Assignment Detail

Students should immediately note that these business units have pooled interdependence with respect to the training facilities. This is a relatively low level of interdependence , but it does require interdependence just the same . Scarce resources are clearly a source of conflict here because both groups want the same resource at the same time. Conflict also seems to occur because of ambiguous rules regarding the allocation of this resource. Some students might suggest that the two business units have incompatible goals – each wants to train its own employees – but this is a somewhat weaker source of conflict here compared with scarce resources and task interdependence . Differentiation is also a weak factor here. One solution to this conflict is to increase resources. Specifically , the organization might justify developing more space to accommodate both business units. Another solution is to clarify rules regarding use of the existing resource. In this situation, the organization might specify the times that each business unit may use the training facilities or it might develop a sign – up system with rules that prevent each unit from taking too much of the facility.