AGILE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT FOR PROJECT TEAMS IN BUSINESS PRACTICE.

Purpose: This article focuses on conflict management as an important aspect of team management that may reduce the benefits of a given project. Due to the constantly changing business environment and the need for organisations to be flexible in their operations, traditional methods of project management are becoming less and less suitable. As a result, agility in management is gaining recognition. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical research presented in the article was carried out using quantitative and qualitative methods. Expert interview techniques were also used, and quantitative research also involved the use of a questionnaire. The use of two research techniques was aimed at obtaining a broader view of the methods of agile conflict management used when implementing projects. Findings: The research pointed to conflict management styles and methods often used by agile project teams within small and medium-sized enterprises. However, it is not exclusively dedicated to the agile approach. In addition, the results highlight the relationship between team characteristics and problem-solving methods. the key to the success of the project is the selection of team members to meet an important condition of agile project management, i.e. self-organisation and team management. This is the starting point for making the right selection of tools and methods when solving problems. It is very important that it is a small, interdisciplinary team of professionals. In agile project teams, the most common cause of conflicts is communication errors. Teams prioritise conflicts and take action to resolve them as quickly as possible. Time and dialogue are important determinants of conflict management. Experts point out that the best way to deal with a conflict depends on the type of conflict. Research limitations/implications: An important question arising from the research is as to whether the existing conflicts can become an instrument of process and organisational innovations in small and medium-sized enterprises? Another prospect for continuing research is the possibility of involving a larger number of participants from agile teams. Originality/value: The article draws attention to the issue of agile project management within small and medium-sized enterprises, which is an issue rarely discussed. the article contains conflict resolution tips addressed to agile project teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]