Integrated Conflict Management Strategies

Writing Assignment is based on the six required readings assigned in Weeks 1 through 5 of the course: Dont Avoid ConflictsManage Them (Williams, 1997); How Management Is Constructive and When Its Not (Davey, 2021); How Management Teams Can Have a Good Fight (Eisenhardt et al., 1997); Developing Cultural Intelligence in a Global World (Thomas & Inkson, 2009); 5 Ways Executives Can Manage Conflicts with the Board (Nawaz, 2024); and How to Handle an Emotionally Charged Negotiation (McKeown, 2023).

You will write an integrated analysis applying these six readings to the following scenario.

You are the chief human resources officer of a large urban healthcare organization facing severe staffing shortages and rising labor costs. Leadership has proposed changes to shift scheduling and compensation models to improve coverage and financial sustainability. Union representatives strongly oppose the changes, arguing they will harm morale and patient care. Early negotiation sessions have become emotionally charged, with accusations of bad faith on both sides.

At the same time, the executive team is divided. Some leaders want to move quickly, while others urge caution, fearing reputational damage and workforce attrition. The board has become increasingly involved and expects a clear strategy for resolving the conflict without escalation to a strike or public dispute. Several leaders involved in negotiations come from cultural backgrounds where indirect communication is the norm, creating misalignment and unspoken resistance.

Your paper should demonstrate how you would diagnose constructive versus destructive conflict, structure disagreement productively among senior leaders, manage emotionally charged negotiations, navigate cultural differences, and advise executive leadership and the board toward a sustainable outcome. Your focus should be on synthesis and application, not isolated summaries of each reading.

This is not a summary of the readings. it’s an analysis on how you would use what you learned from the readings in reference to the scenario. The paper should be more than 4 pages and no more than 6 pages, not including the cover page and reference page. formatted according to APA guidelines and submitted as a Word document. Evaluation will focus on clarity and accuracy of understanding, depth of integration across readings, practicality of application to the scenario, organization, writing quality, and adherence to APA style. only use the references above. NO AI. the final paper will go through 3 AI detectors. any AI will result in failure of the class.