Organizational relationships are complex. We can almost never know all we need to know at the time a decision must be made. When working in coalitions or collaborations, differences in the goals, resources or fields of activity may arise between members. In a well-planned effort, the clarity of goals and benefits, open communication and a forum for discussion of differences can be the glue that holds things together and keeps momentum going. Substantive refers to conflicts primarily related to task.
Affective conflicts relate to socio-emotional or interpersonal relations.
Turf battles related to identity or personality as described above are conflicts of this type. Morton Deutsch also points out that affective disagreements may arise over preferences and nuisances, values, beliefs and the nature of relationships. The first step in deciding how to best handle the disagreement within a coalition is to identify whether it is a substantive or affective conflict. As Zald suggests, incorrect or incomplete information is often a major part of a turf dispute. To minimize or make amends for these gaps or misunderstandings, coalition leadership can use several techniques.