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    Assignment on

    Managing conflict in the workplace

    Instructor: Satyam Dhunputh

    Word Count: 4,949

    Due Date: 18 October 2010

    Prepared by:

    Pravesh Ramdharry

    Rooka Ramdin

    Rakshita Mungur

    Anick Manan (Team leader)

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    Executive Summary

    This report addresses the managers of the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel andconcludes all information in managing conflict with a diverse workforce.

    The report outlines the existing trigger which leads to conflict in the organization

    where we analyze the weakness in the current environment. It examines whether

    the organization has policies prohibiting harassment, violence and other

    inappropriate conduct; enforces these policies; and supports employees when they

    have been victimized.

    The objective of the report is to create a positive environment where employees are

    motivated to increase productivity where they can find the relevant intrinsic and

    extrinsic values in their jobs.

    The report explains how the organization should tackle with conflict arising from a

    diverse workforce. The report sets out the time schedule of these elements and

    outlines the strategies required for attaining the set objectives.

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    Table of Contents

    1.0 INTRODUCTION

    Company Profile

    A leader in the global hospitality industry, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a celebrated

    collection of 59 distinctive hotels, which includes iconic landmarks like The Fairmont San

    Francisco, Fairmont The Norfolk, Nairobi and Canadas Fairmont Banff Springs and morethan 20 new properties in development, including Londons The Savoy and the Fairmont

    Peace Hotel in Shanghai re-opening 2010 following extensive restoration programs.

    Fairmont hotels are one-of-a-kind properties where sophisticated travelers can discover

    culturally rich experiences that are authentic to the destination. Situated in some of the most

    exclusive and pristine areas in the world, Fairmont is committed to responsible tourism and is

    an industry leader in sustainable hotel management with its award-winning Green

    Partnership program

    The Case Study

    The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel is a Forbes three-star, AAA four-diamond hotel

    in downtown Boston, Massachusetts owned by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. It

    stands on Copley Square, by theJohn HancockTower.

    From business and leisure travel to meetings to social events and weddings, The

    Fairmont Copley Plaza wants to create an exceptional experience and a lasting

    memory. The Fairmont Copley Plaza strives to become home away from home for

    its guests, even providing the services of resident Canine Ambassador, Catie

    Copley.

    However during October 2009, seven current and former employees are suing the FairmontCopley Plaza in Boston and its parent company for discrimination, alleging that hotel managerstreated them unfairly and failed to act when other workers verbally abused and physicallythreatened them because of their Moroccan descent and Muslim religious beliefs.

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    http://www.ask.com/wiki/Boston,_Massachusetts?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/Boston,_Massachusetts?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/Boston,_Massachusetts?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/Fairmont_Hotels_and_Resorts?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/Copley_Square?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/John_Hancock_Tower?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/John_Hancock_Tower?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/John_Hancock_Tower?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/Boston,_Massachusetts?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/Fairmont_Hotels_and_Resorts?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/Copley_Square?qsrc=3044http://www.ask.com/wiki/John_Hancock_Tower?qsrc=3044
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    There became a pattern of harassment and after the attacks on Sept. 11, the level of harassmentincreased, said Rahsaan Hall, an attorney with the nonprofit Lawyers Committee for CivilRights Under Law of the Boston Bar Association, which filed the complaint against the FairmontCopley yesterday in US District Court.

    A spokeswoman for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts Inc., which runs the Fairmont Copley, referredquestions about the case to a local representative from the hotel. However, that representative didnot immediately respond to requests for comment.

    According to the 71-page court filing, seven employees of Moroccan descent all of whom areUS citizens repeatedly were disparaged by co-workers who called them terrorists andaccused them of being members of the Taliban. In one instance, one of the employees wasgrabbed inappropriately by a hotel doorman. In another, during a meeting with several people,including a human resources director, the hotels general manager allegedly said: I have twoproblems: the rats and the Moroccans. I took care of one and I cant figure out the other.

    The court filing also claims that the employees named in the case were denied promotions, madeto work harder than their peers, and unfairly disciplined. The workes are suing the hotel forviolating antidiscrimination laws and creating and tolerating a hostile work environment.

    Five of the employees still work at the hotel. Two employees were terminated unlawfully,according to the court case. One employee was fired for allegedly making false accusationsabout another co-worker, even though the suit claims numerous other employees were not let goor disciplined for similar conduct. In another instance, a different employee was fired forallegedly threatening to terrorize the hotel an accusation that is blatantly false, accordingto the filing.

    This is not the first time the Fairmont company has been accused of mistreatment by employees.The company was sued in 2003 by Muslim and Arab-American employees at the Fairmont PlazaHotel in New York City, who complained of discrimination following Sept. 11. Fairmont settledthe case by paying $525,000 to a dozen workers and agreeing to provide additional anti-discrimination training.

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    2.0 SITUATION ANALYSIS

    2.1.0 INTERNAL FACTORS

    Abraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory

    The basis ofAbraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory is that people are motivated byneeds that remain unsatisfied, and that certain lower factors have to be satisfied in order for

    higher needs to be recognized as unfulfilled. Maslow identified general categories of needs(survival, physiological, love, safety, and esteem) which have to be fulfilled in order for someoneto act in an unselfish manner. These needs were referred to as "deficiency needs." While we aremotivated to fulfill these needs, we progress toward growth and, eventually, self-actualization. Itis a healthy, normal part of life to attempt to satisfy these needs. While, on the other hand,prevention of this gratification can make the person sick or even act in an evil manner.

    As a result, for adequate workplace motivation, it is important that leadershipunderstands theactive needs active for individual employee motivation. In this manner, Maslow's pyramid modelindicates that fundamental, lower-order needs like safety and physiological requirements have tobe satisfied in order to pursue higher-level motivators along the lines of self-fulfillment.

    Self-Actualization

    Esteem Needs

    Social Needs

    Safety Needs

    Physiological Needs

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    http://www.leadership-development.us/Leadership/Leadership_Definition.asphttp://www.leadership-development.us/Leadership/Leadership_Definition.asphttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Self_Actualizationhttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Esteem_Needshttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Social_Needshttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Safety_Needshttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Physiological_Needshttp://www.leadership-development.us/Leadership/Leadership_Definition.asphttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Self_Actualizationhttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Esteem_Needshttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Social_Needshttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Safety_Needshttp://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Maslows_Needs_Hierarchy.html#Physiological_Needs
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    Self-Actualization

    Self-actualization is the summit of Maslow's motivation theory. It is about the quest of reachingone's full potential as a person. Unlike lower level needs, this need is never fully satisfied; as onegrows psychologically there are always new opportunities to continue to grow.

    Self-actualized people tend to have motivators such as:

    Truth Justice Wisdom Meaning

    Self-actualized persons have frequent occurrences ofpeak experiences, which are energizedmoments of profound happiness and harmony. According to Maslow, only a small percentage ofthe population reaches the level of self-actualization.

    Esteem Needs

    After a person feels that they "belong", the urge to attain a degree of importance emerges.Esteem needs can be categorized as external motivators and internal motivators.

    Internally motivating esteem needs are those such as self-esteem, accomplishment, and selfrespect. External esteem needs are those such as reputation and recognition.

    Some examples of esteem needs are:

    Recognition (external motivator) Attention (external motivator) Social Status (external motivator) Accomplishment (internal motivator) Self-respect (internal motivator)

    Maslow later improved his model to add a layer in between self-actualization and esteem needs:the need for aesthetics and knowledge.

    Social Needs

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    Once a person has met the lower level physiological and safety needs, higher level motivatorsawaken. The first level of higher level needs are social needs. Social needs are those related tointeraction with others and may include:

    Friendship

    Belonging to a group Giving and receiving love

    Safety Needs

    Once physiological needs are met, one's attention turns to safety and security in order to be freefrom the threat of physical and emotional harm. Such needs might be fulfilled by:

    Living in a safe area Medical insurance Job security

    Financial reserves

    According to the Maslow hierarchy, if a person feels threatened, needs furtherup Maslow's Needs Pyramid will not receive attention until that need has been resolved.

    Physiological Needs

    Physiological needs are those required to sustain life, such as:

    Air Water

    Food Sleep

    According to this theory, if these fundamental needs are not satisfied then one will surely bemotivated to satisfy them. Higher needs such as social needs and esteem are not recognized untilone satisfies the needs basic to existence.

    Applying Maslow's Needs Hierarchy - Business Management Implications

    If Maslow's theory is true, there are some very important leadership implications to enhanceworkplace motivation. There are staff motivation opportunities by motivating each employee

    through their style of management, compensation plans, role definition, and company activities.

    Physiological Motivation: Provide ample breaks for lunch and recuperation andpay salaries that allow workers to buy life's essentials.

    Safety Needs: Provide a working environment which is safe, relative job security, andfreedom from threats.

    Social Needs: Generate a feeling of acceptance, belonging, and community byreinforcing team dynamics.

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    Esteem Motivators: Recognize achievements, assign important projects, and providestatus to make employees feel valued and appreciated.

    Self-Actualization: Offer challenging and meaningful work assignments which enableinnovation, creativity, and progress according to long-term goals

    Nature of Conflict

    The conflict is a head bangers one. The conflict is a true conflict that has been escalated. No

    proactive action has been made to avoid it by the organization even if this latter has indication

    like being call terrorism and Taliban.

    Moreover the spokeswomen of Fairmont Hotel and Resort Inc did not take immediate attention

    about the problem.In this case the communication has been broken down and there is no hope that the parties can be

    reconciled. And because of no proactive action, the company has been sued by their Muslim

    employees.

    Trigger over Roles, Policies and Procedures

    The Muslim employees did not feel accepted and respect by their co-workers and was constantly

    abuse and physically threatened by them. The co-worker did not respect the policies of the

    organization and even more they did not respect the antidiscrimination law.

    According to the text 2 Muslim employees were terminated unlawfully.

    One employee was fire because it seems that he/she make some insinuation about other co-

    worker. Another one has been accused to terrorize the Hotel.

    All this case did not follow the procedure of termination because none of them have been

    relevant. Moreover some co-workers were not been discipline when they threaten the Muslim

    employees. It was general plot against these employees.

    Trigger over Relationships

    Because of their belief of their belief, the Muslim employee has been treated unfairly by the co-workers. They have been threatened and harassed. They do not feel accept by their coworker.

    They have been put aside for promotion.

    2.2.0 EXTERNAL FACTORS

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    Multicultural workforce

    The phrase "multicultural workforce" refers to the changing age, sex, ethnicity, physical ability,

    race, and sexual orientation of employees across all types and places of work in the United

    States. Multicultural workforce as a descriptive term or phrase has, however, largely beensupplanted by the term "diversity" in describing the increasing heterogeneity of the workplace

    through the inclusion of different groups of people. While "multicultural workforce" is still

    sometimes used in reference to employees of varying social, racial, and ability characteristics,

    the scope of diversity goes further and includes not only the personal characteristics of an

    organization's employees but also the way an organization responds to a multicultural or diverse

    workforce .

    Assimilation of minorities into the workplace, or the practice of suppressing cultural differences

    to conform to the majority culture, meant that previously many of these minority workers had to

    lose a part of their heritage in order to obtain and hold gainful employment. Stereotypes of

    African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and women permeated the corporate

    and industrial culture until well into the 1960s, when federal laws were established to prevent

    discrimination. Some of the more important pieces of federal antidiscrimination legislation are:

    Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on

    race, religion, sex, and national origin; the Equal Pay Act of 1963; the Age Discrimination Act inEmployment of 1967; and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. While these pieces of

    legislation are aimed at preventing discrimination rather than promoting diversity per se, they do

    help in maintaining a diverse workplace.

    Managing diversity

    Programs or corporate environments that value multiculturalism must answer hard questions

    about managing diversity. For example, can diversity be best promoted by equal treatment or

    differential treatment? Antidiscrimination laws prohibit employers from treating applicants

    differently, yet some argue that this premise seems to ignore those fundamental differences

    between individuals that form the basis of diversity. On the other hand, treating people

    differently often creates resentment and erodes morale with perceptions of preferential treatment.

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    Other questions to be answered are: Will the company emphasize commonalities or differences

    in facilitating a multicultural environment? Should the successful diverse workplace recognize

    differentiated applicants as equals or some as unequals? How does the company achieve candor

    in breaking down stereotypes and insensitivity towards women and minority groups? These

    questions pose difficult dilemmas for companies seeking to create an environment conducive to

    diverse workers and productivity.

    Starting a program for multicultural workforce

    How does a company initiate a multicultural or diversity program? Many different elements may

    be necessary to create a climate of inclusion and to incorporate genuine value for diversity in the

    workforce. Four common elements in diversity initiatives that strengthen diverse programs are

    training, communication, task forces, and mentoring.

    Many major companies conduct diversity training for managers and almost half conduct training

    for all employees. The key to success lies in viewing training as an ongoing process rather than a

    single event. Core components of diversity training may include valuing diversity, cultural

    literacy, corporate enculturation, global perspectives, and individual self-development.

    Communications about the value of inclusion and diversity that come from the top of the

    organization are critical in the success of a diversity initiative. While this communication is

    frequently written, companies such as Allstate Insurance employ teleconferencing to

    communicate multicultural values across the country. Additionally, the creation of special

    multicultural manager positions communicates with actions the real value of diversity from the

    top.

    Task forces engage management and employees in the process of dealing with multiculturalconflicts, needs, and organizational dynamics. Many task forces operate at high levels within

    organizations. Yet, increasingly many companies involve employees at all levels of the company

    in formulating policies and guidelines. Mentoring programs directly connect multicultural

    employees with traditional employees across racial and gender lines. IBM, for instance, uses a

    formal mentoring program while Corning employs a more informal "coaching" program.

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    Even the most well-intentioned diversity programs can, however, sometimes go awry. Deleyte

    Frost, senior associate of a Philadelphiaorganizational development firm offered a number of

    tips for instituting diversity programs. Frost felt that diversity programs should focus on the real

    issues of group identity, be they race, gender, age, etc., and not be covered up by such phrases as

    "all individual differences." Frost also did not approve of euphemisms such as "lifestyle" when

    the issue is sexual orientation. Opposition to diversity programs should be met with "energy,

    caring, and thoughtfulness and not deflected by intellectual arguments," although baseline data is

    needed to jump-start such programs. True change in corporate culturebegins at the top and

    diversity programs cannot succeed without long-term commitment from top officers and a

    forward-thinking implementation team. Everything the diversity program does must be linked to

    business success, diversity strategies must be part of "the business purpose and vision." Do not

    waste time trying to create a plan that will make everyone happy, it just won't happen. Finally,do not assume that training will change behavior, and do not focus diversity efforts only on

    customers and external public relations.

    There are a number of organizations and commercial enterprises that are involved with diversity

    on a national scale. The American Institute for Managing Diversity is located in Atlanta and was

    founded in 1984 as a nonprofit organization. The institute helps organizations understand the

    business imperative for managing diversity. It also provides insights into the strategic

    implementation of diversity and suggests new areas of research critical to the successfulapplication of diversity programs. DiversityInc.com is an online magazine that provides news,

    resources, and commentary on the role of diversity in strengthening the corporate bottom line.

    Legal factors

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    1) Racial discrimination occurs under the RDA when someone is treated less fairly thansomeone else in a similar situation because of their race, colour, descent or national orethnic origin. Racial discrimination can also occur when a policy or rule appears to treateveryone in the same way but actually has an unfair effect on more people of a particularrace, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin than others.

    It is against the law to discriminate in areas such as:

    Employment (section 15) - e.g. when seeking employment, training, promotion, equalpay or conditions of employment;

    Land, housing or accommodation (section 12) - e.g. when buying a house or whenrenting;

    Provision of goods and services (section 13) - e.g. when buying something, applying forcredit, using banks, seeking assistance from government departments, lawyers, doctorsand hospitals, or attending restaurants, pubs, entertainment venues;

    Access to places and facilities for use by the public (section 11) - e.g. when trying to use

    parks, libraries, government offices, hotels, places of worship, entertainment centres, hirecars; Advertising (section 16) - e.g. advertising for a job stating that people from a certain

    ethnic group cannot apply; Joining a trade union (section 14).

    2) The Racial Hatred Act ("RHA") was introduced in October 1995 and extends thecoverage of the RDA to prohibit offensive behaviour based on racial hatred (racialvilification)(section 18C)[2].

    The RHA covers public acts which are done, in whole or in part, because of the race, colour, ornational or ethnic origin of a person or group AND reasonably likely in all the circumstances tooffend, insult, humiliate or intimidate that person or group.

    Disadvantages of Litigation and Arbitration

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    1 Time and Money. Litigation - a courtroom trial - requires many hours of an

    attorneys time over many months or years, taking depositions and other steps to

    learn about the other sides case. Litigating even the simplest of disputes costs

    $10,000 to $20,000 and in more complex cases it costs much more. Arbitration is

    usually a little faster so it normally costs less than a court trial, but there are no

    guarantees it will be faster or cheaper. As a way to resolve conflicts, they are bothexpensive, inefficient and can permanently destroy relationships.

    2 Win/Lose. In litigation, a judge or jury declares a winner and a loser and awards

    a judgment to the winner. As recent high profile trials have shown, juries are very

    unpredictable. In arbitration, one or more arbitrators acting as judges and jurors,

    consider the evidence, decide who wins, and enter an award in their favor. The

    award must be filed with a court to be enforced like a judgment. The loser has little

    chance of appealing an unfavorable arbitration award.

    3 Loss of Control. In both litigation and arbitration, control of the result is given

    to a third person or persons with no stake in the outcome. Control of the process isheld by the lawyers who can only interact with their own clients and with one

    another. Personal contact between the disputing parties is lost, increasing their

    feelings of alienation toward one another.

    4 Inconclusive. "Winning" the case in court or at arbitration does not guarantee

    an end to the dispute. Most judgments and awards require the loser to pay money

    to the winner, but getting the money is not automatic. More trips to court to locate

    assets, attach liens, foreclose on assets, and argue appeals are often required and if

    the person ordered to pay is bankrupt, all may be for naught.

    5 Publicity. Since most court proceedings and records are open to the public,there is no guarantee of privacy in litigation. Business secrets, family secrets,

    embarrassing details about your life all could be in tomorrows newspaper or on the

    evening news.

    6 Lose/Lose. Whether declared a winner or a loser, both sides lose. They lose

    control over the process and the outcome, they lose relationships with others, and

    they lose the money spent fighting the other side.

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    Mediation as an Advantage

    1 Fast and Efficient. Since an average mediation takes a single day, the efficacy

    of this method speaks for itself. A trial attorneys time spent on the deposition of a

    single witness may take longer than the mediation.

    2 Control. Since the whole process is voluntary, the parties have complete

    control over the outcome; if they dont agree, there is no resolution and their other

    options are still available.

    3 Win/Win. Mediation can provide creative solutions that cant be obtained in

    court or from an arbitrator. Solutions like increased orders for products, a bonus, a

    training program for employees, or simply a sincere apology. Or it could be an

    agreement for one party to stop doing something like mowing their lawn in the

    morning. Something that, while it may be annoying, would not be something a

    judge would order them to stop doing. Relationships are often preserved, healed,

    even strengthened.

    4 Privacy & Confidentiality. The process is completely private and confidential.

    This allows people to openly discuss issues without the possibility of public

    exposure.

    5 Peace. Mediation usually results in a better understanding between people,

    which leads to peace. Clearing up misunderstandings promotes the peaceful

    resolution of most disputes.

    2.3.0 CONCLUSION

    To resolve the conflict, the Muslim employees decide to sued the company. They decide to take

    the right-base approach because it seemed that the company does not want to collaborate.

    The court played the role of decision-maker in order to reach a conclusion base on correct

    interpretation of right.

    The employees hired a lawyer specialize in Civil right. There did so because they do not have the

    appropriated knowledge to fight their case.

    The court gave the employees right because it determined that the employees have effectivelybeen discriminated because of their beliefs and that the company violated the antidiscrimination

    law. Because of that the court judged that the company should pay damage to their Muslim

    employees.

    It is not the first time that the company had been sued by employees for mistreatment.

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    To avoid this kind of issued in the future, the company should use the interest-based approach

    and therefore collaborate. It should find solution that would address the need of their employees,

    understand each partys interest and find way to achieve an outcome that is acceptable and

    mutually beneficial to all parties.

    The outcome of this approached is that it is less time consuming. It cost less in procedure (no

    lawyer to pay). And moreover the company will not have to pay high damage again.

    3.0 CONFLICT RESOLUTION APPROACHES

    Thomas-kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument

    Using the five strategic approaches for handling conflict based on the Thomas-

    kilmann conflict mode instrument. This instrument indentifies five basic modes

    that individuals generally adopt when responding to conflict; 1) avoiding 2)accommodating 3) compromising 4) competing 5) collaborating.

    It is based on the combination of two behaviors that an individual exhibits during

    conflict:

    i) Degree of assertiveness, i.e., importance of relationship.

    ii) Degree of cooperativeness, i.e., importance of outcome.

    Collaboration:

    People adopt a collaborating approach when they seek to foster an ongoingrelationship with another party and want to achieve an outcome that will be

    mutually beneficial. It is a strategy which usually leads to the most productive and

    positive outcomes and enable us to achieve a win-win solution for both parties.

    A party seeking to collaborate will encourage the other party t engage in dialogue

    where both parties are open about their interests, clear about their goals, respectful

    of each others interests while expressing any reservations, and creative in

    exploring how their interests may be met.

    Steps in undertaking collaboration:

    1. Analyze the situation requiring collaboration.

    Before pursuing collaboration, decide whether the situation warrants

    collaboration and, if so, analyze the issues, concerns, and interests involved

    and how you will approach the other party to encourage.

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    2. Inviting the other party to collaborating.

    When inviting someone to collaborate, acknowledge the individuals concerns

    about collaborating, show empathy, and state your desire to achieve a

    mutually satisfactory resolution.

    3. Listening and understanding.

    When beginning the collaborating, encourage the other party to discuss his or

    her view of situation, including both facts and underlying emotions, and listen

    empathetically before attempting to share your own views.

    4. Define the problem.

    As you collaborate, be sure that your discussion focuses on creating a

    problem statement on which you both agree. Be careful not to impose a

    solution as a guise for the problem.

    5. Brainstorming and evaluating possible solutions.

    When problem solving, brainstorm as many options as possible that may

    solve the problem without criticizing or evaluating the suggestions offered,

    then narrow down to select the best option that may solve the problem.

    6. Committing a solution.

    Test the proposed solution against relevant criteria to ensure you can commit

    to it, ask probing questions to determine its impacts on you and the others,

    and develop a strategy for implementing the solution.

    7. Implementing the monitoring the agreement.

    Implement the agreement and have a process in place for monitoring its

    progress and modifying or renegotiating aspects of the agreement as

    needed.

    8. Fostering the relationship.

    Evaluating the success of your collaboration, using it as a springboard for

    future collaborations and fostering an ongoing, positive relationship.

    Advantages of collaboration:

    1. Commitment to a decision will be greater if the team is made a part of the

    decision-making process.

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    2. Diversity of viewpoints will result in a more thought-out problem solving

    process and a more creative solution than what they would achieve alone.

    3. They can win back an employee with whom they have experienced a

    strained relationship.

    Five Communication Continua

    Many responses that we give and t from others fall somewhere on the five

    communication continua. Recognizing where messages fall on the

    communication continua will provide you with a deeper insight into the patterns of

    communication in both written and spoken communication.

    1. Solution Giving Problem Inquiry

    Conflict often arises out of our patterns of communication. Our ability to

    comprehend patterns of communication enhances our relationships. A

    supervisor who gives solutions may negatively affect the decision-making

    ability of his employees.

    Engaging in problem inquiry often helps others discover their own solution

    to their problem or conflicts. Problem inquiry uses open-ended questions to

    expand the conversation, open up our thoughts, and enrich our exploration of

    problems; they help us gain insight into our problems.

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    2. Superiority Equality

    People generally respond negatively to superior messages. They produce

    defensiveness and hard feelings.

    Equality messages have the opposite effect. Those who receive then often

    regard them as being supportive.

    3. Ignore feelings Empathy

    Ignoring feelings can cause conflict and damage relationships.

    Empathic responses provide senders an opportunity to discuss their feelings

    if they choose. These responses usually expand the conversation as people

    open up and discuss their inner feelings. They send the unspoken message

    that they care about others.

    4. Absolute Conditional

    Absolute responses are seldom accurate. They leave no room for variability,

    flexibility, more

    uncertainty.

    Conditional responses are appropriate to give when you are unsure about

    how to respond to another person or when there are a variety of possible

    solutions or approaches from which to choose.

    5. Evaluative Descriptive

    Evaluative responses only communicate ones interpretation of events or

    data.

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    Descriptive responses inform through specificity and are especially

    important when improvement is necessary.

    4.0 CONFLICT RESOLUTION STRATEGY

    Reinforcement of anti-discrimination policies

    We must lay the foundation of anti-discrimination laws by demonstrating zero-tolerance fordiscrimination. We can put our words in action by giving a written warning to the HR Directorand General Manager for having violated the companys policies. Also, handouts and postersmust be provided to employees to make them understand their right.

    Sensitization of Employees on Racial Discrimination

    We must sensitize employees on the issue of racial discrimination. On a worldwide basis, peopleare generating ad proliferating prejudices against Muslims with reference to the 11th September.Employees must be taken out of groove thinking so as to make a confused amalgam of issuesthat because of Al Qaeda, all Muslims are to be blamed. This is why we propose to hire theservices of a good communicator so as to clear any confusion as well as heal psychologicalwounds of worldwide terrorism.

    Formation of Clusters

    When people work together, one of the way to cement their relationship is to work in clusters.We propose that teams of composite groups are created with at least one Moroccan in each ofthem.

    An Efficient Feedback System

    A feedback system of constant follow-up and monitoring must be developed to avoid the

    occurrence of racial discrimination. It requires collaboration with employees at all level, monitoron grapevines and meetings with the parties concerned to see if the solutions do not have anylong-term unexpected problems for the employees.

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    6.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES

    Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory. 4 Aug. 1999. envision software, incorporated.15 Oct. 2010 .

    Ackerman, Frank, and others, eds. The Changing Nature of Work.Washington: Island

    Press, 1998.

    American Institute for Managing Diversity. "American Institute for Managing

    Diversity." Atlanta: American Institute for Managing Diversity, 1999. Available from

    www.aimd.org .

    Argenti, Paul A. The Portable MBA Desk Reference. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,

    1994.

    Colvin, Geoffrey." The Best Companies for Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics."Fortune, 19

    July 1999, 53-70.

    Crockett, Joan. "Diversity as a Business Strategy."Management Review, May 1999, 62.

    Digh, Patricia. "Coming to Terms with Diversity."HR Magazine 43, no. 12 (November

    1998): 117-20.

    Dreachslin, Janice L.Diversity Leadership. Chicago: Health Administration Press,

    1996.

    Fernandez, John P.Race, Gender, and Rhetoric: The True State of Race and Gender

    Relations in Corporate America. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998.

    Flynn, Gillian. "Diversity Programs." Workforce 77, no. 12 (December 1998): 27-35.

    Frost, Delyte." Review Worst Diversity Practices to Learn from Other's Mistakes."HR

    Focus,April 1999, 11-12.

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    Hemispherelnc. "Diversity: The Bottom Line. Part 1: Building a Competitive Workforce"

    (special advertising section).Forbes, 3 May 1999.

    Jacobs, Eva E., ed.Handbook of U.S. Labor Statistics. Lanham, MD: Bernan Press,

    1999.

    Lynch, Frederick R. The Diversity Machine: The Drive to Change the "White Male

    Workplace."New York: Free Press, 1997.

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