In conflict management, there are two primary ways to alleviate confrontations and consequent struggles. First of all, process interventions aim to regulate a series of actions resulting in a conflict in their progress, directly interfering and interacting with them. On the contrary, structure interventions seek to examine and alter preexisting circumstances that render a conflict possible in the first place. Therefore, these two types employ substantially different methods to regulate disputes. Such structural interventions as selection, training and contextual modification are directed at people and the environment where they communicate.
By initially screening individuals for qualities that may contradict organizational culture or make a candidate unsuitable for a position, an organization is able to prevent future difficulties and economize time and financial resources. Process interventions (regulatory policies, informal rules, constituent pressure, power and status, et cetera) monitor and regulate occurring interactions and not factors shaping them, unlike the previous type. Hence, while structural interventions try to prevent conflict, process interventions seek to mitigate it.
Nonetheless, each type can be applied to specific situations to maximize the efficiency of conflict management. For instance, process interventions are suited for situations when a person’s position in an organization is established and cannot be shifted despite its conflictive nature. In such circumstances, structure interventions would be inapplicable, but implementing organizational policies or informal rules could help alleviate the conflict. Stojkovic et al. state that:
“Conflicts of interest in correctional organizations between treatment staff and custodial groups can be reduced, in part, by reducing competition for scarce resources between the groups”.
This situation could serve as an example where such structure intervention as the contextual modification is efficiently used. Consequently, each conflict situation should be managed, considering situational and organizational specificities.