As organizational tasks have grown more complex, several innovative temporary management systems such as matrix management have been developed. The Apollo space program has been an important contribution to the development of matrix management techniques. Discusses the role of conflict within the matrix, its determinants, and the process of…

It is the responsibility of teachers to imbue in their students the idea that settlements to today's problems are not necessarily just or permanent. In a democratic society, all segments of the populace have the right to be considered. (CK)

Management of conflict has assumed great importance among managers. It should be an essential part of the management development process. Human resource development planners should initiate skill training opportunities for supervisors, managers, and technical specialists in conflict resolution to allow for more effective problem solving and…

Assertiveness training models show shortcomings in those situations where assertiveness results in stalemates or conflicts, or both. Deadlocks may occur when antagonists demonstrate appropriate assertive behavior. Conflict management using problem-solving skills allows individuals to learn appropriate methods of dealing with conflictual or…

There are lots of ways to handle behavior problems in the classroom. Some teachers send difficult children to time out, others tell them what and what not to do, and many explain why. But these techniques have one thing in common: they all do the thinking for the child. In this article, the author discusses how to help children handle conflicts…

Gossiping staff in early childhood programs models destructive behavior and harms families' trust in the professionalism of the program. Bruno identifies some of the causes and motives for gossip and examines its occurrence in early care and education settings. She offers step-by-step strategies to help supervisors set and enact policies that…

Anger is probably the most misunderstood and least expressed feeling. To understand anger, it is necessary to explore the process. Anger usually follows an experience of frustration, unmet expectations, loss of self-respect, and fear. The next stage seems to be anxiety, which may be interpreted as a disappointment, discomfort, or powerlessness.…

The theory of individual preferential choice is a descriptive theory for the resolution of conflict within the individual. If there is only a single peaked preference function, it is relatively easy to find the preference. Under a multipeaked preference function, an optimal choice can be insured only after an exhaustive, costly search. Therefore,…

An incremental model of decisionmaking is discussed and compared with the Comprehensive Rational Approach. A model of reconciliation between the two approaches is proposed, and examples are given in the field of economic development and educational planning. (Author/DN)

Dissent is an integral part of human relations, one that can stimulate creative problem solving. Four major strategies for dealing with dissent are power, compromise, consensus, and synergy. (SK)

Outlines an eight-step confrontation technique designed to aid the resolution of conflict. (SK)

Instead of avoiding all conflict, teachers should let students work through conflict to create new learning opportunities. This paper presents the case for and against conflict, discusses the cost of passivity and tranquility, and suggests a fundamental adjustment in perspective that will afford more opportunities for students to delve into…

Sets forth the nine major steps of problem solving in a proactive, future-focused, and vision-oriented way: defining the problem, identifying the contributing factors, stating why this is a problem, stating the preferred scenario, brainstorming possible alternatives, evaluating pros and cons of the alternatives, choosing an alternative, developing…

Studies have shown that improved parenting mediates treatment outcomes for aggressive children, but we lack fine-grained descriptions of how parent-child interactions change with treatment. The current study addresses this gap by applying new dynamic systems methods to study parent-child emotional behavior patterns. These methods tap…