Conflict Resolution Analysis: The Case of Linda Sims and Jose Martinez

Linda Sims in accounting and Jose Martinez in credit are having a conflict regarding the utilization of the administrative assistant in the credit department, Ruth Rankin. They both work for a production company that has experienced significant growth in the past 6 months. In order to address the conflict, it must first be determined what the actual source of the conflict is.

Due to Rankin’s close proximity to accounting, she sometimes assisted with journal entries assigned by Linda. With the current growth of the company, the credit department is expected to process applications more quickly. This situation has led to Rankin being unable to assist, as often, an accounting department that is expected to process at an increased rate as well.

Sims complains to Martinez that accounting needs Rankin more than he needs her in credit. This complaint prompts the following response from Martinez, “If I can’t move the credit applications through the pipeline in a timely manner, soon there’ll be no need for an accounting department, because this company will be out of business.”

While conflict is typically looked upon as an undesirable result of a problem, it can also become a solution for that very same problem. Though Sims and Martinez are taking an adversarial approach, this problem can be solved using John Dewey’s “Rational Problem-Solving Process”. (Cited in Geraldine E. Hynes, 2011, p 311-312)

The first step in this problem solving process will be defining the problem. The problem is accounting is becoming overwhelmed by the excess workflow from the increased credit processing. Since the credit department now needs Rankin more to ensure quick application processing, Martinez can no longer afford to loan Rankin to Sims.

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...fied, it is time to implement it. Contracting an employment agency after getting the human resource’s approval will be the first step. From here, reviewing resumes and conducting interviews with candidates can begin. After finding and hiring the candidate with the right skills to fill the newly open position, the core problem will be resolved.

This conflict between Martinez and Sims started out adversarial; but after following Dewey’s six step process, both parties have become allies focused on solving a common problem. This conflict has not only been effectively resolved between the two departments; it has potentially benefited the company by addressing a staffing issue. This issue –if ignored- could have created significant problems further along as the situation grew dire; causing the company to address the issue reactively instead of proactively.