Business Management Part B: Interdisciplinary Team Report

This report, focusing on business management, delves into the critical aspects of conflict resolution and team performance within interdisciplinary settings. It examines the challenges managers face in such environments, emphasizing the importance of creative problem-solving techniques. The report proposes the application of conflict asymmetry to address team member differences, fostering an environment for exchanging and integrating diverse ideas. Furthermore, it explores the use of feedback and motivation strategies, including creating a positive work environment, setting goals, providing incentives, and effective leadership, to enhance team performance. The strategies aim to move the team towards the conforming stage, leading to improved job satisfaction, increased performance, and reduced turnover rates. The report draws on various academic sources to support its arguments and provides a comprehensive overview of effective team management practices.

Business management Part B 1
Business management Part B
By (Name)
Course
Instructor’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
The City and State
The Date

Business management Part B 2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Application of Problem Solving Techniques in Conflict Resolution..............................................4
Application of Feedback and Motivation Techniques to Manage Performance in Teams..............6
Availing a positive environment..................................................................................................7
Setting goals.................................................................................................................................7
Provision of incentives.................................................................................................................7
Leadership...................................................................................................................................8
How these Strategies Will Move the Team into the Conforming Stage..........................................8
Job satisfaction............................................................................................................................8
Performance................................................................................................................................8
Turnover......................................................................................................................................9
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10

Business management Part B 3
Executive Summary
Effective conflict resolution is one of the most significant challenges faced by managers dealing
with interdisciplinary teams. The efficiency of a team manager to initiate proper techniques of
solving problems and persuading his team members to arrive at a consensus plays a crucial role
in influencing the success of individual group members, the team and the organization.
Creativity in conflict resolution encompasses the ability of the members of an organization to
combine diverse points of view as a basis of generating solutions that depict higher degrees of
novelty and usefulness. Functional diversity is one of the most significant potencies availed by
the members of interdisciplinary groups pursuing the forming and conforming phases of team
development in fostering problem-solving through appreciation of the diversities presented by
each of the team players. In my position as the interdisciplinary team manager, I will apply
conflict asymmetry as a technique of dealing with the differences revealed by my team members.
I will apply conflict asymmetry in resolving the problems faced with my group members by
creating an ample avenue and operational environment that will foster the processes of
exchanging, combining and transforming the novel and exclusive ideas presented by individual
team players as a way of striking a common point. Further, I will adopt feedback and motivation
techniques in the interdisciplinary team assigned by creating a positive working environment,
setting goals, offering effective leadership, availing incentives and recognizing achievements.
The strategies adopted will ensure that the multidisciplinary team assigned moves from the
current stage to the conforming stage through enhancement of job satisfaction, the performance
of the members, and reduction in the turnover rates.

Business management Part B 4
Introduction
Effective conflict resolution is one of the most significant challenges faced by managers dealing
with interdisciplinary teams. According to Martínez-Moreno et al. (2015), the efficiency of a
team manager to initiate proper techniques of solving problems and persuading his team
members to arrive at a consensus plays a crucial role in influencing the success of individual
group members, the team and the organization. The issues of collaboration and creativity in
interdisciplinary teams are highly capable of generating conflicts mainly when the group
members are cross-generational and are pursuing the forming and conforming phases. The
current section of the study seeks to undertake a critical analysis of how creative problem
techniques of solving problems can be in the application in resolving conflicts and coax members
of an interdisciplinary team towards pursuing a consensus and the most effective strategies of
managing ongoing team performances.
Application of Problem Solving Techniques in Conflict Resolution
Creativity in conflict resolution encompasses the ability of the members of an organization to
combine diverse points of view as a basis for generating solutions that depict higher degrees of
novelty and usefulness (Singer 2018). According to Prause and Mujtaba (2015), managers
working with interdisciplinary teams often rely on the creativity of their team members as a way
of pooling the diverse expertise, talents, and proficiencies availed by each team player.
Functional diversity is one of the most significant potencies availed by the members of
interdisciplinary groups pursuing the forming and conforming phases of team development in
fostering problem-solving through appreciation of the diversities presented by each of the team
players (Folger, Poole and Stutman 2015). Yong, Seur and Mannix (2014) explain that group
members possess specific information that may be of the critical essence in leading the

Business management Part B 5
interdisciplinary team towards innovative solutions. In my position as the manager of the
assigned unit, I will rely on the different series of potencies, social networks, talents,
proficiencies, work experiences and information availed by each of the team players to foster
problem-solving by taking advantage of the capacities for creativity enhanced by each of the
team members.
The functional diversities enjoyed by members of interdisciplinary teams set an avenue for
potential conflicts (Martínez-Moreno et al. 2015). According to Redick et al. (2014), members of
a multidisciplinary team try to find information relating to their peers and compete by
demonstrating their areas of expertise, as well as the competencies they possess in tackling the
tasks presented, which regularly stirs the emergence of conflicts. On the other hand, Tjosvold,
Wong and Feng Chen (2014) explain that the kind of pride depicted by multidisciplinary team
players in their areas of specialization could lead to the emergence of team-based conflicts as
each player embraces unhealthy traits such as protection of intellectual territory and the use
difficult terminologies. Such issues could stimulate communication barriers among the group
members, which regularly deters proper integration. On the other hand, Bradley et al. (2015) cite
the emergence of an "us-versus-them" mindset as an issue that may lead to deepened distrust and
exclusion among members of an interdisciplinary team.
In my position as the interdisciplinary team manager, I will apply conflict asymmetry as a
technique of dealing with the differences revealed by my team members. According to Fisher
(2016), individual members of a team uphold the notion that their peers in group settings need
not support perceptions that contradict with their points of view. As a consequence, there are
tendencies that the asymmetric perceptions regarding divergences in multidisciplinary teams may
lead to the formations of specific subgroups as well as different coalitions. According to

Business management Part B 6
Kalliamvakou et al. (2015), subgroups and coalitions are faced with challenges such as formation
along similar perceptions and values, strengthened relationships and minimal interactions with
other groups. Such issues may lead to the emergence of asymmetric conflicts. However, when
dealing with the assigned interdisciplinary team, I will apply conflict asymmetry in resolving the
problems faced with my group members by creating an ample avenue and operational
environment that will foster the processes of exchanging, combining and transforming the novel
and exclusive ideas presented by individual team players as a way of striking a common point.
According to Cameroon and Green (2015), the art of combining and transforming the concepts
put forth by multiple agencies plays a crucial role in creating bridges aimed at linking the
differing agencies. Darawon, Igel, and Badir (2016) reveal that novelty in team settings does not
only present proper avenues of exposing team players to ideas that are different from what they
uphold but also makes it a requirement that they must alter the previously supported
philosophies. As a consequence, I will encourage each stakeholder to acknowledge the fact that
their viewpoints, skills, and knowledge could be in the face of various limitations. On the other
hand, I will encourage each of these players to develop some degrees of interpersonal confidence
in appreciating the effectiveness of integrating the ideas upheld by the other members of the
team.
Application of Feedback and Motivation Techniques to Manage Performance in Teams
Feedback and motivation techniques play a significant role in managing performance in
multidisciplinary team settings. According to Krumnet et al. (2016), proper development of the
motivation approaches adopted in team settings leads to significant improvements in the
performance of the group. Further, Hu et al. (2017) associate institutionalization of active
feedback channels and motivation with an increase in morale and productivity. I will apply

Business management Part B 7
feedback and motivation techniques in the interdisciplinary team assigned by creating a positive
working environment, setting goals, offering effective leadership, availing incentives and
recognizing achievements as discussed in the ensuing subsections
Availing a positive environment
I will manage the ongoing performance of the team by ensuring that each member is in the
provision of an upbeat working environment. According to Paletz et al. (2018), positive relations
in team settings get into existence through the development of avenues aimed at sharing ideas
and availing the instruments needed to foster effective functioning among members. I will ensure
that I am available to solve the problems presented by the members and give each player with the
opportunity of working with the absolute independence when necessary.
Setting goals
Derdowski et al. (2018) advocate for setting attainable goals and objectives among members as
an aspect of realizing the overall aims of the team. While setting goals presents members with
something to strive for in their endeavors within the interdisciplinary team, it also plays a crucial
role in ensuring that the group benefits from the corporate gains availed.
Provision of incentives
Incentives are the gifts that the members of interdisciplinary teamwork towards attaining by
accomplishing the tasks assigned. In my position as the manager, I will avail each of my team
members with rewards that are comparable to their efforts in ensuring that the set goals, for
instance, I will include financial incentives in the form of cash prizes, vouchers and restaurant
gift certificates to motivate my members. On the other hand, team players that avail
extraordinary performances will be presented with nonfinancial incentives such as designated
parking spaces and office spaces.

Business management Part B 8
Leadership
Leadership plays a significant role in fostering the decision making processes of an
interdisciplinary team. According to Hu et al. (2018), team leaders must be capable of practicing
the power and authority bestowed. On the other hand, ineffective leadership in group settings is
characterized by inadequate comprehension of the underlying tasks and institutional procedures.
Such inadequacies could act as viable avenues for institutional wrangles.
How these Strategies Will Move the Team into the Conforming Stage
The strategies adopted will ensure that the multidisciplinary team assigned moves from the
current stage to the conforming stage through enhancement of job satisfaction, the performance
of the members, and reduction in the turnover rates.
Job satisfaction
Hu et al. (2018) explain that employees tend to enhance their performances in instances where
they are ied with a motivating environment. In the current interdisciplinary team members will
reveal that they are satisfied with their positions by showing their abilities in understanding their
roles and ensuring that their competencies are aimed at meeting the goal, mission, and vision of
the group.
Performance
The strategies put in place will enhance the performance of the team. According to Fisher
(2016), provision of incentives boosts a team player's morale towards receiving the set rewards.
In the interdisciplinary team assigned, members will work towards duplicating the behaviors that
are appreciated with positive reward systems and eliminate the functions that are negatively
reinforced; an aspect that will stir an increase in performance.

Business management Part B 9
Turnover
Turnover increases in instances where the motivational attempts put in place are flawed.
However, the adoption of incentives that reveal higher degrees of fairness and are performance-
based leads to a reduction in the levels of attrition and dismissals among workers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, managers working with interdisciplinary teams often rely on the creativity of their
team members as a way of pooling the diverse expertise, talents, and proficiencies availed by
each team player. The functional diversities enjoyed by members of the interdisciplinary team
sets an avenue for potential conflicts. In my position as the interdisciplinary team manager, I will
apply conflict asymmetry as a technique of dealing with the differences revealed by my team
members. I will use feedback and motivation techniques in the interdisciplinary team assigned by
creating a positive working environment, setting goals, offering effective leadership, availing
incentives and recognizing achievements. The strategies adopted will ensure that the
multidisciplinary team assigned moves from the current stage to the conforming stage through
enhancement of job satisfaction, the performance of the members, and reduction in the turnover
rates.

Business management Part B 10
References
Bradley, BH., Anderson, HJ., Baur, JE and Klotz, AC 2015, ‘When conflict helps: Integrating
evidence for beneficial conflict in groups and teams under three perspectives’, Group Dynamics:
Theory, Research, and Practice, vol. 19. no. 4, p.243.
Cameron, E. and Green, M., 2015, Making sense of change management: A complete guide to
the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers.
Darawong, C., Igel, B. and Badir, YF 2016, ‘The impact of communication on conflict between
expatriate and local managers working in NPD projects of MNC subsidiaries: A local
perspective’, Journal of Asia-Pacific Business, vol. 17. No. 1, pp.81-99.
Derdowski, L., Øgaard, T., Marnburg, E. and Mathisen, GE 2018, ‘Creative and innovative
behaviours of corporate directors: an elusive role of task-related conflicts’, Journal of
Management and Governance, vol. 5, no.3, pp.1-25.
Fisher, R.J., 2016, ‘Interactive conflict resolution: A social-psychological approach to resolving
violent ethnopolitical conflict’, In Ronald J. Fisher: A North American Pioneer in Interactive
Conflict Resolution vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 105-132
Folger, J., Poole, M.S. and Stutman, R.K., 2015. Working through conflict: Strategies for
relationships, groups, and organizations. Routledge.
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Kalliamvakou, E., Damian, D., Blincoe, K., Singer, L. and German, D.M., 2015, ‘Open source-
style collaborative development practices in commercial projects using GitHub’, In Proceedings
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Business management Part B 11
Krumm, S., Kanthak, J., Hartmann, K. and Hertel, G., 2016, ‘What does it take to be a virtual
team player? The knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics required in virtual teams.
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