The nature of "conflict" seems like such a straightforward concept. Conflict has been around since there have been opposing forces of any kind. A conflict can be found anywhere. Proton and neutrons struggle against each other and tribes fighting for territory can all be seen as examples of conflict. Thinking back it is hard to remember my life without conflict. Whether it be fighting with my brothers for the television remote or arguing with my parents over my curfew, conflict is as much a part of anyone's life as sleeping or eating. For many the simple act of getting out of bed in the morning can spawn a serious conflict. The decision to respond to the ringing of ones alarm or to just roll over and sleep in is a conflict for millions of working people everyday. This last example is really trivial when you consider that people die from major types of conflicts such as war and genocide. Hitler's struggle with the citizens of the Jewish Tradition resulted in the death of millions of innocent people. This of course, is conflict at an extreme, but nevertheless shows how complex a conflict can become. One of the major challenges of today's day and age that occurs on a much more regular basis is the conflict found in the corporate office environment.
Work-Team conflict is growing as quickly as corporate America. Ever since the Work-Team was introduced to enhance office productivity conflict has risen in direct proportion to the amount of time and space proximity that the working team shares. This should be a natural result considering that the more time you spend with someone, the more comfortable you will become and as such, more prone to conflict. This is compounded by the fact that many office settings endorse conflict as a means to increase creativity, competition, and overall office productivity. This constructive conflict is an advantage to a workplace for those reasons.