Conflict Management Strategies and Employee Performance
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is, conflict management and organizational performance as relates to Secondary schools in Ondo.
Other specific objectives include:
- To identify the causes of conflict in secondary schools in Ondo;
- To determine ways of managing conflict in the organization to improve performance;
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
The Concept of Conflict
Robbins and Judge (2009) defined conflict as ‘’ a process that begins where one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect something that the first party cares about’’. This is a very apt definition, emphasizing that conflict is about perceptions, not necessarily real hard facts. It points to the emotional nature of conflict, by referring to a word like ‘’care’’, it states that more than one party is involved and that there may be a future component attached to it.
Shapiro (2006) in relation to the above states that, conflict is a process of social interaction. It involves a struggle over claims to resources, power, status, beliefs, preferences and desires. Darling and Walker (2007) linked this idea to the organization by stating that, even when conflict is a natural phenomenon in social relations (as natural as harmony), it can nevertheless be managed within organizations. They add that conflict may have both positive as well as negative consequences within the organization, the submission above blend with the fact that, conflict can never be totally eliminated within organizations but can be efficiently managed in order to move organizations to greater height and performance level.
Functional Versus Dysfunctional Conflict
Conflict that supports the goals for the group and improves the group’s performance can be classified as functional conflict (Darling and Walker, 2007). This type of conflict is constructive in nature and the base assumption is that, it will have a positive effect on the organisation’s performance. For example, this type of conflict can cause ideas, beliefs and assumptions to be challenged (Bagshaw, 1998). This, in turn, can lead to innovation and the willingness to consider fresh tactics. There can also be information exchange, honest and free expression of opinions (Rivers, 2005). Constructive conflict can also be a catalyst for action for the mere anticipation of future conflict can instigate action (Darling and Walker, 2007). Conflict is a key ingredient to organisational change – functional conflict can therefore not only be responsible for organisational improvement, but also for organisational change (Olakunle, 2008).
On the other hand, according to Olakunle (2008), conflict is dysfunctional when it absorbs organisational efforts and resources without producing anything, when it deflects attention from basic purposes, and perhaps, when it leads to actions which consciously or unconsciously sabotage and subvert primary organisational goals. Dysfunctional or destructive conflict breaks an organisation down. Interdepartmental conflicts can for instance disturb resourcefulness in other department (Maltz and Kohli, 2000). Other instances of dysfunctional conflict regularly found in organisation include interference with another function’s work by withholding information and the forming of coalitions to block certain proposals (Barclay, 1991). There are also passive ways to use conflict to be destructive. This might include a lack of responsiveness to requests, a deliberate rigid adherence to organisation procedures to stop or delay progress (Hart, 2000).
Organisations that promote more of functional conflict will perform better which is preferred than dysfunctional conflict because it support group goals and improve organisational performance.
Causes of Conflict
Conflict can arise in different situations. Deutch and Coleman (2006) identified some of the causes of conflict to include the following; differences in knowledge, beliefs and basic values; competition for position, power and recognition; a need for tension release; a drive for autonomy; personal dislike; and differing perception or attributes brought about by the organisational structure, different role structure, heterogeneity of the workforce, environmental changes, differences in goals, diverse economic interest, loyalties of groups, and value discrepancies, which were all considered at various stages as major causes of conflict in organisations.
Havenga (2004) indicated that causes of conflict at the level of organisation could also include resource availability; affirmative action programmes, the scope and content of workload, the introduction of new management techniques; and differences of a cultural and racial nature. A typology that further categorises sources of conflict is offered by Kreitner and Kinicki (2001), who differentiate between structural factors (causes) that is, those that develop from within the organisation and originate from the manner in which work is organised, and secondly personal factors, which emerge as a result of individual differences among employees.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The study adopted descriptive research design. This design was chosen to help describe employee performance in relation to conflict management by considering the case study at secondary schools in Ondo. Robson (2002) points out that descriptive study portrays an accurate profile of persons, events or situation. The descriptive design helped to obtain information concerning the current state at secondary schools in Ondo while describing, “what existed” with respect to different conditions or variables. Furthermore, the descriptive nature of the research provided detailed information about the research problem. This provided a general overview giving valuable pointers as to what variables were worth testing quantitatively. The independent variables that guided the research design were educational background, gender diversity, marital status and age diversity on employees’ performance. The study determined the conflict management and employee performance in National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Nigeria. Based on an association between the variables, a valid conclusion was derived to show a cause and effect.
Target Population
Population refers to the entire group of people, events, or things that the researcher wishes to investigate (Sekaran, 2003). The target population for this research was National Research Institute for Chemical Technology and the respondents were employees/staff from all the departments. The respondents at secondary schools in Ondo were made up of 6 senior and management staff, making up 15% of the staff, 8 supervisory management staff which is 21% of the staff and 110 general staff, about 63% of all the staff.
Since the population was small, a census study was adopted and the entire population of staff was considered for the study. According to (Cooper & Schindler, 2007) a census is feasible when the population is small and necessary when the elements are quite different from each other. Therefore, a census study was deemed appropriate for study since the sampling frame was small; thus all the 110 managerial, supervisory and general staff at the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology were considered for the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
Introduction
This section contains the presentation of data, analysis, and findings. The questionnaires administered were structured according to the assumptions formulated in order to ascertain the relationship between conflict management and organizational performance in National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (secondary schools in Ondo) Zaria.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
The work is structured in five chapters. Chapter one discussed the background of the study, statement of the problem, scope and limitation, objectives, hypothesis and the methodology of the study. Chapter two focuses on the theoretical framework of Mary Parker Follett. Chapter three looks at the historical background of secondary schools in Ondo. Chapter four discuss data presentation and analysis, Chapter five finally discuss the summary, conclusion and recommendations.
Conclusion
Every organization, be it public or private, is established to achieve certain define objectives. Thus, the success or otherwise of an organization to an extent is usually determine by the effective management of conflicts in the organization. Conflicts in organization such as secondary schools in Ondo is caused by several factors ranging from scarcity of resources, communication breakdown, differences in knowledge, heterogeneity of the workforce, competition for position, etc. which can affect performance. Management of conflicts in this guise form an integral part of any organization that wants to succeed because if not well taking care of, organization may be heading towards doom in terms of its performance. For conflicts to be managed effectively in organization, an appropriate conflict management style has to be adopted in order to curb the menace.
Recommendations
Based on the research findings of this study, the following recommendations are given by the researcher to serve as a means of improving on the aspect of conflicts management in organizations for best performance:
- The government should ensure that research institutes especially secondary schools in Ondo are funded adequately and also that, management should ensure effective communication channel in order for resources to be put in their best use.
- The organization’s management and other organization should employ the use of integration method of managing conflicts because of it enormous advantages over other methods.
- Since organizational performance is a function of conflict management, its mechanism in organization should be straighten more in order to further the improvement in the organization’s performance.
REFERENCES
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- Daft, R. L. (2009) Organisation Theory and Design (11th Ed).South-Western College Publishing. USA: Thomson Learning.
- Darling, J., Walker, W. (2007), Effective Conflict Management: Use of the Behavioural Style Model, Leadership and Organisation Development Journal, Vol. 22 No. 5Education Ltd.
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