What is conflict?

ragil_tega@yahoo.co.id (bluewind) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 21:20:00 +0000

Conflict, according to Merriam Webster online dictionary, means:

Fight, battle, war.
a: competitive or opposing action of incompatibles : antagonistic state or action (as of divergent ideas, interests, or persons)

b: mental struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal demands
the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction

The common denominator in all these definitions is that a conflict situation contains a certain opposition or an incompatibility of either needs, wishes, interests etc of two or more parties..

The word conflict originates from Latin word conflictus (act of striking together), and from confligere to strike together (com+fligere (to strike)).

So in summary, we can simply say that conflict has more than one party involved; and there is an opposition and/or incompatibility inherent in the situation.

Conflict Management & Resolution

What is conflict?