Blackwell Reference Online

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“Managers” often find that their formal authority falls far short of their responsibilities and their success is dependent on the actions of others outside the chain of command. Though people in this predicament may yearn for more control, there is often no practical way to follow the textbook advice to match authority with responsibility. “Indirect management” is the name we give this increasingly important phenomenon of concentrated responsibility but shared authority and resources. It calls for a very different approach from traditional line management. ( Lax and Sebenius, 1986 ) Managers function in an increasingly complex world where competition is intense and global for virtually all product or service lines. Their revenue-generating initiatives require cross-unit cooperation and coordination, and the structural parameters or procedural precedents that might assist in the implementation of such initiatives are often absent or inconsistent. Even their work units are increasingly staffed by teams of employees who require and demand substantial self-determination in order to perform their jobs effectively. Together, these factors generate a perfect set of conditions for conflict in the managerial job – scarce resources, ambiguous lines of authority, conflicting goals, and high levels of interdependence. What exactly is meant by the term conflict? Essentially, I am speaking of ... log in or subscribe to read full text