You are a project manager at a medium-sized company that produces a variety of house appliance products. You have been working with a group of engineers and designers in creating a new toaster oven. The product is ready to be marketed, and the company seems to be extremely anxious to begin production. However, when you approached the head of production to start making plans, you are told that your work will be delayed for at least a year. According to them, you should have notified them weeks earlier because other products have already been scheduled for marketing. Also, some of the production equipment will have to be refitted, and the process will take three months. You insisted on beginning production immediately, but the head of production refused to begin before a year has passed. You and the head of production had a very heated exchange, after which you went to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). She informed you that she wants you to work out the problems and that the first product needs to roll off the line in six months.

Conflict can be handled in many ways. The parties can work to resolve the conflict themselves, or they can seek outside help from a third party.

    After reviewing the case, describe in detail five potential strategies for conflict management that might be used to address the problems between the parties (40 pts).

    What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches to conflict resolution? (20 pts).

    Identify and describe a real incident of conflict from the media or your job situation (15 pts).

    Which of the five approaches to conflict management is likely to be most effective in this situation, and why? (15 pts)