Molson Coors Brewing Company

Despite its successes, the Molson Coors Brewing Company continues to be tormented by internal conflicts which have yet to be resolved. A first example of ineffective conflict management is offered by the tensions occurred between cousins Eric and Ian Molson, who were bind by contract to rule the company together, but which become engaged in attempts of character assassination.

The two were not able to unite their powers as members of the same family and make the best decisions in favor of the organization. In other words, they were unprofessional, driven by personal desires and as such unable to move passed their egos and unite their forces in the benefit of the brewery; the result was the emergence of an interpersonal and even dysfunctional conflict.

A second example belongs to more recent times and refers to the internal tensions which arouse after the merger with the Coors Brewery, Eric Molson's long-term fixation. Each party feels that it has a reduced ability to control and that it is at disadvantage relative to the other family. In this scenario, the inefficiencies were pegged to the lack of a unified approach in the meaning that both parties saw themselves as individuals.

An actual unification between the two companies has as such yet to be reached. Each family maintained and appointed its own representatives within the leadership of the greater company. This however meant that the board would often be divided between Molson and Coors and the conflicts which arouse were of a person-role nature. It could have been more efficient if more specialized managers had been brought in from outside the organization. These managers would have revealed an unbiased stand and would have stood more chances of serving the overall interests of the united brewery.

Reference:

McCuddy, M.K., Morgal, M.L., Molson Coors Brewing Company: Conflict Resolution in the Aftermath of a Merger