Managing Intra-organizational Conflicts: A Case Study of Subdistrict Administrative Organizations in the Northeast

Abstract

Conflicts are a social phenomenon and are unavoidable. Without effective management strategies, conflicts can be destructive to any organization. This study aimed to explore types of intra-organizational conflicts and strategies for conflict management found in subdistrict administrative organizations (SAOs) in the Northeast of Thailand. The authors employed a multiple-case study design and collected data via interviews of key informants that included local officials and residents in four SAOs in Khon Kaen and Nong Khai Province. Findings reveal that conflicts in the SAOs are classified into three types: interpersonal, intra-group, and inter-group. Conflict management strategies employed by the SAO personnel are as follows: recognition of roles and responsibilities, equalized resource allocation, off-the-record negotiation, attitude and understanding adjustment, compromization, and adaptation.