Functional Conflict

Conflict is inevitable. As an employee of any institution, you will encounter conflict. Despite your best efforts, conflict will occur. Institutional conflict can be viewed as either functional or dysfunctional. From the functional perspective, conflict can be seen as productive because it causes members of the institution to learn, improve, and develop creativity and problem solving skills. On the other hand, conflict can be seen as dysfunctional to the degree that it threatens the structure and stability of an institution and to the degree that it stifles creativity and change. Managed properly, conflict can cause people and the institution to grow and improve.Conflict is not always negative. Sometimes, conflict can be functional in that it results in productive change for people or institutions.

For this discussion question, identify a conflict you have encountered in an institutional setting that might be described as functional because it resulted in productive change. Describe the conflict, the resolution of the conflict, and the change that resulted.

Only one page. Single spaced.