessments withing 20 working days of submission of the assignment.

Associated Staff

Name	Role
Professor Bill Roche	Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

When is this module offered?


Autumn
Lecture	Offering 1	Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks	Thurs 14:00 - 16:50