This chapter focuses on conflicts within and between organizations, particularly profit- and non-profit corporations.

Conflicts vary as an organization develops. Leadership style is a major factor in management of conflicts and crises. Anticipating, preventing, managing, and even taking advantage of conflicts are primary concerns and responsibilities of leaders at every level in most organizations.

Workers as individuals or as union members negotiate with management over salary, benefits, and working conditions. Individuals fight with peers, subordinates, and superiors over things that matter and things that don’t, and compete with one another for credit and promotion. Departments compete with one another for assignments and resources. Non-profit organizations compete for grants and donations; profit-making ones for contracts, sales, and market share. Organizations battle state, local, and national governments over legislation and regulations.