The Union-Management Intergroup Laboratory: Strategy for Resolving Intergroup Conflict

Behavioral science concepts and theories are rapidly finding increased application in business, government, and other organizations and institutions. The following article is a description of a recent step in applying behavioral science theories and research findings to a concrete organization situation. Described is a systematic approach for confronting the intense intergroup hostility between a management and an international union and moving the relationship toward a sound problem-solving one. Following a brief description of the setting in which this intergroup situation is embedded, a "blow-by-blow" accounting of the events that occurred during a Union-Management Inter-group Laboratory is presented. The attitudes, assumptions, values, misunderstandings, and goals of each group are brought into bold relief as they jointly examine their present relationship. Through a series of systematic steps, the two groups, working independently and jointly, examine their relationship in depth. Specific or concrete issues are set aside to focus underlying barriers that are causing eruption of conflict at the surface level. The Intergroup Laboratory permits groups in conflict to come together to work through tensions and frictions that have builtup over an extended period of time. Confrontation at this level permits group representatives to get beneath the issues separating them. Once areas of misunderstanding and sources of tension have been identified and resolved, it is possible for the two groups to more effectively deal with the day-to-day operational problems shared by them.