Continuum of Conflict Management Approaches Essay

Continuum of Conflict Management Approaches - Essay Example Conflict management on the other hand refers to the process of identifying conflicts early, and dealing with them in a sensible, consultative and fair manner. The process involves the use of such skills as effective communication, analytical kills, problem solving and negotiation skills and a critical focus on areas of interest for all parties involved (Moore, 2003). With conflicts ranging from interpersonal disagreements, disagreements in organizations and work places, team conflicts to tribal and racial conflicts either over natural resources, over ideological and religious persuasions among other reasons, many scholars, state governments and welfare organizations have invested enormously in resolution and management options. There are many scholarly materials on management and resolution of different types of conflicts, giving pre-eminence to natural resource and governance conflicts, since they are the most prevalent forms of conflicts across the globe. Others focus purely on sma ll magnitude conflicts involving individuals, families, teams and small groupings in work places, sporting arena or collages. Whether small disagreements between individuals, internal conflicts in a state, a country or international conflicts, resolution and management strategies are universal, varying only in the manner of their application, this is case specific. Among the many strategies formulated by different scholars and experts in the field, is the conflict management continuum presented in 2003 by Moore, offering management approaches that range from avoidance of conflicts on one end to violence on the other extreme end. According to Moore in the continuum, avoidance on the left end presents the soft form of conflict management, with the subsequent strategies becoming increasingly progressive, directive and eventually coercive towards violence at the right end of the continuum. The continuum consists of seven different means of conflict management divided into four sub categ ories. These categories include informal decision making by conflicting parties, under which there are three means namely conflict avoidance, negotiation and mediation. The next category is the informal third party decision- making, which involves resolution of conflicts by use of arbitration. The third category is legal authoritarian third party decision-making, which involves adjudication through legal court processes. Finally, there is extralegal coerced decision-making category, which includes non-violent direct action and violence at the right end of the continuum. Conflict avoidance refers to a style of conflict management that uses non-confrontational means to resolving problems. Common strategies under this approach include passive behaviours like withdrawing from contentious issues, especially if the issues are not very important to warrant confrontations. It is particularly useful in avoiding conflicting situations in work places, homes and other similar places where genui ne errors, slight misunderstandings or differences in perceptions and opinions occur often. Either party choose to avoid engaging in arguments and conflicting situations especially if the resultant negative consequences outweigh positive outcomes offered by a quick proactive resolution. This technique is particularly useful in situations that require additional information on the contentious issue in order to make clearer decisions. The major flaw of this strategy is that it may form a favourable environment for the conflict to grow

To kill a mockingbird Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

To kill a mockingbird - Essay Example Whether well-meaning or ill intentioned the town’s journey spanning three years reveals both optimistic and pessimistic sides of human behavior, and teaches that you must look within yourself – not to your neighbors - to decide what is right and wrong. Set in the Bible belt southern state of Alabama in the 1930’s, To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on the town of Maycomb and the racial tension of a lawyer defending a black man accused of raping a white woman. Though everyone knows the black man, Tom Robinson, is innocent, times have not progressed sufficiently that a white woman would be proven to be a liar over the word of a black man. Several townspeople know that this thinking is wrong, but only one white person openly flaunts his beliefs that blacks should be treated no different than white folks. This man is Mr. Dolphus Raymond. Scorned by whites for living with a black woman and producing mixed children, Mr. Raymond doesn’t have an easy time of it with the black population, either. He is, however, one of the few people who live what they believe in and try to set an example for others who might change the ways of the future. Despite his preference for the company of Negroes, Mr. Raymond is respectful of the inabilit y of the white people to comprehend his way of life and therefore pretends to be a drunk. As he explains to Jem, Dill and Scout one day when they discover his secret, â€Å"It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason. When I come to town†¦ folks can cay Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey – that’s why he won’t change his ways† (p. 204). It is a unspoken (and mostly unknown) compromise that allows the town folk to pity him instead of hating him. Another contribution to the story is that of ignorance and how it can be used to shame others or to learn to â€Å"put yourself in their shoes† as Atticus suggests several times throughout the novel. One example of this ignorance is the plight of Miss Caroline