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TITLE PAGE
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES OF ORGANIZATIONS
(A STUDY OF ANAMCO AND CAPITAL CITY LTD)
BY
ONOWU MARK CHUKWUEMEZIE
PGIMBAl06/46342
A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF
MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEGREE (MBA) IN
MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT
FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINSTRATION
SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
ENUGU CAMPUS
SUPERVISOR: CHIEF J. A. EZEH
MARCH 2008
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CERTIFICA TION
I Onuwu Mark Chukwuezie, a Post Graduate of Department of
management with Registration Number PG/MBA/06/46342 has
satisfactorily completed the requirements of the course and research work
for the Award of Masters Degree in Management.
The work embodied in this report is original and has not been
duplicated in parts or full for any other Diploma or Degree programme.
______________________ ____________________
CHIEF J. A. EZEH DR. U.J.F EWURUM
Project Superior Head of Department
______________________ ____________________
Date Date
____________________________________________
ONUWU MARK CHUKWUEZIE
Student
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DEDICATION
This Research work is dedicated to the
God Almighty for his love and care
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to use this medium to acknowledge those who contributed in
way or the other to the success of this research work.
First and foremost, I want to appreciate God for sparing my life with
good health, enablement and knowledge throughout this programme and
research. Without him it couldn't have been possible for me to do any thing
I want also to show appreciation to my beloved wife Amaka Onowu,
unflinching support. Her words of encouragement enabled me to continue
during boring situations as a result of data collections and my official
engagement in the office.
I remain grateful particularly to my supervisor Chief J. A. Ezeh for the
able and professional way he had directed me throughout the academic
work. In spite all his schedules, he still found time to go through the pages of
the work, making constructive criticizing and corrections.
Let me as well acknowledge the role played by my father Chief
E.M.N Onowu, his fatherly advises was encouraging. Also my friends
Morris Onyibor, Sheriff, Uju Eneh, Chekwas and many others too numerous
to mention. May God bless you all.
ONOWU MARK CHUKWUEMEZIE
PGIMBA/06/46342
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ABSTRACT
This study critically explicates the conflict management strategies of
organizations in Nigeria with special references to ANAMCO AND
CAPITAL CITY AUTO LTD both in Enugu. The researcher used Survey
research method in carrying out the research. During the survey,
questionnaires, Personal interviews and physical observation were used,
while secondary data was also used to complement. The survey cut across all
facts of stakeholders. Data was analyzed using frequency distribution of the
respondents' opinion in contingency tables and ranked in percentages. The
researcher further reviewed related literatures on the subject matter to
sample the opinions of various authors and authorities on the subject. The
literature review centered on the key issues involved in conflict
management. Several findings were made in this research which includes
among others that. A wide range of intervention activities may be utilized to
deal with conflicts at various organization levels. In response to the findings
made, the following recommendations were made. That to increase
cooperation between departments in trying to facilitate mutual
communication of needs and minimize the negative attitudes, two strategies
should be employed. They are locating a common enemy and locating a
super ordinate goal.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ..................................................................................................................... i
CERTIFICA TION ........................................................................................................... ii
DEDICATION.................................................................................................................. iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................... iv
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... v
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................ vi
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................... 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION. .............................................................................................. 1
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM. .................................................................. 2
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY. .......................................................................... 3
1.4 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS ...................................................................... 4
1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY. ............................................................................................ 4
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY..................................................................... 5
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY....................................................................... 5
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS. ................................................................................. 6
REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 7
CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................. 8
REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE ............................................................ 8
2.1 THE NATURE OF CONFLICT .......................................................................... 8
2.2 CONFLICT IN ORGANIZATIONS/ENTERPRISES ...................................... 11
2.3 ANALYZING ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT ........................................... 12
2.3.1 SOURCES OF CONFLICT ............................................................................... 13
2.4 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT .......................................................................... 17
2.4.1 GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONFLICT ...................................................... 19
2.5 MANAGING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT ............................................... 29
2.5.1 MANAGING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT ................................................. 32
2.5.2 MANAGING INTERDEPARTMENTAL CONFLICT .................................... 35
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2.6 NEW APPROACHES FOR MANAGING INTERDEP-ARTMENTAL
CONFLICT ........................................................................................................ 37
2.7 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION FOR TEAMS ............... 43
CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................ 51
RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY......................................................................... 51
3.1 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 51
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN ....................................................................................... 52
3.3 POPULATION AND SAMPLE SIZE OF THE STUDY ................................. 53
3.4 INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA COLLECTION................................................. 54
3.5 SOURCES OF DATA ....................................................................................... 55
3.6 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS ................................................................... 56
3.7 DECISION CRITERIA HYPOTHESES FOR VALIDATION OF
HYPOTHESES .................................................................................................. 56
CHAPTER FOUR ........................................................................................................... 59
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA ......................................................... 59
4.1 QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION ........................................................ 59
4.2 HYPOTHESES TESTING ................................................................................ 65
CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................ 71
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION .......... 71
5.1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS. ............................................................................ 71
5.2 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................. 72
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS. .................................................................................. 73
BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................... 75
APPENDIXES ................................................................................................................. 79
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CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION.
Conflict is inevitable to any business organization or institution. The
Chinese embraced crisis or conflict as a concept for many centuries. The
symbol for their word "crisis called “woi-ji” is actually combination of two
words,' "danger and a opportunities" Conflict may be perilous as well as
being advantageous to organizations, institutions or states. It all depends on
the way and means the organization, institutions or state can play a conflict
situation to its advantage or disadvantage. It can destroy organization,
institution or state, if it is not properly prevented or managed.
Conflict situations appear with frequency in daily, public and private
life. These conflicts may be on a small or large scale; they may occur within
and among groups, communities of nations and they be triggered by ethnic,
racial, religious or Economic differences, in values, beliefs, and attitudes
regarding issues.
It is truism that conflict is part of human nature but the correct thing to
do in face of conflict is not to wish that there be no conflict but to plan and
be ready to contribute to peace from time to time. The potential for conflict
exists whenever and wherever people contact. As people are organized into
groups to seek common goal, the probability of conflict greatly increases.
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Since only the most serious conflicts make head-lines, conflicts have a
negative connotation for many people. All conflicts are not the same. We
face conflicts on all levels. We have disagreements with family and co-
workers, "Conflicts are rarely resolved easily. Most conflicts are managed as
individuals work out differences.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.
The biggest problem of enterprises in developing the institution of
conflict control is that of catching conflict young. Conflicts situations are
frequently allowed to develop to almost unmanageable proportions before
anything is done about them by which time it is often too late to resolve
them by peaceful and procedural means.
Research into behaviour in organizations can be divided into two
categories; normative and descriptive. Normative research is concerned with
how things should be, whereas descriptive research addresses itself to what
it is rather than what could or should be. This dual perspective is most
apparent in approaches to the issues of conflict management in
organizations. Normative approach reflect attitudes and beliefs which
identify all conflict as destructive and promote conflict elimination as the
formula for organizational success.
3
Descriptive approaches accept conflict as inevitable and consider its
proper management the primary responsibility of all administrators. This
work is tilted to the descriptive mode of inquiry in presenting a framework
for the study of conl1ict in organizations.
But it goes beyond this domain in suggesting that administrators must
take the offensive and seek to manage conflict, and also in advocating that
traditional methods of dealing with conflict be replaced by a new and more
sophisticated approach.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY.
The objectives of a study entails what the study is intending to achieve
at the completion of the research. The objectives of this particular study
include:
1. To determine whether or not conflict disrupts the activities of business
enterprises and whether management of organization could avoid conflict
in the organization.
2. To expose the negative and positive effects of conflicts on organizations
growth.
3. To determine the various way/means and also strategies organizations
could employ' towards handling conflict situation.
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4. To determine the various factors that can be related to the occurrence of
conflicts and also when, where and why conflicts is likely to occur.
5. To determine whether or not the proper understanding and management
of conflicts will portray it (conflict) as a strategy in social change.
1.4 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
H0: The existence of conflict does not hinder organizational goal.
H1: The existence of conflict hinders organizational goal.
H0: Effective conflict management is dispensable if coordinated efforts and
productive achievements are to result.
H2: Effective conflict management is indispensable if coordinated efforts
and productive achievements are to result.
H0: Fostering mutual communication as a strategy does not enhance conflict
management.
H3: Fostering mutual communication as a strategy does enhance conflict
management.
1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY.
All organizations in the country cannot be covered in this research,
Because of this; this research is going to restrict itself to two indigenous
firms or industries in Enugu. These industries are ANNAMCO and Capital
City Auto Ltd.
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1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is a thorough research into the conflict management
strategies of organizations in Nigeria. The study points out factors or causes
of conflicts in organizations and the society at large and the various
approaches towards resolving a conflict situation. Therefore by knowing this
factors and possible remedies, the management will know how to deal with
conflicts.
This research is also important because of its contribution to this
growing field of knowledge. Because of peoples misunderstanding of
conflict to always be associated with negativity, this study will be an avenue
to put managers/employees in the know about the positive aspects of
conflict.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY.
This research work, a lot of constraints and limitations were
encountered. Some of these constraints were usual constraints encountered
during the course of such academic exercise while some were unusual and
boring.
Collections of primary data for this study were a major constraint and
some people sampled especially at Capital City Auto Ltd were
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uncooperative thereby making the availability of data about the company
difficult.
Financial constraints also posed a major problem/limitation during the
investigation. The researcher would have wanted to carry on the same type
of investigation in other enterprise but for financial constraints.
Time was another limitation encountered during the course of the
study. Time constraints have forced the study researcher to limit this study
on conflict management strategies instead of spreading the study on the
entire phenomenon of management in organization.
Sometimes, secondary data collected were not reliable, hence they
were rejected. A lot of time was spent on the selection and examination of
secondary data for the study.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS.
1. CONFLICT:-
Conflict is a natural disagreement resulting from individuals or groups
that differ in attitude, beliefs, values or needs. It can also originate from past
rivalries and personality differences.
2. STRATEGY:-
A strategy is a large scale action plan that sets the direction, for an
organization. It represents an educated guess about what must be done in the
long term for the survival or prosperity of the organization or its principal
parts.
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REFERENCES
Campbell, A. (2002), The Private Sector and Conflict Impact Assessment
Tools for Multinational Corporations. (CIFP), p.4.
Dudley, W. (1992), The Eight Essential Steps to Conflict Resolution:
Preserving Relationship at Work, at Home and in the Coml1iunity.
New York; S1. Martins press.
Katz, D. and Kahn R. L. (1976), The Social Psychology of Organizations 2nd
Ed; new York: Wiley.
Lawrence, and C, Jeffrey S. (1987), Breaking the Impasses: Consensual
Approaches to Resolving Public disputes; New York: Basic Books.
Mitchell, C. R. (1981), The Structure of International Conl1iet. London.
Macmillan.
Pondy, R. L. (1967), Organization Conflict: Concepts and Models,
Administrative Quarterly.
http://www.Clic.purduc.cdu/kvw/brochurcs/managcconflict.htm1.
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CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE
In every serious research work, the importance of laying a theoretical
foundation by which the entire research will be based cannot be over
emphasized. For the purpose of giving the study a theoretical frame of
reference and focal direction, it is pertinent to take an in depth into the work
of scholars, authors and writers that are closely re1ated to the subject matter.
This we strongly believe will enable organizations and individuals who are
involved to be aware of conflict management strategies that exist.
2.1 THE NATURE OF CONFLICT
Mention the term conflict and many people envision shouting and
fighting. But as a manager, during a typical work day you will encourage
more subtle, non-violent types of conflict: Opposition, criticism, arguments.
Thus, a definition of conflict seems fairly mild: Conflict is a process on
which one party perceives that its interest are being opposed or negatively
affected by another party. (Williams and Kinicki; 2003).Conflict is simply
disagreement, a perfectly normal state of affairs. Conf1ict is endemic to all
social life. It is an inevitable part 0 f living because it is related to situations
of scarce resources, divisions of functions power relations and role
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differentiations (Fearon, 1998). Because of its ubiquity and pervasive nature,
the concept has acquired a multitude of meanings and connotations
presenting us with nothing short of a semantic jungle. Like other terms,
conflict generates considerable ambivalence and leaves many scholars and
administrators quite uncertain about (1) its meaning and (2) How best to
cope with it.
The normative conception of conflict, strongly influenced by a
preoccupation with stability and equilibrium in organization design, links
conflict to violence, destruction, inefficiency and irrationality. This form of
intellectual myopia was especially invidious in suggesting that
administrators have the responsibility of avoiding, controlling or eliminating
conflict (Wescott, 1998).
Descriptive approaches challenge the whole basis and rationale of
these assumptions. They permit us to depart from an outmoded parading by
suggesting that any social interaction in which the parties (however they
may be structured or defined) compete for scarce resources or values has
potential for conflict (Williams & Kinicki, 2003). Using the term in a abroad
sense, we suggest that conflict refers to all kinds of antagonistic interactions.
More specifically it can be defined in which two or more parties have
incompatible objectives and in which their perception and behaviour are
10
commensurate with that incompatibility (Thompson, Aranda and
Robinson’s, 2000).
This definition is purposely broad. It suggests that conflict is a social
phenomenon that is found in personal, group or organizational interaction.
As such it comprises several dimensions. Fink (1968) distinguishes between
(1) antagonistic - honour, whereas Pondy (1967) observes that conflict is
made up of (1) antecedent conditions (2) affective condition (3) cognitive
conditions and (4) behavioural conditions. Jacob Bercovitch advances a
conception of conflict which emphasizes its three, interrelated dimensions,
namely (1) conflict situation (the basic in compatibility), (2) conflict
attitudes (range of psychological factors) and (3) conflict behaviour (set of
related behaviour).
Administrators often feel that discussions of fundamental terms are
merely academic. This is not always the case. Effective action and sensible
responses depend upon clear thinking and systematic analysis. understanding
must precede action if management considers the problem stem from
ineradicable human qualities and are related to situations of
interdependence, scarce resources and perceptions of incompatibility, they
might readily accept conflict and recognize its values - provided that they
are properly aware of 'conflict management’ and the need to find a solution.
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Both conflict management and satisfactory solutions are easier to
when it is accepted that what we normally call conflict is a complex, multi
dimensional phenomenon. It is not caused by inadequate structures, nor is it
undesirable. It is natural and inevitable and if properly managed, it is
productive, relevant and creative.
2.2 CONFLICT IN ORGANIZATIONS/ENTERPRISES
Organizations are living systems consisting of interacting units arming
a task in a mutually dependent manner within a structure of scarce resources.
It seems commonplace to suggest that conflicts would present in such a
setting. The parties in an organization may have a conflict about the
distribution of resources, or they may have a more fundamental conflict
about the very structure of their organization and the basic nature of their
interaction.
Once the parties are in a situation of goal incompatibility, their
conflict develops in a dynamic fashion, initiating valuable and much needed
constructive changes or leading to escalating strategies and destructive
consequences.
As there is nothing pre-determined about its course or seems
erroneous to view conflict from a negative perspective only - as destructive
or dysfunctional. It is true that conflict may be uncomfortable, it may even
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be a source of problems, but it is absolutely necessary if change is to occur,
if organizations are to survive and adapt. Organizational change and
innovation does not just happen, it requires a stimulant. That stimulant is
conflict.
Administrators must accept the need to influence the developmental
dynamics of a conflict so that the parties' attitudes and actions will lead to
better coordination and a more appropriate interdependence. They must seek
to stifle or eliminate organizational conflict for that is hardly a realistic goal.
As Rico noted, an organization devoid of conflict "may indicate autocracy,
uniformity, stagnation and mental fixity”, it will also be protecting only the
vested interests of the Administrators must accept and indeed occasionally
courage conflict, because change and other desirable consequences are
products of conflict.
The challenge administrator's face is to utilize such conflict
management techniques that would ensure that as a conflict passes from a
latent manifest phase, it proceeds towards its potential and realizes its
constructive values.
2.3 ANALYZING ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT
Three distinct criteria define the role of an administrator in an
organization; planning, resources al1 al1ocation and conflict management.
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There is no doubt that managing conflict permeates every aspect of
administrative role. Awareness of the various form of conflict management
that can be employed at different stages of the development of a conflict is
vital if administrations are to organize efforts towards influencing the
conflict situation, the parties’ attitudes or their behaviours. In addition to
that, effective conflict management requires recognition of the sources that
generate a conflict. What then are the sources or basis of organizational
conflict?
2.3.1 SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Organizational conflict appears in a variety of forms and has varying
causes. These can generally be separated into several categories. Katz (1964)
identifies three sources of conflict. These are:
1) Structural conflict (conflict arising out of the need to manage the
inter-dependence between different organizational sub-units).
2) Role conflict (conflict arising from sets of prescribed behaviour) and
3) Resources conflict (conflict stemming from interest groups competing
for organizational resources)
Robin (1974) identifies three sources of organizational conflict and
indicates that an understanding of the source of a conflict improves the
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probability of effective conflict management. The main factors which serve
as sources of conflict are identified as
(1) Communicational (conflicts arising from misunderstandings etc)
(2) Structural (conflicts related to organizational roles)
(3) Personal (conflicts stemming from individual differences.
Methods of conflict management which are appropriate in one case
may not necessarily be appropriate when applied to a conflict generated
from another source.
Another perspective traces the source of organizational conflict to unit
of analysis involved. Units of analysis are the parties to a conflict. They
perceive, initiate and sustain conflict. Their characteristics specify the
conditions, which affect the source of conflicts and determine the mode of
its management. Thus we have conflict; that originate in the individual
person, conflicts that have their basis in the relationship between individuals,
and conflicts that occur as a result of interactions between groups. These
may be described as (1) intrapersonal conflict (2) interpersonal conflict, and
(3) inert - departmental conflict.
Each of these categories asks different questions about the three
interrelated components of conflicts and each emphasizes different aspects
of conflict management.
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INTRAPERSONAL CONFLICT
Intrapersonal conflict is internal to the individual (though its effects
can profoundly influence organizational functioning) and is perhaps the most
difficult form of conflict to analyze and manage. Intra–personal conflict is
basically a conflict between two incompatible tendencies. It arises when a
stimulus evokes two different and incompatible tendencies. In such a
situation it is common for individuals to experience tendencies. In such a
situation it is common for individuals to experience frustrations and to allow
their conflict situation to be expressed in a range of behavioural strategies
ranging from apathy and boredoms to absenteeism, excessive drinking or
destructive behaviour such behavioural consequences are to be avoided, then
it is essential to diagnose individual perception and utilize some techniques
that would reduce anxiety - eliciting stimuli and increase consonance
between individual behaviour and organizational requirements.
INTER PERSONAL CONFLICT
Interpersonal conflict emphasizes the interaction of human factors in
an organization. Here we are concerned with these factors as they appear in
a dyadic relationship. We can broadly suggest two class’s of factors as
conflict sources. These are:
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1. PERSONAL. Individuals are not identical, constant or consistent.
When two individuals are brought together and kept together, each
with his own qualities, needs and skill, a conflict may ensue if their
attributes are not meshed together in a coordinated way. Interaction
between individuals with different attitudes, values and need cam
produce conflict behaviour and affect organizational performance.
2. FUNCTIONAL. Individuals in organizations have rotes which are
expected sets of behaviour associated with their position. In theory,
individuals are not expected to engage in any discretionary behaviour.
Such specification would be consisted with organizational preferences
for consistency and predictability.
3. INTERDEPARTMENTAL CONFLICT. The third major cause of
organizational conflict is structural. Organizations are designed
around product lines, regions or technical specialties. These activities
are assigned to departments that often have mutually exclusive
structured interests and goals and that interact within a frame work of
scarce resources and task dependence. When resources are relatively
fixed and when one departments gain is at the expense of another,
conflict should be expected. Two sub-units in an organizational
system have differentiated goals and are functionally interdependent,
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conditions exist for conflict. Interdependence produces the need for
collaboration, but it also presents occasions for conflict.
Other contextual factors which affect the interaction structure between
departments and create the conditions for interdepartmental conflict include:
different attitudes between line and staff units, organizational size (directly
related to level of conflict), physical or communicational barriers between
departments, unequal access to authority, rewards or organizational
resources and ambiguity or uncertainty in assigning tasks or reward to
different departments.
These, then, are the sources of conflict situations in organizations.
How a conflict situation will change over time, how its interrelated
components will alter and the environment, in which it occurs, is dependent
upon the administrators' efforts to manage or influence it. This, in turn, is
related to ones understanding of the source of a specific conflict situation.
2.4 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Ways of managing organizational conflict are as varied as its causes,
origins and contexts. The purpose of conflict management, whether
involving the intervention of an outside party, is to affect the entire structure
of a conflict situation so as to contain the destructive components in the
conflict process and help the parties possessing incompatible goals to find
18
some solution to their conflict. Effective conflict management succeeds in
(I) minimizing disruption stemming from the existence of a conflict, and (2)
providing a solution that is satisfactory and acceptable. We describe efforts
directed towards containing or limiting some aspects of behaviour as
strategies of conflict settlement and efforts directed towards the parties'
attitudes, situations as well as behaviour as strategies of conflict resolution.
Skilled administrators are aware of these methods and techniques and know
how to utilize then effectively.
All organizations, however simple or complex possess a range of
mechanisms or procedures for managing conflict. These are built into the
organizational structure and are consciously employed by administrators
both at ANAMCO AND CAPITAL CITY to influence the course and
development of a conflict. The success of effectiveness of such procedures
can be gauged by the extent to which they limit conflict behaviour and the
extent to which they help to achieve a satisfactory solution. It is in the
contention of this study that strategies of conflict avoidance, conflict
prevention or institutionalization of conflict will change or replace coercive
behaviour, but that only the injection of a behaviour social scientist, acting
in a facilitative, non-directive and non evaluative fashion, will achieve a
resolution with respect to the basic issues, attitudes and structure of
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interaction. If administrators care for optimal methods of conflict
management, they should give their strongest support to a strategy that can
end a conflict in a satisfactory and self perpetuating manner.
All this is not to contend, however, that conflict resolution is the
immediate outcome of any intervention. The outcome of a conflict depends
upon many aspects of the conflict process prior to the efforts to manage it
(e.g. issues in conflict, relative power of actors, degree of proximity etc).
2.4.1 GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE OF CONFLICT
Regardless of your worldview, whether Marxist, realist, liberal or
another view, conflict is universal. Consequently, there are many theories on
the topic of conflict management. While you will find no single definition of
conflict management, many theories have been produced that attempt to
explain conflict and ways to avoid or resolve conflicts.
As explained earlier, Western conflict management is ultimately
based on cooperation. Each contending worldview falls somewhere along
this cooperation continuum. Most teams have individual members who fall
into each category.
On one extreme, a realist who believes in conflict as a zero-sum game
without compromise would see team conflict as war. From a realist
worldview, teams submit ideas and fight until a clear winner emerges. To a
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realist, this is the only true method of resolving conflict. A liberal
worldview, however, would advocate compromise or mediation to address
team conflict. Others holding a more extreme liberal viewpoint might prefer
to avoid conflict altogether to ensure that conflict resolution is not necessary.
Recent scandals in corporate America illustrate the shortfalls of this
“commercial” liberal viewpoint. Rather than face potentially acrimonious
disputes, corporate boards quietly signed off or ignored the abusive and
illegal actions of executives. This avoidance of conflict at all costs led to the
exacerbation of corporate abuses at companies like Tyco International and
Enron.
Given these contending worldviews, and others, we can explore how
Western societies may approach conflicts and conflict management. We can
gain a better understanding of these approaches through international
relation theory, since the international arena is the largest “team” and
accounts for some of the most pointed conflicts.
According to Professor Joseph Nye, “Since recurrent armed conflict
are frequently the product of enduring rivalries between pairs of hostile
states, addressing and resolving animosities and problems in particular
relationships is clearly a way to avert violent conflicts” (Nye, 1987).
Prussian war theorist Carl von Clausewitz wrote in his 1832 treatise. On War
21
that war is an instrument of policy, and that a nation’s aim is to impose this
policy on another nation or group of nations (Rosinski, 1976).
This dearly realist theory can be applied to corporate boardrooms as
well. Conflict is an instrument by which decision markers impose their will
on other team members. Clearly, this theory is based on a realist's zero-sum
game. Using Clausewitz's theory, one team member’s ideas must win” and
other team member’s ideas must “lose” in order to resolve conflict.
Western conflict resolution explores the idea of achieving mutually
beneficial terms to resolve a dispute through cooperation. This means that
each team member must hear and understand the position of each other team
member not only from their own perspective, but the of other team members
as well. If emotional conf1ict emerges, members may try to impose their
will on others. Team members who are embroiled in emotional conflict will
feel as though they are yielding ground if other team members overrule their
suggestions.
Likewise, if a team member is less concerned about their ideas and
goals an others, that team member will avoid conflict because the costs
outweigh the benefits. In between these two extremes is cognitive and
constructive conflict, where team members balance the ideas, goal and
concerns of all team members in reaching a negotiated resolution.
22
International arena, both realists who subscribe to Clausewitz’s war
theories and liberals would agree that cooperation between states results in
mutual benefit. However, realists and liberals disagree on the situations
where multilateral cooperation is beneficial. Realists point to empirical
results that show cooperation is only useful when setting limited standards,
such as in telecommunications with various networking international
shipping with the INCOTERMS conventions. These results show that when
multilateral actions, such as economic sanctions, fail, their failures are due to
enforcement (i.e. conflict resolution) problems and not bargaining or conflict
management issues (Fearon 1998).
The ultimate, albeit rarely attainable, conflict resolution is one where
all team members achieve their goals and where the conflict has been
permanently resolved. Robert Axelrod, a leading author on conflict
management, offers a compelling theory on the importance of cooperation in
resolving conflicts. Robert Axelrod’s Prisoner's Dilemma demonstrates the
power of cooperation in leading to successful and permanent resolutions of
conflict (Axelrod, 1984). Axelrod set up a game theory around a seemingly
simple scenario. In Axelrod’s Dilemma game, two players are given the
choice to "cooperate" or "defect" Axelrod’s game, two players are given
choice to cooperate or defect. Axelrod’s game got its name from a
23
hypothetical situation where two alleged criminals are detained for
questioning in a crime. The police do not have enough evidence to convict
either criminal. The two prisoners are isolated from each other and
interrogated. The police offer both men a deal: offer evidence against the
other detainee and go free. If neither accepts the offer but cooperate with
each other through silence, both will receive only a small punishment due to
the lack of evidence. However, if one betrays the other by confessing, he
will gain the most by being freed and given immunity. The prisoner whose
silent cooperation was not returned by the other prisoner will face the full
punishment for the crime. If both prisoners betray the other, then both will
be punished. This case, both will be punished less severely than if they had
refused to talk at all. The dilemma is that both prisoners have a choice
between a good and bad decision. But cannot make the good decision
without knowing what the other prisoner will do.
In the prisoner’s Dilemma, only cooperation, and placing the
importance the other person's interests, can avoid the lose-lose situation of
punishment. This cooperation forms the foundation of Western conflict
management theory. To achieve this cooperation, each team member must
understand each side’s positions, interest and needs (Miall, Ramsbotham,
and Woodhouse, 1999). Teams can sometimes have difficulty developing
24
this understanding. Each member's understanding is coloured by his or her
views, personal agendas and objectives. Third leaders or outside mediators
can often intervene to help bridge the different ideas and goals among team
members, leading to better understanding and the ultimate goal of
cooperation. These third parties must be able to identify and manage
potential conflicts to achieve successful resolution.
As mentioned above, conflict is universal and occurs in all workplaces
regardless of culture or industry. A leader must know how to identity the
warning signs of conflict, and competently resolve the conflict so that
individuals and teams can be productive. A successful leader, however, also
knows how to recognize and leverage constructive conflict, which can be
turned into an opportunity to gain new insights on a particular issue, or even
find a creative solution to a difficult problem. In order to resolve conflict, it
is important to fully understand the principal elements that characterize
conflict. One description of these elements is interdependence interaction,
and incompatible goals (University of Phoenix, 2001). Conflict, then occurs
when interdependent individuals or teams interact and perceive differences
in goals and values. The other party is often viewed as “obstructing these
goals or otherwise impending progress” (p. 237). These perception leads to
conflict. This interaction between individuals, groups and organizations
25
should be the focus of managers who wish to resolve conflict.
Communication is the conduit for resolving conflicts, as it is only way to
articulate conflict and define the issues at stake.
Sometimes teams can easily address conflict without intervention
from management. For example, if there is a simple miscommunication,
about basic facts and data, teams can resolve conflict by communication the
correct information to all involved parties. However, complex conflict
involving fundamental issues such as goals and values may require
intervention. In these cases, according to Johnson & Johnson (1994),
Leaders and mediators should follow a prescribed sequence of phases.
Following this sequence will increase the likelihood of success, especially in
difficult conflicts. These phases are:
1. Collect Data: Obtaining the facts critical, Leaders should also analyze
the behaviours of all parties objectively.
2. Probe. By asking involving questions, leaders will encourage parties
to communicate and listen to each other's viewpoint.
3. Save Face. Humiliating or embarrassing either party is counter
productive. Successful managers work towards a solution that is
beneficial to the entire team.
26
4. Discover Common Interest: Discovering common interest
establishes a common ground among team members. This common
ground is the first step to an amicable solution.
5. Reinforce. By supporting common ground, leaders drive discussion
toward a mutually agreeable resolution. Leaders must recognize the
appropriate time to use the data collected in phase one.
6. Negotiate. In this phase, partial solutions or compromises should be
formulated and presented to the parties involved. Leaders must
continue reinforcing common ground toward a successful resolution.
7. Solidify Adjustments. Leaders should review and confirm areas
where the team reaches agreement. This is the final step in securing
the approval of all team members and helps to solidify the final
compromise.
Following this sequence of phases allows the parties in conflict to arrive at a
successful resolution. Otherwise, discussion may show down or stop at some
point, frustration will increase and emotional and destructive conflict can
occur.
As this sequence of phases implies, managers often must act as
mediators to facilitate conflict resolution. Mediators, however, must have a
clear strategy in order to assist in resolving conflicts. Among the strategies
27
mediators can use in coping with conflict are taking two roles a mediator
may take: ally and adversary (Johnson and Johnson, 1994).
As an ally, a mediator can use several strategies. The first strategy is
Collaboration. In this strategy, mediators identify the concerns of both
parties, and develop alternative solutions that satisfy both sets of needs. The
primary advantage of collaboration is that it encourages teamwork among
both parties. The resolution is not a victory for one camp over another;
instead it is the product of the collective creative energies of the teams.
Often the best solutions are developed by collaboration. However,
collaboration is time intensive and requires trust, and consequently may not
always be the best approach. Collaboration is usually not appropriate when
time is limited or animosity exists between both parties.
In these cases, a mediator acting as an ally can use compromise.
Compromise involves finding a mutually suitable agreement for both parties.
If both parties are willing to be flexible, a mediator can achieve resolution
relatively quickly through compromise. All parties both gain and lose
something, since successful compromise is mutual. Compromise is also
useful as a backup tactic when collaboration fails. However, this strategy
requires commitment to compromise from the outset.
28
As an adversary, a mediator can use competition to achieve resolution.
Competition strategy places individual values above that of the other party.
When using this strategy, a clear winner emerges. This realist strategy
should be given careful consideration prior to implementation. Mediators
must believe that a single side winning the conflict is in the best interest of
the group. A mediator must also consider whether resolution through
competition is worth the inevitable reduction in cooperation. While this
strategy can ensure a quick decision, mediators must balance this outcome
with the potential for reduced teamwork and damage to the integrity of the
team as a whole.
Mediators can choose from numerous other methods of managing
conflict that do not necessarily adhere to the above models. Often, it is
possible to address potential issues before they become serious connects.
Proactively managing potentially contentious issues through open discussion
can allow teams to address these issues in an efficient and productive
fashion. In these discussions, ensuring open and frank communication
between all parties is the most vital task.
Other steps, such as choosing the right time to resolve conflict and
avoiding threatening or insulting behaviour also contribute to resolution.
Even humour is useful for diffusing a tense situation (Wescott, 1998). A
29
joke at the right moment can relieve the tension in the room, allowing
participants to return to the negotiations at hand. Laughter helps individuals
to accept the other parties' differences, and makes the experience more
enjoyable. Although it is usually appropriate for mediators to use themselves
as the target of humour, the jokes should never belittle or insult anyone.
Humour should support the talents of the never belittle or insult anyone.
Humour should support the talents of the individual or group, not point out
their faults. Conflict is inevitable within teams. Many people will handle
conflict differently, some may take it personally, where others may
withdraw or use conflict constructively and grow from the experience. Once
teams identify conflicts and the responses to them, the group will need to
take action to resolve the conflicts. Cooperation is the ultimate key for
successful, permanent resolutions.
These methods and strategies are key components in a team’s
collective portfolio of conflict management skills. Combining an
understanding of the nature of conflict, the range or responses in the culture
of conflict, and the strategies associated with leveraging conflict to produce
opportunity teams can turn into an opportunity.
2.5 MANAGING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT
Interpersonal conflict is predicated upon an incongruity between
30
individual needs and organisational requirements. Interpersonal conflict
unfolds over time and manifests itself in complex and multi form range of
attitudinal and behavioural consequences. These may vary from
psychosomatic consequences (e.g. frustration emotional instability) to
physical consequences (e.g. absenteeism, destructive behaviour). As such
consequences are obviously correlated with decreased performance and
work motivation managing interpersonal conflict will hell the individual to
promote incapacity for adaptation and attain an equilibrium in his
relationship with the organization. Personal existence is, inevitably,
punctuated by conflict and other emotionally charged experiences. When a
person experiences an inner conflict and facts that can not master his
situation, or change his environment, a number of methods of conflict
management can be employed. These are convenience sly divided into (1)
cognitive strategies and (2) behavioural strategies.
Cognitive Strategies often called defense mechanism, help an individual to
falsify, distort or deny a particular conflict. Cognitive strategies represent an
attempt to control or manage negative and disturbing feelings associated
with conflict and to allow an individual to carry on with his normal
activities. Cognitive strategies include repression (an attempt to push
conflict out of existence) rationalization (hiding the truth from oneself),
31
fantasy or even denial of reality.
Behavioural Strategies for coping with interpersonal conflict include
escape, withdrawal and aggression (especially against convenient targets).
These strategies can not resolve interpersonal conflict in any permanent way.
They can be successful in the short-run. They can help an individual to
reduce his level of anxiety and diminish his tension. They can prevent or
avoid disruptive behaviour' but then can not generate a solution. This can
come about through the involvement of an expert consultant, acting in an
accepting manner and encouraging the individual to evaluate his situation
practically and decide upon more effective responses. Interventions in
intrapersonal conflicts entails consideration of substantive issues,
discussions and self - observations, helping an individual to unload his
burdensome thoughts and reactions and reorienting his thir0dng towards a
more benevolent and self - maintaining pattern of behaviour. The strength of
this approach to conflict management is that it helps the individual to
concentrate on his situation and on ways to evaluate alternatives that may
have gone unnoticed. The consultant remains detached from an individual,
but his intervention, listening, probing, interviewing and explicit
confrontation of the conflict issues sets the basis for self - diagnosis and
improved performance. It eliminates distortion and increases self -
32
knowledge. It is a method which seeks not merely an amelioration of the
surface symptoms, but a successful change in the situational (e.g. re-
evaluating a conflict situation) attitudinal (e.g. reduced anxiety, increased
self-esteem) and behavioural (erg stimulate productive behaviour)
components of a conflict. Consultants may be internal to an organization, or
they may be 1ntroduced to an administrator when circumstances require it.
When organizations experience difficulties as a result of intrapersonal
conflicts, administrators would be well - advised to manage such conflicts
by leading their organization to seek professional help from persons who are
trained to fulfil the role of organizational consultants. Successful
organizational change does, after all, depend upon a strong commitment to
conflict resolution.
2.5.1 MANAGING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT
Interpersonal interactions are extra ordinarily complex Individual are
brought together and kept together because of personal attraction or
complementary needs. A great deal of individual behaviour takes place in
organizations (university, hospital, factory) in which they occupy various
positions. Such positions are interlocked or interdependent so that the
attitudes and behaviour of one individual affect the attitudes and behaviour
33
of another. Indeed, we may describe organizations as networks of repetitive,
reciprocal and predictable interactions between individuals.
Although persons in an organization interact in a relatively Consistent
along Stable-Cooperative dimension way a (organizations develop norms to
ensure stable interactions), interpersonal conflict is an essential aspect of
organizational life. The causes of Interpersonal conflict in organizations can
be ascribed to personal differences (interaction between dissimilar people
maximizes conflict potential), perceptual differences (individuals perceive
an unfair allocation of organizational resources) and functional differences
(conflicting arising from incompatible role requirement).
On the whole, Interpersonal conflict generates new idea and work
patterns, but when it is augmented by personal distrust, misperception and
competition, it can very easily be transformed into destructive and costly
behaviour. To avoid detrimental effects on Individual as well as
organizational functioning, administrators need to identify the causes of
interpersonal conflict and take appropriate action to deal with it.
Following Blake and Moulton (1979) there are five possible modes of
conflict withdrawal, Smoothing, management: compromise, forcing and
problem solving. Withdrawal is an attempt to manage interpersonal conflict
by avoidance. Smoothing involves emphasis of common, organizational
34
interest and yielding by one or both parties. Compromise is an attempt to
manage conflict by expecting each person to give up something. Forcing
occurs when interpersonal conflict is managed in a fashion which compels
one person to acquiesce. Problem-solving is an attempt to achieve close
collaboration and integrative decision-making between individuals.
Under the prevailing influence of behaviourism, Interpersonal conflict
management has been directed mainly toward~, the behavioural components
of a conflict situation. Attitude and perceptions have been considered
beyond the realm of Conflict management. As a result of this, conflict
management has tended to force Individuals to choose between fixed and
simplified behavioural alternatives defined in terms of two rigid behavioural
goals, winning or loosing. The choices and Incentives associated with this
orientation of victory versus defeat were strongly constrained, forcing
individuals into relatively primitive modes of interaction and providing
administrators with an untrustworthy vehicle for potential conflict
management.
Of the five methods of managing interpersonal conflict it appears that
problem solving is the only method that is directed towards the process to
achieve a high-quality, integrative and satisfying outcome. Empirical
Support for the notion that problem solving is the most effective method for
35
dealing with the underlying problems and feelings of Interpersonal conflict
and generating a sound resolution may be obtained from a number of
studies. Lawrence and Lorsch (1967) examined the use of the various
conflict management methods in six organizations and concluded that the
highest performing organizations used probe solving to a greater extent than
other organizations. Organizations that can increase the use of problem -
solving in interpersonal conflict can offer a better working experience, more
constructive consequences and a more creative conflict resolution.
2.5.2 MANAGING INTERDEPARTMENTAL CONFLICT
Conflict between departments is a natural consequence of
organizational activities. As organizations move to wards greater
differentiation and completely, as they change or adapt to new
circumstances, the stage is set for incompatibilities of goals or competition
for scarce resources. The resulting conflict between departments may have
ambivalent consequences from organization. On the other hand it may have
a dysfunctional and counter productive effect on the organization, and on the
other hand it can be highly functional and stimulate intra–organizational
creativity. For conflict to be a vehicle for organizational growth and
creativity there must exist an appropriate method of conflict of management
36
between departments. A manager should know when he is faced with inter
departmental conflict and be informed of the process for coping with it or
resolving it.
Traditional approaches to managing interdepartmental conflict
emphasized such method as (1) conflict avoidance (separating departments
by relocating them physically) (2) regulating a conflict by introducing new
rules and procedures (3) seeking a form of "legalistic" solution (by appealing
together organizational authorities) (4) using departmental representatives
to reach a compromise agreement (5) seeking mediation or arbitration from
an outside body. Such conflict management methods may indeed produce an
agreement. They may reduce the level of conflict behaviour between
departments and even legitimize new levels of performance. They cannot,
though reflect, perpetuate and occasionally aggravate a win - lose pattern of
interactions. Separation, withdrawal, institutionalization, bargaining or legal
approaches are essentially forms of a win - Lose confrontation. They all start
with a polarized adversary orientation, in which each department tries to
attain as much as possible by outsmarting the other. They bring a conflict,
ignore it, produce power - based decisions or allow departments to withdraw
from it. They do not stimulate a search for conflict resolution.
37
2.6 NEW APPROACHES FOR MANAGING INTERDEP-
ARTMENTAL CONFLICT
A range of new approaches to managing interdepartmental conflict
may be suggested. These approaches acquire new significance because they
become integral parts of an interaction process between departments,
because they move away from win-lose type of strategies and because they
can meet the need for conflict resolution more effectively. They are best
summarized in terns of the social psychologists out of whose experiments
these approaches evolved:
1. Sherif et al. 40
Sherif and his associates suggest two broad strategies which are
designed to increase cooperation between departments facilitate mutual
communication of needs and minimize the effects of hostility and negative
attitudes. Both strategies are broad in their scope. Their target of change is
the organizational structure, but changes in individual attitudes and
improvement in interpersonal competence may also be involved.
1. Locating a common enemy. When departments are engaged in a conflict,
their incentive structure (i.e. Conflict of interest) may be changed and a
mutual understanding as well as favourable attitudes may be promoted if
they perceive a threat from a competing organization. Shifting the level
of interdepartmental conflict to the higher level of inter-organizational
38
conflict will produce a new structural relationship within each
organization, relationship that would harness departmental efforts and
help them to compete more successfully against another organization.
The perception of an external threat or the identification of common
enemy supersedes any conflict that departments within an organization
may have. As a strategy of conflict management within an organization,
it operates on two levels. First, it affects individual attitudes, perceptions
and feelings of trust and distrust. Second, it influences organizational role
structure. It transforms interactions which are characterized
predominantly by differentiation to accommodative inter-actions of a
collaborative and integrated orientation.
2. Locating a super ordinate goal. Super ordinate goals are goals which arc
greatly desired by several departments and can only be achieved by
combining the energies and resources of all involved. The introduction of
super ordinate goals (e.g. developing a new product line which would.
attract great customer demand) will create a cooperative context in which
departments may interact on problems of joint interests, develop
favourable attitudes and seek to achieve solutions that are mutually
satisfactory. The introduction of a super ordinate goal converts a conflict
between departments to friendly interactions.
39
The logic of introducing a super ordinate goal is related to the very
definition of a conflict. If conflict develops from the perception of in-
compatible goals, then cooperation would be promoted from common goals.
To be successful in resolving interdepartmental conflict, a super-ordinate
goal must be of such importance that departments can forget their
differences and work together. It must involve several episodes taking into
account the time dimension and it must be introduced by a third party. The
cumulative efforts of developing cooperative activities are an important
determinant of successful conflict management between departments.
Blake and Mouton
Blake and Mouton accept that the most important aspect of a
successful conflict management strategy is the attempt to shift the
behavioural and attitudinal components of a relationship from a competitive
to a cooperative orientation. They do, however, suggest that both the
common enemy and the super ordinate goal approaches fall short of the need
to achieve a genuine conflict resolution. This is because both can be seen as
(1) being mainly temporary in character, (2) both are primarily defensive
and (3) both strategies may widen a conflict by externalizing it. They offer
an approach which emphasizes consultation-based interventions, openness
40
of communication, and greater participation in decision-making and
problem-solving interactions.
Blake and Mouton accept that traditional conflict management
strategies can only deal with the behavioural component in conflict and
bring about a patchwork solution. They suggest an approach to conflict
management which involves interventions by organizational consultants
(usually applied behavioural scientists), who have no vested interest in the
conflict itself, but who have the competence and experience to generate a
productive mode of conflict management. They avoid the pitfalls of
adjudicating or evaluating which department is “right” or “wrong” (so often
the hallmark of traditional conflict management). Nor do they seek to
impose a solution. They intervene in order to generate creative thinking and
to establish a problem-solving attitude. Consultation-based approaches to
interdepartmental conflict accept conflict situations as inevitable and see
them as useful occasions which permit departments to disagree and to work
out the disagreements and ultimately to understand each other better. The
general functions of a consultant usually consist of (1) avoiding power-based
outcomes, (2) providing knowledge and skills regarding conflict processes,
(3) inducing an emotional cognitive change as a prelude to collaborative
interactions and (4) providing a supportive, informal and learning
41
environment well-suited to creating the requirements conducive to problem-
solving. The technologies of consultation consist of educational activities so
designed as to engage individuals as whole persons, not merely as
segmented individuals striving to cope with their role demands.
Conflict management-and indeed all forms of organizational
behaviour - is determined by the interaction of (1) information, (2) skills, (3)
values and (4) situation. Each of these factors acts as a precursor of some
consultation-based activities. Behavioural consultants provide parties in
conflict with more information and an understanding of the complexities of
conflict interactions. They promote social interaction skills (which should be
recognized as important as technical skills). They promote values of
cooperation and help to create a situation in which people can interact freely
and feel that they are as important to an organization as are its resources or
products.
The sequence of consultation activities commences with upgrading
individual skills and abilities, moves on to team-building activities and then
to restructuring inters group and interdepartmental activities. The
institutionalization of these activities consists of four steps. The first step-
bringing in the consultant-represents an administrative response to a felt
need for effective conflict management. The second step-entry–is associated
42
with various information-giving activities. The third step is aimed at
attitudinal change through data-feedback, team-training, sensitivity and T-
Group training or Grid development. The final step involves a structural
change in the relationship between departments and a move towards
integrative interactions and conflict resolution.
Effective conflict management is quite a major undertaking. There are
not too many guideposts to indicate where we are or how to move towards
conflict resolution. It is, therefore, a task which demands attention to
attitudinal and behavioural elements, to outcome and emotional needs and to
interpersonal as well as interdepartmental requirements. The intervention
strategies of a behavioural consultant can, we have argued, move us towards
that direction. We can not be certain that the intended effects will always be
achieved. We can suggest, with some certainty, that such interventions move
us forward in the direction of effective conflict management and success in
problem-solving. With this consideration in mind, administrators should
encourage such intervention and help to produce more effective
programmes.
43
2.7 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION FOR
TEAMS
“Conflict is the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and
memory. It instigates to invention. It shocks us out of sheep like passivity,
and sets us at noting and contriving.”-John Dewey.
When a group of individuals with varying experiences, thought
processes and expectations work together as a team, conflict is inevitable.
While many people see conflict as a sign of failure, teams can potentially
use conflict as an 8.5Set. Understanding conflict dynamics and cultural
approaches to conflict management help teams to distil key points vital to a
successful and productive resolution of team conflict.
There are four basic types of conflict: emotional, cognitive,
constructive and destructive. Emotional and destructive conflicts lead to an
inability to resolve issues. Cognitive and constructive conflicts are a
necessary part of finding successful solutions as a team. Emotional conflict
is "personal, defensive, and resentful” (Thompson, Aranda, and Robbins,
2000) and is based on anger, personality clashes, ego and tension. Emotional
conflict occurs when individual interests trump the interests of the team as a
whole. This type of conflict interferes with the effort of a team to resolve a
problem.
44
Cognitive conflict occurs when team members voice different ideas and is
“largely depersonalized” (Thompson, Aranda, and Robbins, 2000). As
opposed to emotional conflict, this type of conflict is based on arguments
about the merits of ideas, plans and projects. Because cognitive conflict is
not based on personal feelings, it forces team members to rethink problems
and arrive at a collective decision.
Constructive conflict, as the name suggests, help teams resolves
problems and uncover new solutions to old issues in a productive manner
(Thompson, Aranda, and Robbins, 2000). It allows changes and growth to
occur within a term environment.
Destructive conflict, like emotional conflict, causes dysfunction when
a “lack of common agreement leads to negativism” (Thompson, Aranda, and
Robbins, 2000). This disrupts the progress of all group members.
Destructive conflict in teams diminishes the possibility of any problem
resolution.
Understanding and defining conflict terminology and conflict
management is a first and important step in successful conflict management.
Since conflict is inevitable in any team or group situation, groups must
cooperate to reach a successful resolution of any issues. Western conflict
management theory places an emphasis on understanding and cooperation
45
for the successful and permanent resolution of conflict.
Since more than one issue, and more than one type of conflict, often is
involved in the conflict, successful conflict management and resolution
depend on a number of factors. Among them, teams must understand the
different responses to conflict among team members.
CONCLUSION
Organizations are social entities segmented into hierarchies of
departments and individuals. The basic realities of organizational life cannot
but stimulate comparisons, competitions and conflicts between departments
and individuals. Conflict is an omnipresent feature at each of these
organizational levels. Since conflict may have functional as well as
dysfunctional consequences, it is essential that administrators explore
various methods and techniques of conflict management. Effective conflict
management is indispensable if coordinated efforts and productive
achievements are to result. I have suggested above that the planned
intervention by behavioural scientists represents the most effective method
since it can produce organizational change and a sense of personal
accomplishment.
A wide range of intervention activities may be utilized to deal with
conflicts at various organizational levels. It is beyond the scope of this
46
article to provide a manual that can possibly foresee all the contingencies or
to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of intervention.
This study purported to view conflict management as an integral part
of the administrative process. Administrators should be able to ascertain the
presence of a conflict, its basic sources, the level at which itself, its degree of
intensity and the ways of furthering the objective of conflict resolution.
From a pragmatic viewpoint administrators should direct their attention to
four issues: Is there a conflict? Where; the conflict? Does it require to be
managed? How best to implement an effective conflict management
strategy? With these issues in mind the main features of this study may be
summarized by developing a conceptual framework for conflict management
in organizations.
Conflict and conflict in organizations has only recently begun to
receive the attention it deserves. In this study I have sought to address
ourselves to the two most important issues in this field, namely, the
determinants of conflict and the effectiveness of different methods of
conflict management. Working from a conceptual basic this study represents
only an initial step in the direction of systemizing our understanding of
conflict and conflict management. Our task lies in stimulating a more
thorough analysis to fill the gap between our knowledge and the realities of
47
organizational life. The administrators’ task lies in accepting conflict
evaluation as part of their role and in developing the creative abilities that
are necessary to deal with it.
48
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51
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY
3.1 METHODOLOGY
The research objectives and problems of this project have to a
reasonable extent determine the method employed in this research, on this
note the survey method has been employed in carrying out this research. The
research set out to assess the conflict management strategies of
organizations. Thus the use of survey research was considered logical to be
employed in this study.
By survey research, we mean the task of asking questions in order to
acquire information from the population under study. This is the most
commonly used by social scientists. It has to do with drawing up a set of
questions on various subjects or on various aspects of a subject to which
selected members of a population are requested to react. (Unyimadu 2005).
A good number of reasons accounted for the preference of this method in the
study. These reasons include the following:
a) It is more realistic than the experiment in that it investigates
phenomenon in their natural setting.
52
b) It Interprets, Synthesizes, integrates data and points to Implications
and Inter-relationships.
c) Such an approach is consistent with one of the aims of qualitative
research, which is to expose the range and depth of the phenomenon
in order to develop theory (Eisenhardt: 1989)
d) Surveys are particularly versatile and practical especially for the
administrator in that they identify present conditions and points to
present needs.
e) These methods often generate both qualitative and quantitative
elements and generate hypotheses and ultimately concepts and
theories (Strauss 1987).
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
Questionnaire is the Survey research design of this study. The
questionnaire in this study is carefully structured and designed in order to
achieve the objectives of the study. The questionnaire: is both close and
open ended.
The open ended questionnaire allows the respondents to answer the
question the way he or she likes with fewer restrictions or non in some cases.
The close ended questionnaire restricts the range of answers available to
53
respondents.
The researcher made available a set of response categories after each
question from which the respondent will be expected to choose one or any
number of appropriate responses. The researcher asked questions and
supplied the possible answers and Instructed the respondents to tick one of
the available respd1se which best expressed his feeling, attitude or
perception. For the puq10se of making sure of high degree of Information
reliability to be collected through questionnaire, the researcher made the
questions very clear in a way that it will not bring confusion among
respondents. The researcher also made use of random sampling method.
3.3 POPULATION AND SAMPLE SIZE OF THE STUDY
The populations of this study include the staff of ANAMCO AND
CAPITAL CITY AUTOMOBILE both in Enugu. But due to some obvious
constraints, the purposive sampling technique was used to determine the
sample size.
In this sampling technique also called the judgmental sampling, the
researcher uses his/her own judgment about which respondents to choose
and picks only those who best meet the purpose of the study. The sample
units here are selected with some special objective in mind.
54
Out of the 338 questionnaire copies administered for the surveyor
study, 168 were correctly filled and returned while 170 were rejected. To
determine the optimum sample size, the researcher applied the Taro Yameni
model of sample size determination calculated at 95% Confidence level of
significance and 5% standard error using the formula:
n = N
I+N(e)2
n = Sample Size
N = population size
E = error assumed
Assumed error = 0.05 (5%)
Population Size = (N) => 338
Therefore j n = 338
1 + (350) 0.052
n = 338
2.01 = 160
Therefore the population Size is 168
3.4 INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA COLLECTION
The researcher used questionnaires in data collection. The
questionnaire was designed for the respondents in the area of study. The
questionnaire helped the researcher to obtain Information from respondents
55
bout their perceptions, opinions, attitudes and satisfaction of the subject
under study.
However, the questionnaire helped the researcher in the following
ways;
1) It permitted more considerable answers
2) It was less expensive compared to the wide area it covered
3) It was more adequate in situations in which the respondents have to
check their Information.
4) It ensured that the structure is used to observe the respond,
3.5 SOURCES OF DATA
The two main sources used in this study to collect data are:
(A) PRIMARY DATA: - The primary data include the data collected from
the questionnaire administered by the researcher. The primary data also
Include Information collected from direct survey which involves direct
contact with the respondents.
In this study the researcher used questionnaire as the main tool for the
primary data collection. The researcher distributed the questionnaire to
potential respondents who filled and returned them.
(B) SECONDARY DATA: - These are data collected from publications and
articles on works of other researchers and writers which are closely related
56
to the study.
3.6 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS
In this study, the research analyzed, Interpreted and presented the data
collected in meaningful and simplest form for the understanding of the
readers, (Ikeagwu: 1998).
The data collected were analyzed with tables and percentages. The
percentages were used to analyze the data collected so as to make them more
understandable to readers while chi-square was used to test the hypotheses
based on its scientific nature and also widely used by social scientists. The
formula for the chi-square used in this study is as follows:
x = (0-E) 2
Where X = Computed chi-square
O = Observed frequencies
E = Expected frequencies
E = Summation Sign.
3.7 DECISION CRITERIA HYPOTHESES FOR VALIDATION OF
HYPOTHESES
The decision criterion is that if the calculated chi-square (X2) value is
greater than the critical value, the null hypotheses will be rejected and the
57
alternative hypotheses will be accepted. Conversely, if the calculated values
less than the critical value, the null hypotheses is accepted.
58
REFERENCES
Unyimadu, S. O. (2005) Research Methods and Procedures. Benin:
Harmony Books.
Ikeagwu, E. K. (1998) Groundwork of Research Methods and Practice.
Enugu: Institute for Development Studies.
Eisenhardt, K.M (1989) Building Theories from case study Research. New
York: Times publishing.
Strauss, A and Corbin. S (1990) Basic Qualitative Research. Califorma:
SAGE.
Osuala, E. C (1982) Introduction to Research Methodology. Onitsha:
Africana - Fep Publishers.
59
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
For the analysis of data collected, this chapter is divided into two
parts. The first part is the presentation of the responses from the
questionnaires administered and the second part is the test of hypothesis.
These two parts are hereby presented in a chronological sequence in line
with the research objectives and hypothesis. This study is aimed at
determining those Conflict management strategies of organizations.
4.1 QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION
SEX AND AGE DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS
This is necessary because the opinion of almost every age and
category of those directly involved or affected with operations and activities
in he organization need to be sort. This was considered in the design of the
questionnaire, as there could be a relationship between the age of
respondents and their perception and reaction towards conflict and conflict
situations.
60
The table below summarizes the distribution of respondents by age:
TABLE 4.1: SEX AND AGE DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS
Age Range (Yrs) Male % Female % Total %
15 – 29
30 – 40
41 – 50
51 – above
46
55
60
57
23.47
39.32
36.03
15.31
30
38
38
14
22.47
25.22
31.46
6.74
46
63
83
23
23
31.5
34
11.5
218 100 120 100 200 100
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
TABLE 4.2: RETURN OF QUESTIONNAIRES
Allocation of Questionnaires Respondents Percentage
Filled and Returned 168 168
Unreturned - -
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
In Table 4.1, a summary of the distribution of questionnaires by age
consideration was tabulated. The table indicated that 218 questionnaires
were distributed to men while 132 questionnaires were distributed to
women. The analysis further revealed that male respondents represented
59% of the questionnaires distributed while 41% represented the female
respondents of the questionnaires distributed.
61
TABLE 4.2 EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS OR
RESPONDENT?
Response Variables No of Responses % of Response
FSLC - -
WASC/GCE - -
OND/NCE 21 12.5
HND/B.SC/BA 101 60.11
MBA/M.SC 46 27.4
Total 168 100
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
DESCRIPTION
Table 4.2 above indicates that 60.11% of the respondents hold
B.Sc/BA/HND certificates. 27.4% hold masters degree certificates, while
another 12.5% hold NCE/OND certificates. This shows a high level
exposure among workers of both organizations.
TABLE 4.3 POSITIONS OR LEVEL IN YOUR ORGANIZATION
Response Variable No of Respondents % of Respondents
Line staff 94 56
Supervisor 40 24
Middle level Manager 22 13
Senior Manager 12 1
Total 168 100
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
Table 4.3 above shows that 94 of the respondents are of the line staff,
supervisor 40, 22 of them are managers, while 12 of them are senior
managers.
62
TABLE 4.4: EXISTENCE OF CONFLICT IN YOUR ORGANIZATION.
Response Variable No of Respondents % of Respondents
Agree 140 83
Strongly agree 28 17
Disagree - -
Strongly disagree - -
Total 160 100
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
Table 4.4 indicates that all the 140 or 83% of respondents
acknowledged that conflict exist in their organization while 28 or 17%
strongly agree that conflict exists in their organization. This shows that there
is an existence of conflict in their organizations.
TABLE 4.5: WHAT FORM OF CONFLICT EXISTS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION?
Response Variable No of Respondents % of Response
Intrapersonal - -
Conflict - -
Interpersonal - -
Conflict 168 100-
Interdept. Conflict
All of the above 168 100
Total 160 100%
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
The table above indicates that all forms of conflict exist in the
organizations under study. This is because all 168 agreed to the fact that
interpersonal, intrapersonal, and inter departmental conflict do exist.
63
Table 4.6: what form of conflict have you experienced?
Response Variable No of Respondents % of Response
Intrapersonal Conflict - -
Interpersonal Conflict 146 87
Interdept. Conflict 22 13
All of the above
Total 160 100%
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
The table above shows that all the respondents have experienced one
form of conflict or another. Supervisors and Managers said they have
experienced both interpersonal and intrapersonal conflict. The line staff said
they always experience interpersonal conflict form time to time in their work
place.
TABLE 4.8: YOUR PERCEPTION OF CONFLICT?
Response Variable No of Respondents % of Response
Positive 140 83
Negative 28 17
Total 168 100%
SOURCE; FIELD SURVEY
The table above shows that 28 or 175 of the respondents have the
opinion that conflict is all about negatively while 140 or 835 of them believe
in conflict exist opportunities that might help organizations in the long run.
64
TABLE 4.9: YOUR ORGANIZATIONS STRATEGIES FOR
MANAGING CONFLICT?
Response Variables No of Respondents % of Response
Mutual - -
Communication - -
Dialogue/arbitration - -
Rules/regulation - -
All of the above 168 100
Total 168 100%
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
The table above shows that the organizations under study encourage
the use of mutual communication during interpersonal conflict situations.
They also engage the use of dialogue/arbitration in managing conflict and
put rules and regulations on the ground to be able to manage conflict
situations appropriately from the above description, it is evident that the
organizations employ all the mentioned strategies and many more is
managing a conflict situation.
TABLE 4.10: IMPACT OF EFFECTIVE CONFLICT
MANAGEMENT?
Response Variables No of Respondents % of Response
Productive 140 83.3
Unproductive 28 16.7
Total 168 100
SOURCE; FIELD SURVEY
In the table above, 140 of the respondents representing 83.35 agreed
that effective conflict management is indispensable if productive
achievements are to result while 16.7% the respondents thought otherwise.
65
TABLE 4.11: DOES CONFLICT HIDER ORGANIZATIONAL
GOALS?
Response Variable No of Respondents % of Response
Disagree 140 83.3
Agree 28 16.7
Total 168 100
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
The table above indicates that the existence of conflict does not hinder
organizational goals. This is because only 28 or 17% of the respondents
disagreed to the fact that conflict does not hinder organizational goals.
4.2 HYPOTHESES TESTING
4.2.1 HYPOTHESIS ONE
H0: The existence of conflict does not hinder organizational goal.
H1: The existence of conflict hinders organization goal.
TABLE FOR HYPOTHESIS ONE
The contingency table information for analyzing hypothesis one is got
from the data in table 4.11 as follows.
66
TABLE 4.11: DOES CONFLICT HIDER ORGANIZATIONAL
GOALS?
Response Variable No of Respondents % of Response
DISAGREE 140 83.3
AGREE 28 16.7
Total 168 100
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
DESCRIPTION
From the table above, 140 of the respondents agreed that existence of
conflict does not hinder organizational goals.
DECISION RULE OF CHI-SQUARE
A decision rule is the statistical objective procedure, which guides the
research as to whether a particular hypothesis is accepted or rejected from a
set data.
In testing the above hypothesis, the decision rule states that at 0.5
level of significance with 2 degree freedom; if calculated value of chi-square
is X2> X
20 reject H0 and accept H1 when X
20 is the table value of 5.991.
The formula for chi-square used in testing the hypothesis is stated as
follows:
X2 =
E
E 2)0(
Where X2 = the computed chi-square
O = Observed frequency
E = the expected frequency
= The summation sign
67
TABLE 4.12: CALCULATION OF CHI-SQUARE IN RESPECT OF
HYPOTHESIS ONE
Response Variable 0 E 0-E 0-E2
E
E 2.0
Agree 140 83 57 3249 39.14
Disagree 28 17 11 121 7.11
Total 46.25
Computed chi-square or calculated value X2 = 46.25
Table value = 5.991
DECISION TAKEN
The chi-square shows that the calculated value of 46.24 is greater that
the table value of 5.991 at 2 degree of freedom and at a probability level of
0.5. This result shows that the alternative hypothesis (H1) that represents
positive response tested statistically significant and it was accepted that the
existence of conflict does not hinder organizational goals.
4.2.2 HYPOTHESIS TWO
Ho: Effective conflict management is dispensable if coordinated efforts and
productive achievements ate to result.
H2: Effective conflict management is indispensable if coordinated efforts
and productive achievements are to result.
The contingency table for hypothesis two is got from table 4.10
68
TABLE 4.10: IMPACT OF EFFECTIVE CONFLICT
MANAGEMENT?
Response Variables No of Respondents % of Response
Productive 140 83.3
Unproductive 28 16.7
Total 168 100
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
DESCRIPTION
From the above table on the impact of effective conflict management
on organizations. 140 of the respondents agreed that effective conflict
management is indispensable if coordinated efforts and productive
achievements are to result.
DECISION RULE OF CHI-SQUARE
The decision rule states at 0.5 level of significance, with 2 degrees of
freedom, if computed chi-square or calculated value X2>
X20 is the table
value of 5.991.
TABLE 4.13: CALCULATION OF CHI-SQUARE IN RESPECT OF
HYPOTHESIS TWO
Response Variable 0 E 0-E 0-E2
E
E 2.0
Productive 140 83 57 3249 39.14
Unproductive 28 17 11 121 7.11
Total 46.25
Computed chi-square or calculated value X2 = 46.25, Table value = 5.991.
69
DECISION TAKEN
The chi-square shows that the calculated value of 46.25 if greater,
than the table value of 5.991 at 2 degrees of freedom and at a probability
level of 0.5. This result shows that the alternative hypothesis (H2) that
represents the positive response tested statistically significant and it was
accepted that effective conflict management is indispensable if coordinated
efforts and productive achievements are to result.
STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS THREE
H0: Fostering mutual communication as a strategy does not enhance conflict
management
H3: Fostering mutual communication as a strategy does enhance conflict
management.
The contingency table information for analyzing hypothesis three is
got from the data in table 4.9 as follows.
TABLE 4.9: YOUR ORGANIZATIONS STRATEGIES FOR
MANAGING CONFLICT?
Response Variables Number of Respondents % of Response
Mutual - -
Communication - -
Dialogue/arbitration - -
Rules/regulation
All of the above 168 100
Total 168 100%
SOURCE: FIELD SURVEY
70
DESCRIPTION
From the above table on mutual communication as a strategy for
enhancing conflict management. 168 of the respondents agreed that fostering
mutual communication can effectively enhance conflict management.
DECISION TAKEN
The chi-square shows that the calculated value of 46.24 is greater,
than the table value of 5.991 at 2 degrees of freedom and at a probability
level of 0.5. This result show that the alternative hypothesis (H3) that
represents the positive response tested statistically significant and it was
accepted that fostering mutual communication as a strategy does enhance
conflict management.
71
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.1 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS.
The basic aim of this study was to investigate into the conflict
management strategies of organizations in Nigeria. The study covered some
enterprises in Enugu metropolis and its environs. Above 338 questionnaire
copies were administered but 168 were successfully returned showing that
80% of the questionnaire administered were successful returned. Data
received from the exercise were analyzed based on the frequency
distribution of respondents' opinions. This is shown in the tables, which
were also analyzed in percentages shown in chapter four of this study. As a
supplement to questionnaires, personal interview was conducted to elicit
some additional interviews not covered in the questionnaire.
Related literature were extensively received, covering such areas as
ingredients of conflict, types of conflict, sources of conflict, conflict
management etc.
Below is the summary of findings during the field interviews and data
analysis;
72
a. That conflict situations appear frequently in daily public and private
life
b. That conflict is a natural disagreement resulting from individuals or
groups that differ in attitude, beliefs, values or needs.
c. That lack of effective communication can contribute to conflict
situation negatively.
d. That effective conflict management requires recognition of the
sources that generate a conflict.
5.2 CONCLUSION
The conclusions are derived from the responses of respondents. We
can observe clearly from respondents that conflict in inevitable in any going
concern. They also confirmed that they experience one form of conflict from
one time to another in the cause of performing their tasks.
The researcher also observed that respondents erroneously view
conflict from a negative perspective - as destructive or dysfunctional. It is
true that conflict may be uncomfortable, if changes are to occur if
organizations are to survive and adapt.
The researcher also observed that all organizations, however simple or
complex must posses a range of mechanism or procedures for managing
conflict.
73
A wide range of intervention activities may be utilized to deal with
conflicts at various organizational levels. Therefore administrators should be
able to ascertain the presence of a conflict, its basic sources, the level at
which it manifest itself, its degree of intensity and the ways of furthering the
objectives of conflict resolution.
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS.
Based on the findings of this project report, the following
recommendations are made:
Organizational changes and innovation does not just happen, it
required a stimulant which is conflict. Therefore, managers should embrace
conflict not only negatively but positively to enable them meet up with
challenges.
Administrators or managers must accept the needs to influence the
developmental dynamics of a conflict, so that the parties' attitudes and
actions will lead to better coordination and a more appropriate
interdependence.
The managers should apply the situational approach to conflict
management because methods of conflict management which is appropriate
in one case may not necessarily be appropriate when applied to a conflict
generated from another source.
74
That to increases cooperation between departments in trying to
facilitate mutual communication of needs and minimize the effects of
hostility and negative attitudes, two strategies should be employed. They are
locating a common enemy and locating a super ordinate goal.
That the cumulative efforts of developing cooperative activities are
important determinants of successful conflict management between
departments.
75
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Book Assael, H. (1969) "Constructive Role of Interorganizational Cnflict”,
Administration Science Quarterly.
Blake, R. R., Mouton J. S. and Shepard h. A. (1964), Management
Intergroup Conflict in Industry.
Campbell, A. (2002), The Private Sector and Conflict Prevention
Mainstreaming: Risk Analysis and Conflict Impact Assessment Tools
for Multinational Corporations, (CIFP).
Corwin, R. G. (1969), "Patterns of Organizational Administrative Science
Quarterly.
Deutshch, M. (1973), The Resolution of Conflict. (New haven: Yale
University Press, and C. R. Mitchell (1981) the Structure of
International Conflict. London: Macmillan.
Dudley, W. (1992), The Eight Essential Steps to Conl1ict Resolution:
Preserving Relationship at Work, at Home and in the Comn1ll'lity.
New York; St. Martins Press.
Dutton, J. M. and Walton R. E. (1966), "Interdepartmental Conflict and
Cooperation: two Contrasting Studies", Human Organization.
Galung, J. (1969), "Conflict as a way of Life" Progress in Mental Health ed.
By h. Freeman London: Churchill.
Ikeagwu, E. K. (1998), Ground Work of Research Methods and Procedure.
Enugu: Institute for Development Studies.
Janis, I. L. and Mann L. Decision Making: (1977).
Kriesberg, L. (1973), The Sociology of Social Conflict Englewood Cliffs, N.
J. Prentice Hall.
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Lawrence, and C, Jeffrey S. (1987), Breaking the Impasses: Consensual
Approaches to Resolving Public disputes; New York: Basic Books.
Mack, R. W. (1965), "The Components of Social Conflict" Social Problems.
Mitchell C. R. (1981), The Structure of International Con1liet. London
Macmillan.
Obkunori, O. (2002), SUCCESSfUL Research, Theory and Practice (Rev.
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Osuala, E. C. (1982), Introduction to Research I'v1cthodology. Onitsha
African Feb. Publishers: Ltd.
Pomly, R. L. (1967), "Organization Conflict: Concepts and Models,
Administration Science Quarterly.
Pondy, R. L. (1967), Organization Con1lict: Concepts and Models,
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Rico, L. (1964), "Organization Conflict: A Framework for Reappraisal,
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Robbins S. P. (1974), Manage Organizational Conflict" A Non-Traditional
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Sanford, R. N. "Individual Conflict and Organizational Interaction" in Power
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Strauss, A. and Corbin. S. (1990), Basic Qualitative Research. California
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JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES
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Boulding K. E. (1957), "Organizations and Conflict" Journal Conflict
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Brown, J. S. (1967), "Principles of Intrapersonal Conflict", Journal of
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Corwin R. G. (1969), "Patterns of Organization Conflict," Administrative
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79
APPENDIXES
APPENDIX 1
Department of Management,
University of Nigeria,
Enugu Campus,
October 23, 2007.
Dear Sir/Madam,
RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE
I am a postgraduate student of the above named institution
undertaking a research project on “conflict management strategies of
organizations”.
Therefore, your reply to the questions raised is meant for the purpose
of enriching the study. All information furnished by you would be treated in
strict confidence and utilized exclusively for this study.
Thanks for you co-operation.
Yours faithfully,
ONOWU MARK CHUKWUEMEZIE.
80
APPENDIX 11
QUESTIONNAIRE
Instruction: Tick (√) the appropriate option or fill the blank spaces as
required.
1. Sex Male Female
2. Age in years
15 – 29 30 – 40 41 – 50 51 above
3. Marital Status:
Married Single Divorced Separated
Widow Widower
4. Education:
Primary Secondary Tertiary
5. Position in the organization: Line staff Supervision
Middle Manager Senior Manager
PART B
To identify various health hazards in cement production causes and their
prevention
QUESTIONS
6. Existence of conflict in your organization?
Agree Strongly Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree
7. What form of conflict exists in your organisation?: Intrapersonal
Interpersonal Interdept All of the above
8. What form of conflict have you experience? Intrapersonal Interpersonal Interdept All of the above
81
9. Your Perception of Conflict? Positive Negative
10. Your Organisations strategy for managing conflict?
Mutual Communication Dialogue/Arbitration
Rules/Regulation All of the Above
11. Impact of effective conflict management?
Productive Unproductive
12. Does conflict hinder organisation goals
Disagree Agree