ABSTRACT
The management of conflict is an inescapable part of a Project Manager's responsibility. The ability to identify and effectively respond to conflicts can significantly affect a manager's overall success in managing a building project. This chapter discusses the importance of effectively responding to conflict. Strategies for responding effectively to conflict include: interest conflicts structural conflicts, value conflicts, relationship conflicts, and data conflicts. Unless project managers are alert and have the skills to manage the levels of conflict effectively, relationships between project participants can deteriorate to such an extent that the original project goals become impossible to achieve. Project managers adopt different styles in responding to conflict. These styles are usually a combination of individual personality, training and past experience. The ability to effectively identify and respond to conflict is a crucial requirement for successful project management.
