Conflict and Power in Organizations Report

Overview
Write a 3–5-page blog post that explains how individual perceptions of power can create conflict situations between law enforcement and members of a community. Use the relational theory of power to explain how perceptions affect the ability to resolve conflict. Then, identify a conflict resolution strategy and predict the outcome.

Context
Power plays a role in most conflicts. According to Coleman, Deutsch, and Marcus (2014), power can be understood by looking at its relationship to a situation and how that power is used. It is important to consider the role that each person in a conflict situation plays and that person’s place in the power hierarchy. Also, consider culture, as it can influence the way people react to power inequalities. Understanding these differences is key when trying to understand the dynamics of conflict and formulate strategies for conflict resolution.
Reference
Coleman, P., Deutsch, M., & Marcus, C. (Eds.). (2014). The handbook of conflict resolution: Theory and practice (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Questions to Consider
To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community.

Resources
Suggested Resources
The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.

Library Resources
The following e-books or articles from the University Library are linked directly in this course:

Coleman, P., Deutsch, M., & Marcus, C. (Eds.). (2014). The handbook of conflict resolution: Theory and practice (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Chapters 6, 12, 17, 22, and 25.
Walden, A. L., Javdani, S., & Allen, N. E. (2014).Engaging conflict: Support power-sharing through constructive conflict resolution. Journal of Community Psychology, 42(7), 854–868.
Hocker, J. L., & Wilmot, W. W. (2018). Interpersonal conflict (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
Chapters 4 and 6.
Assessment Instructions
Suppose you are an active member of a community blog site that focuses on current events. The administrator of the blog has contacted you and asked you to write a blog on recent national events involving law enforcement agencies. The title of the blog is to be “Conflict and Power.”

Preparation
Search the Capella library and the Internet to locate resources that address the dynamics of power and conflict (in particular, with relation to law enforcement), the relational theory of power, perceptions of power, and how things such as gender, culture, and ethnicity can affect that perception.

Requirements
Complete the following:

Describe the factors or conditions that contribute to conflict situations between law enforcement and citizens.
Explain how perceptions of power may contribute to conflict situations between law enforcement and members of a community. Be sure you consider the perceptions of both the police and individual citizens.
Use the relational theory of power to explain how perceptions of power affect the ability to resolve police–community conflict.
Identify strategies you believe might be effective in reducing or resolving conflicts between police and communities.
Choose one strategy and determine the likely outcome.
Although an actual blog would not have any specific formatting, format this assessment following APA guidelines. This format will facilitate faculty evaluation and feedback.

Additional Requirements
Submit 3–5 typed, double-spaced pages, not including title and reference pages.
Use 12-point, Times New Roman font.
Include a title page and reference page.