Conflict management within organizations: a case study in the context of the University of Bologna

This chapter explores intra-group conflict within complex organizations through a theoretical and empirical analysis focused on peer-to-peer conflicts at the University of Bologna. Grounded in organizational conflict theory, it adopts a constructive approach that views conflict as a structural feature of collective life rather than a pathological deviation. Drawing on data collected within the framework of the “University Dispute Resolution (U.d.r.)” project, funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, the study maps conflict dynamics, identifies their relational and intra-group nature, and assesses attitudes toward institutional and consensual dispute resolution mechanisms.