Final answer:
Situations where an increase in conflict is necessary or beneficial involve opportunities for learning, growth, and innovation. Conflict can also drive societal progress and improve social order, as noted by sociologists like Marx and Weber. The management of conflict is crucial in determining constructive or destructive outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The notion of stimulating conflict is often difficult to accept, yet there are situations where an increase in conflict is necessary or beneficial. When people are working together closely, conflicts are inevitable, stemming from differences in beliefs, values, opinions, and actions. While conflicts can lead to negative outcomes like stress and diminished team morale, they also offer opportunities for teams to learn from others' points of view, grow, and innovate. Sociologists like Karl Marx and Max Weber suggested that conflict can be necessary for societal progress, leading to a more egalitarian society and helping to stabilize and integrate a society, though their approaches and focuses differed.
Moreover, the resolution of conflicts can involve various strategies, from brute force to peaceful negotiations and treatments. Certain ideological differences, such as those found in the conflict in Northern Ireland, can significantly affect a nation's unity or division. However, it's not just the occurrence of conflict that's important; the way it is handled can also have profound effects on the outcomes for individuals, teams, and whole societies. As such, in certain circumstances, stimulating or addressing conflict proactively can be essential to achieving progress, resolving tension, and paving the way for future agreements.