Problem Solving and Conflict Management Strategy

Assignment task
This task is inspired by the assumption that your ability to handle conflict competently
complements other effective leadership traits such as the ability to motivate people,
emotional intelligence and being visionary. It focuses on managing conflict through
effective negotiation. It is undertaken in two parts: Part A & Part B. You will be given a
further details of this coursework in Week 5.
a. Part A: Case analysis (20%, 1500 words) Week 8
Part A is split into two. It should be undertaken from these two perspectives:
• The new Project Manager; and
• As someone acting on behalf of a sub-contractor.
As the new Project Manager (or a Senior Manager) you are in charge of a complex
project that is going badly. You will analyse the rift between some of the project
stakeholders by using the literature on the emergence and management of conflict.
You will then produce a suitable output which outlines how you are planning to
overcome this rift. Further details of the output will be issued with the coursework
brief.
As someone acting on behalf of a sub-contractor, you need to establish whether the
sub-contractor has any legal basis for claiming that they should be paid the
outstanding sum.
b. Part B: 3,000-word conflict management strategy (60%, 3000 words) Week 12
Part B should be undertaken from the perspective of the Client’s new Project
Manager ONLY. You will devise a strategy for conflict minimisation/resolution. You
are expected to have identified the common causes of conflict in the case project in
Part A. Part B focusses on developing strategies to resolve this conflict, and
reporting this strategy using principles of effective communication.