Educational Pension Investments: Conflict, Leadership, and Management

This essay analyzes the Educational Pension Investments (EPI) case study, focusing on conflict management, interpersonal skills, and leadership. The essay identifies interpersonal and organizational conflicts between employees, particularly between Dan and Mike, highlighting issues like jealousy and differing work styles. It explores various conflict resolution methods, with a focus on collaboration and compromise. Dan's approach to balancing the needs of both Mike and the older employees is examined, as is Mike's desire to implement new ideas to improve the company's image. The essay references the importance of effective leadership in resolving workplace conflicts and the impact of interpersonal skills on staff performance, as it delves into the causes, consequences, and potential resolutions of conflicts within EPI. The essay concludes by emphasizing the significance of adapting to change and finding a balance between tradition and innovation within a company.

Running head: EDUCATIONAL PENSION INVESTMENTS
EDUCATIONAL PENSION INVESTMENTS
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

Running head: EDUCATIONAL PENSION INVESTMENTS
Answer 1:
A workplace needs an effective management that would be able to understand the
workplace appropriately and understand the employees (Branch, Ramsay & Barker, 2013).
Conflicts are inevitable in workplace for people come from different background and have
different future aspirations. Each person is different from another with different behaviour
patterns and opinions (Kelman, 2017). Conflict can occur for various reasons in workplace
however in mostly it is the perception of incompatible interests between two workplace
participants. Disputes are only the consequence of conflicts that occur on extreme situations and
call for legal actions (Cloward & Ohlin, 2013). Conflicts can exist without disputes as well
which is found in the particular case study of educational pension investment (EPI).
The conflict between Dan and his friend Mike is the major conflict that has been the
focus of the case study. The conflicts that can be identified is majorly interpersonal and
organizational. Interpersonal conflicts are the conflicts that arises most apparently as a result of
office gossip, rumours and politics. In this particular case, it can be seen that Dan trusted Mike,
his skills, potential and past record. He believed the zest in Mike and his enthusiastic nature will
bring growth to EPI. The company’s conservative nature opposed for changes and therefore was
sceptical in hiring Mike. After mike joined the company he was constantly faced with issues
from the old employees. There would be several disagreements in the meeting and he would be
let down with his with his ideas. It was only the new joiners that enjoyed working with him
however the old employees were jealous. These was the interpersonal cause that lead the minor
conflicts between the older employees and mark. This was the beginning which eventually lead
to the bigger conflict between Dan and Mike. When Tom Watson approached Dan, he acted as a
jealous employee. Dan was aware of the whole thing however he was under the pressure of

Running head: EDUCATIONAL PENSION INVESTMENTS
responsibilities and ethics. He could not go against his partners since they were a team since the
beginning of the company. He was also aware that Mike was doing the right thing. He only
thought Mike was faster than he should be since EPI was based on traditional rules and
principles. It was difficult for Mike to work without his own space and flexibility which was also
making him frustrated with the system. Eventually, the reason of conflicts were the interpersonal
causes that was within the organization among the employees. A strong derive for work in Mike
was clashing with the other participants of the workplace. Even though the conflict was shown as
due to clash of ideas, it was basically the jealously.
Answer 2:
Every conflict is not created equal. Few conflicts are easy to resolve than other. As a
leader one needs to find the appropriate measures that would be able to solve conflicts and even
prevent them from occurring (Hobbes, 2016). There are various ways conflicts can be resolved in
organisations. The process of resolving any conflicts depends on multiple factors, such as the
reason for conflict, the importance of the conflict and the impact of the conflicts. Few of the
common ways conflicts are resolved competing, accommodating, avoiding, collaborating and
compromising (Deutsch, 2015). Competing is the method that is when the higher authority
imposes a solution as the conflict resolution. It is a way of powering in order to win or defend the
position. Accommodating is a method of subordinating own interest to the interests of others.
Avoiding is the method that is not a solution but a way of not acknowledging the conflict.
Collaborating and compromising are two methods of resolving a conflict that are most suitable
(Tidström, 2014).
In this particular case of EPI, Dan has chosen to collaborate and resolve the matter. He is
aware of Mike’s importance in the company along with the fact that his approaches are ultra-

Running head: EDUCATIONAL PENSION INVESTMENTS
modern and his company is opposing it. He is not willing to let go of Mike and therefore, he calls
him to his house. Dan is aware of the fact that his company is not yet ready for change that it
requires like Mike, however, being the CEO of the company he does not want to give up.
Therefore, he has been using the compromising tool in order to keep both Mike and the old
employees happy in the workplace. Every time, he has acted neutrally and taking the lead
whenever he thought situations warmed up. While proposing Mike a job offer in the company he
has defended and spoke highly of him. He constantly maintained balance between his co-workers
and his friend. In meeting every time he found situations that were prone to conflicts he made his
interrupted with a something that would resolve the growing chances of conflicts. Mike in
several places while also learning about his approaches and his former partner’s reaction. He
Dan is loyal to his company, and he wants the best for the company, however, mike has different
future aspirations. He wants more from life and seeks to implement all his ideas on EPI. To
improve the company’s image, Mike is needed. Dan calls him into his room to talk face to face
and convince him to modify his way of working and cope with the environment. He aims to
resolve the issue with calm discussions. Mike is his friend, and he is willing to help Dan.
Therefore, when Mike speaks about resign, he calls him to the reception to show his boat. He is
aiming to work together in order to find a solution to the problem.

Running head: EDUCATIONAL PENSION INVESTMENTS
References:
Branch, S., Ramsay, S., & Barker, M. (2013). Workplace bullying, mobbing and general
harassment: A review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(3), 280-299.
Cloward, R. A., & Ohlin, L. E. (2013). Delinquency and opportunity: A study of delinquent
gangs. Routledge.
Deutsch, M. (2015). Educating for a peaceful world. In Morton Deutsch: Major Texts on Peace
Psychology (pp. 89-103). Springer, Cham.
Hobbes, T. (2016). Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan (Longman Library of Primary Sources in
Philosophy). Routledge.
Kelman, H. C. (2017). Processes of opinion change. In Attitude Change (pp. 205-233).
Routledge.
Tidström, A. (2014). Managing tensions in coopetition. Industrial Marketing Management,
43(2), 261-271.