The managerial/technologist conflict

Abstract

Summary form only given, as follows. The author discusses the conflict that can occur between technologists and their managers. He defines this concept of conflict and then identifies methods to deal with the conflict in a productive manner. An overview of the managerial/technologist conflict (man/tech conflict) is given, and generalized models of both a technologist and a manager are derived. Through a comparison of these two models, sources of the man/tech conflict are labeled and a more definitive explanation is formulated. The evolution of a technologist into a manager is briefly discussed, and several of the shortcomings that can occur with an evolved manager are shown to possibly inflame the man/tech conflict. It is concluded that the man/tech conflict stems from the difference in problem-solving approaches and the poor communications abilities of the technologists. It is shown that a controlled form of conflict, i.e., dialectic tension, is needed for productivity, and it is the responsibility of the manager to control this conflict.<>