I. Problem:

How can this conflict between Kaye Austin, the Hospital Administrator and Randolph Lewis, the board chairman, be completely resolved that future conflict may also be avoided without eliminating or terminating any of them from their position?

II. Point of View: A Manager (conflict Manager)

III. Given Question:

1.) Is Randy’s reaction uncommon?

Answer: To speak it traditionally, we can say Yes, but to tackle it in the modern days, we can say No. Because based on the recent studies in the behavioral sciences, they suggested that “conflict is perfectly natural and should be expected to occur”. So in this case, Randy’s reaction wasn’t uncommon at all because it really does happen in an organization.

2.) What type of conflict exists between Kaye and Randy?

Answer: Based on the given situation shown in the problem, we can conclude that it is an interpersonal conflict. It is because most situations that are the source of conflict have this so called “Psuedoconflict” wherein communication barrier is present.

3.) What method would you use to reduce or resolve the conflict?

Answer: Of course, to have a better solution about this problem we would rather choose to have a confrontation between the participant in an effort to solve the underlying source of conflict because this method was already been proven to be the most effective specially in this kind of case.

4.) Could Kaye have done anything in advance of the meeting to maximize her chances of success?

Answer: It could be partly “Yes”, because if you would think it maliciously, you can think that Kaye was just taking advantage to the situation. But in the contrary, we would say that what Kaye have done is entirely wholesome and she was just doing her job as the Hospital’s administrator and all she did was only for the hospital’s sake, nothing more and nothing less.

IV. Areas of Consideration:

1.) Personal Communication- Communication is said to be the best way to unity. With communication or personal communication, every individual can maintain a good understanding and peace. With the absence of communication, misunderstanding could take place that will serve as a barrier to good personal relationship wherein, good personal relationship to your colleagues is essential in every organization to avoid any conflict and misunderstanding. That is how personal communication relevant in this case.

2.) Duties and responsibilities- duties and responsibilities may a broad topic to discuss, that every member or staff of an organization should posses or be entitled to, to keep an organization running or functional. Members should know if what are their duties, responsibilities, functions, tasks and activities to perform to be an effective member. They should also know their power, supervision and so as their limitations for in this way, members are aware if where they should move and to where are their boundaries in a certain field or areas of responsibilities that they may all avoid the overlapping of power.

3.) Organizational relationship- maintaining a good relationship in an organization is very important in achieving unity and peace in a certain group. If all are acknowledging everybody’s presence that need to be appreciated by having a good communication, showing reliability and sharing every pleasant thing that are relevant in the organization, the organization could have a very good relationship that can really help an organization to be more effective in their field. And of course, conflict may never take place even just a pace in that certain unity and solidarity.

4.) Personnel’s behavior- every personnel’s behavior affect much in an organization, because this is where the unity, understanding, cooperation, reliability, wholesomeness, endeavor and attitudes can be measured. And as they said, “ attitude is everything”, which means that a man’s behavior is the most important or essential n having a good relationship to his colleagues or co-worker in the organization where he belong.

V. Alternative courses of action:

1.) Establishing a good personal communication for Kaye and Randy- as the incident or problem being presented, we can really judge that since from the very beginning of the situation occurring at the hospital, there were no good communication does happen between Kaye and Randy in the first place. So we can say that there is nothing to restore then. But before we can establish a good personal communication for Kaye and Randy, the best thing that we can do first is to use one of the five (5) methods on reducing or resolving conflict, which is the having a confrontation between the participants in an effort to solve the underlying source of conflict. But the question is, “ what is the underlying source of the conflict?” If we will examine it thoroughly, we can really identify that the underlying source of conflict really did started just in the sense that Kaye was not able to consult or exchange her ideas, opinions and information with Randy, which creates, again, an impression to Randy that Kaye was just boasting or did everything in advancing or maximizing her chances for success and to be on top among others. Maybe Randy also considers Kaye’s move as a threat to his position for it might turns everybody’s attention to Kaye rather than to him, considering that he is the chairman of the board. Psychologically speaking, we can consider Randy as one of those woman-hater men for he can’t stand looking at Kaye at that kind of position as his colleagues. But in social status condition, maybe Randy is one of those men who still think that men are always superior to women that women have no right to excel up to the extent of reaching the highest status that a man can ever reach. So with this condition, no one could really stop Randy from hating Kaye at this moment. Going back to the confrontation, to make the confrontation be successful, we should allow both parties to speak freely; their grievances, thoughts and issues that they were having a conflict with. In this way, all of their misunderstanding may be pacified which can lead into a better solution. But of course if we would to predict, it is really very hard to convince Randy to agree on the possible solution that this confrontation may come up. So the best way to solve this problem is, instead of ending this conflict with an agreement to let them keep away from each other and prevent any undesirable confrontations, one party should be humble at this point of time and allow good relationship to colleagues flow- who is Kaye to Randy. And the first step that has to be done is to convince Kaye to be humble to Randy even it is hard on Kaye’s part considering that she also belong in the higher position. To continue the process that the establishing of a good communication be successful Kaye must start also to consult Randy on the progress of the Hospital’s expansion now that her proposed plan is about to be agreed by the majority of the board member.

Advantages:

a.) As Kaye would continuously consult Randy about the progress of the Hospital’s expansion, in this way Randy would feel better because this can create an impression to him that the people around him still needing him so much and was given more of that importance.

b.) Randy would also think that he is still better that Kaye for Kaye consulted him or needing him for the implementation of her plan.

c.) This solution would create or may open a new and lasting channel for them both.

d.) In establishing a good communication with Randy by Kaye, this will also can do good on Kaye’s part for all we know that Randy still is the Chairman of the board that possesses so much power that can even manipulate the downfall on Kaye’s victory.

e.) If this good communication with Randy will be completely established, it can also help Kaye to be more near to Randy’s heart that can indeed, with a great possibilities, do promote Kaye into a higher position she ever dreamed of but of course, not to the extent of having a very intimate and immoral relationship.

f.) And of course, the conflict will surely vanish and could never took place again in the future time that would indeed going to improve the hospital’s operation to be more progressive and effective.

Disadvantage:

a.) Upon examining this alternative course of action, the only thing that we can consider as a disadvantage is, it would be unfair on Kaye’s part because she is the one who is giving a way to solve this conflict when we know that she is not the one who started it or having a problem with in the first place. But as we can see the probability that Kaye may be a good person and a humble one, based on the fact that she doesn’t argue much with Randy even at the times that Randy is becoming unreasonable, is very high. Which could only mean that it would be easier for Kaye to be humble because of the fact that, that is what is she based on the personality analysis in Psychology.

2.) Observing the right duties and responsibilities- it was stated earlier that every member should know their duties responsibility, functions, tasks and activities to do to be an effective member. They should also know their power, supervision and so as their limitation for in this way, every member are aware to where they should move and where are their boundaries to avoid power overlapping that may create conflict. As we know, Kaye and randy belong to the different bodies which Randy belonged to the Law-making body while Kaye belonged to the implementing body.

Advantages:

a.) If only both of them will observed their given duties and responsibilities to where they belong or entitled to, this could drive to a great possibilities that the undesirable confrontations will be avoided and so as the chances where it could heat up the situation that might create more serious problem or conflicts.

b.) If they will just mind their own business and try compressing the emotion that they felt for each other, maybe time will just heal all the pain that they felt inside until the pain will just totally vanish by itself.

Disadvantages:

a.) If they will just keep away from each other and just mind their own business without properly settling this uprising conflict, this will not be completely going to solve the problem because they still possesses those irritation and hatred to each other that will surely become a ticking bomb that only waits to be detonated at the time when they are already full.

b.) The spirit of cooperation and unity can never be visible for the reason that if they will just mind their own business there will be no effective brainstorming session could took place in the matters that need to be settled by both body, just like in the government of having two houses- the lower house and the higher house.

VI. Recommendation:

Giving all the Pros and Cons of the followed part of this written analysis, the group has chosen the first alternative courses of action, which is the establishing a good personal communication. This is all because: (1) If we were to choose second alternative courses of action which is the observing their duties and responsibility, still there is a great possibilities that the problem will not be solved because they will just have to depend everything on the chances that the conflict may cooler down by itself. (2) If the organizational relationship will be use as an alternative plan, still it is not good because, they already have this conflict to each other instead of having first a good relationship, so we can’t restore anything or to put back something in place. (3) And if the personnel’s behavior is to be used as an alternative courses of action, still it will not going to solve the problem right away because as we know attitude and behavior is one thing that makes a man, this is what makes him unique to other people and besides, I think it is hard to discipline a person when he is already mature and grown up especially a person like Randy. So, we can say that the first alternative courses of action which is establishing a good communication is the best solution to solve this conflict because of the fact that this action has a great advantages and possesses only lesser disadvantage comparing to the other one. And besides the group also believes and respects the concept of hierarchy of needs which one of its stages is the need to be of importance. As we know, a man doesn’t stop of wanting or desiring anything until he will be satisfied and this satisfaction will only be obtained when you have already reached the sixth need, which is the need of self- actualization wherein, one has already possesses satisfaction in life. As we can see Randy is already about to reach this stage for he already fulfilled the four lower need of men which are the primary need, need of security, need of sex and the need to love and to be love. In line with this fact, the conflict that had started with Randy to Kaye will be only settled down if Randy can have or fulfill his need- the need to be of importance. And the best way to solve it is to let Kaye start a good communication with Randy and to make her show Randy that he is important, not only to her, but to all the people around him by simply keeping in touch with Randy in every plan or improvement to be made for the good of the hospital. And besides, we are really sure too that if Randy and Kaye would team up, they could create a good plan and decision for the improvement of the hospital because Randy would surely do its best in making plans just to prove his self that he is worthy to be given importance of by everybody at all times. Because this is also one way that Randy could achieve or fulfill its need- the need to be of importance. If you think that they could not make a good decision if they team up because Randy might always insist on Kaye’s plans, well you’re totally wrong because as you can see Randy find Kaye’s plan good at the first place, it just that he just opposed to it because he can’t stand looking at Kaye making her plan like its her own. All what Randy want is to be part of the plan and to let everybody know that he did much for it, that would surely make him feel that he will be given much of that importance from his colleagues. If this happen, Randy would somehow be change and would never argue again with Kaye because he had already fulfill his need, the fifth stages on the hierarchy of need, which is the need to be of importance. After this, it is already up to him how will he going actualize his self to fulfill the next need, which is the need of self-actualization to satisfy his self.

In implementing this solution, the participant must have to agree that they will cooperate each on every plan but behind the “curtain of agreement”, Kaye will be convinced to be humble and must cooperate with Randy very well to her plans and decisions so the she can gain Randy’s trust, cooperation and of course his friendship.

To mark an end to this case, establishing a good communication would surely resolve this conflict between Randolph Lewis, the Board Chairman and Kaye Austin, the Hospital Administrator that future conflict may also be avoided without eliminating or terminating any of them from their positions.

A Case Analysis

In

Management 1

Submitted by:

Danny Vincent B. Bibar

Pedro O. Lim

Judy S. Gacayan

Ildefonso Cabarubbias

Roel Ayawon

______________________

BSC-2

Submitted to:

Mr. Policaruso Busig

Associate Professor II