Conflict Resolution Strategies and Headteachers’ Administrative Effectiveness in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area
CHAPTER ONE
Purpose of the Study
The study was done to examine conflict resolution strategies and administrative effectiveness of primary school headteachers in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.
The objectives of the study were to:
- determine how avoidance as conflict resolution strategy predicts headteachers administrative effectiveness in primary schools.
- determine how domination as conflict resolution strategy predicts headteachers administrative effectiveness in primary schools.
- determine how accommodation as conflict resolution strategy predicts headteachers administrative effectiveness in primary schools.
- determine how compromise as conflict resolution strategy predicts headteachers administrative effectiveness in primary schools.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter will be treated under the following sub-heading:
(1) Theoretical Framework
(2) Conceptual Framework
(3) Empirical Framework
(4) Summary of Literature Review
Theoretical Framework
This study is based on the Traditional Management Theory (Taylor, 1999). It emphasised organisational goals, managerial control and rationality. Conflict was seen as a problem attributable to some regrettable cause, troublemakers interfering with organisational goals (Morgan, 2006). The initial studies of conflict, therefore, stemmed from the belief that it was dysfunctional to organisational harmony and performance. The elimination of conflict seemed to be the primary goal of any manager confronted with a conflict situation (Dipaola and Hoy, 2001; Putman, 1997). Bacal (1998) notes that at the back of a traditional manager’s mind, there is always a warning tone that once conflict is allowed to exist, it will get out of control and manifest as destructive. However research (Mullins, 2000) has shown that the negative aspects of conflict arise when conflict is affective and when team members engage in blocking behaviour. In such a situation team members feel defeated and demeaned, there is a climate of mistrust, parties concentrate on their own narrow interests, poor quality decisions are made and achievement of organisational goals is blocked.
Conflict as a Constructive Force
Modern schools of management view conflict as an inevitable aspect of organisational life, which can be used to foster healthy organisational development (DiPaola and Hoy, 2001). The pluralist view of conflict criticises the classical tendency to over-emphasise the negative aspects of conflict because it distracts attention from conflicts’ potential benefits. To Morgan (2006) most functional outcomes of conflict emanate from cognitive conflict, which occurs as team members examine and reconcile differences. Studies have shown that cognitive conflict results in high quality solutions and team effectiveness. By facilitating open communication about alternatives, cognitive conflict encourages innovative thinking and creative solutions to problems. In cognitive conflict situations, decisions become better than the opinion of the leader or the most vocal, most powerful team member (Mullins, 1999). Once conflicting parties have reached consensus, team members support the decisions and team decisions are easier to implement. Henkin (2000) found that cognitive conflict develops solidarity among team members and heightens motivation.
Adler (2008) suggests that inter-group conflict can be caused by conflicting goals, task dependency, dissimilar work orientations, competition for limited resources, and competitive reward systems. Once conflict has surfaced, it goes through certain stages, covering a wide range of behaviours such as accommodating and avoiding it. This brings about change which can occur within and between groups. Some changes have positive effects and others have negative effects.
Interpersonal conflicts resulting from personality variables such as dislikes, distrust, or prejudice usually hinder group performance (Nzuve, (2007). When interpersonal conflict occurs, people are more concerned with gaining advantage over others than with task performance. Since the value of conflict can be determined by how it is managed, managers should know its sources and consequences so that they can find ways of managing it. Brown (2002) posits that the role of conflict management in organizational performance depends on a circumstance that is a contingency. Contingency theory recognizes the influence of given solution on organizational behaviour patterns.
Rahim (2005) the confrontation method of problem solving sought to reduce tensions through face-to-face meetings of the conflicting groups. The purpose of the meetings is to identify conflicts and resolve them. The conflicting groups openly debate various issues and bring together all relevant information until a decision is reached. For conflicts resulting from misunderstandings or language barriers, the confrontation method has proved effective. However, solving more complex problems, for example, conflicts where groups have different value systems, the method has been less successful.
Dana (2001) suggest that in the resolution of conflicts between groups, the super ordinate goals technique involves developing a common set of goals and objectives that cannot be attained without the cooperation of the groups involved. In fact, they are unattainable by one group singly and supersede all other goals of any of the individual groups involved in the conflict. Many organizations among them educational institutions unions have agreed to forgo pay increases and in some cases accepted pay reductions, because the survival of their firm or industry was threatened. This has not finally solved the conflict because when the crises are over, demands for higher wages are again made. Safe Horizon Mediation Program (2009) expanding resources are potentially a successful technique for solving conflicts in many cases, since this technique may enable almost everyone to be satisfied. But in reality, resources usually are not expanded hence hardly solves conflicts in organizations.
Stephen and Julia (2005) frequently, managers can find some way to avoid conflict. While avoidance may not bring any long-term benefit, it can certainly work as a short-run solution. However, avoiding a conflict could be misinterpreted as agreement with group actions or lack of fortitude on the manager’s part. Avoiding a conflict neither effectively resolves it nor eliminate it. Eventually, the conflict has to be faced. But in some circumstances, avoidance may be the best temporary alternative.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter was treated under the following sub-headings: Research design of the study, population of the study sample and sampling technique, instrumentation, instrument validation, reliability of the instrument, procedure for data collection and method of data analysis.
Research Design
This study adopted the ex-post facto survey research design. Survey design is useful for this study because the researcher studied homogenous subjects namely the head teachers and the information sought for in discrete. Also the variables in question cannot be manipulated and the condition for the study have already existed.
Research Area
The study was on the conflict resolution strategies and head teachers administrative effectiveness in primary schools in Ikot Ekpene Local Government area. Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area is one of the thirty-one (31) local government area in Akwa Ibom State. It has a total population of 230,000 inhabitants (census, 2005). It is made up of Annang ethnic group and indigenes. It is located in the A 3421 highway that parallels between Calabar to the south east, Aba to the west to the east, Uyo and Umuahia to the west. The area is friendly and the indigenes show high level of hospitality. The members are mainly traders and deals on raffia products. Many others are farmers and also involve in palm fruit processing. They like sending their wards through schools.
Population
The population of the study consisted of all the head teachers and teachers in all the Government primary schools in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area which is estimated at 36 head teacher and 789 teachers in thirty-six (36) government primary schools in Ikot Ekpene local government area (see Appendix I for evidence).
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
This chapter focused on the discussion and analysis of the result of the finding obtain from the field. The chapter was therefore arranged based on the following sub-heading:
4.1 Answering of Research Questions
4.2 testing of Hypothesis
4.3 Discussion of findings
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Summary
The study sought to determine the extent to which conflict resolution strategies predict head teacher administrative effectiveness in primary school in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area. The need for this study was motivated by the observation that a lot of conflict which disrupt and negatively affect the teaching and learning process and have impede the realization of educational goals and objectives in primary schools especially in the present introduction of free and compulsory education in Akwa Ibom State.
Four research question were used such as: What is the extent to which avoidance as a conflict resolution strategy predict head teachers administrative effectiveness in primary schools? To what extent does domination as conflict resolution strategy predict head teacher administrative effectiveness in primary school? What is the extent to which accommodation as a conflict resolution strategy predict head teachers administrative effectiveness in primary school? To w hat extent does compromise as conflict resolution strategy predict head teachers administrative effectiveness in primary schools?
Also, the following research hypothesis were put forward to guide the study; avoidance as conflict resolution strategy does not significantly predict head teachers administrative effectiveness in primary schools; domination as conflict resolution strategy does not significantly predict head teacher administrative effectiveness in primary school; accommodation as conflict resolution strategy does not significantly predict head teachers administrative effectiveness in primary schools is not significantly predict by compromise as conflict resolution strategy.
Related theories were used under theoretical framework like Taylor’s theory of conflict as a constructive and destructive forces. Concept like conflict, avoidance, domination, accommodation and compromise and empirical studies on conflict resolution strategies were reviewed. The design of the study was ex-post facto survey. The population of the study consisted of the 36 public primary schools head teachers and 789 teachers in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area were used for the study.
The instruments used for the collection of data were head teacher conflict resolution strategies questionnaire HCRSQ and head teacher administrative effectiveness questionnaire (HAEQ). All the data collected with analyzed using analysis of variance of the Simple Linear Regressive analysis (SLR). It was observed that avoidance, accommodation and compromise conflict resolution strategy significantly predict administrative effectiveness of head teacher in primary school. Domination as conflict resolution strategy did not significantly predict head teacher administrative effectiveness in primary schools.
Conclusion
Based on the findings of the study, conclusion were drawn that primary school head teachers in Ikot Ekpene Local Government adopt various conflict resolution strategies in handling conflicts in the schools. Although the head teachers is stereotyped about a particular strategy, accommodation and compromise are widely used by the head teachers.
Accommodation and compromise, to a great extent relate positively and enhance administrative effectiveness in primary schools. Domination and avoidance tend to produce poor administrative results. They often impeded administrative effectiveness in the school system.
Recommendation
Based on the findings of the study, the researcher made the following recommendation.
- Conflict resolution strategies should used situationally by primary school head teachers and customized for all situations.
- The expected results of the primary school administrative should be the major determinant in the choice of conflict resolution strategy.
- Domination and avoidance should be used sparingly by primary school head teachers in t he school system.
- Primary schools head teachers should not see conflicts as an enemy of the school system. It should e properly handled as they are necessary for the growth of the system.
Suggestion for Further Studies
- It is suggested that a similar study be carried out in Uyo and other Local Government Area.
- The role of school environment in conflict resolution and the pupil academic performance.
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