Conflict Management Strategies and Organizational Performance Report

This report investigates the influence of conflict management strategies on organizational performance within an Australian production and manufacturing firm. The study, based on data from 250 workers, employed stratified random sampling and statistical analysis, including Spearman correlation and regression analysis. The findings reveal a positive relationship between conflict management strategies and organizational performance, with non-integrative conflict strategies negatively affecting performance. Bargaining strategies were found to have the highest positive correlation. The research highlights the emergence of conflicts due to factors like resource scarcity and goal mismatches, with union-management conflicts being the most prevalent. The report concludes that conflict is inevitable in organizations, and its impact, whether detrimental or beneficial, hinges on the adopted conflict management methods.

RUNNING HEAD: NEGOTIATION AND CONFLICT MANGEMENT
Conflict Management
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note

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Executive Summary:
This report examined the influence of conflict management in a workplace on the performance of
the organisation in an Australian production and manufacturing firm. All the participants consist
of 250 workers those who are appointed through random sampling technique that is stratified.
Inferential and descriptive statistics were taken into consideration for analysing the data that are
collected from the accused or the respondents. Using the analysis of Spearman correlation that
resulted the empirical test which significantly presented the positive relation between the
organisational performance and strategies of conflict management. Management strategies of
non-integrative conflict had a determinate effect which is statistically negative on the
performance of the organisation. The analysis of regression specified that the collective strategy
of bargaining, which resulted in the highest positive correlation with the performance of the
organisation. Some additional study depicts that the conflicts emerge due to multiple factors of
the institutional experience that depends on the goal and economic mismatch alignments in the
workplace. The conflict of union-management was found to be the most predominant type of
conflict that is industrial in an organisation. The report concluded that any conflict is a type of
unavoidable concept or phenomenon in the life of an organisation and it can detract or contribute
depending on the performance of the organisation which depends on the methods of conflict
management that can be adopted in a workplace.

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Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................3
Discussion:.......................................................................................................................................4
Literature review:.........................................................................................................................4
2. Part B – Proposing a Model for Conflict Resolution...................................................................8
2.1. Tools for Conflict Resolution...............................................................................................8
People who are best suited to use the Model for Conflict Resolution.........................................9
Situation or Context in which the Model can be used.................................................................9
Cues or Signs that People using the Model can look for...........................................................10
Intrapersonal Cues to look for when using the Model...............................................................10
Interpersonal Cues to look for when using the Model...............................................................11
Important Aspects of the Model of Conflict Resolution...........................................................11
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
References:....................................................................................................................................13

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Introduction:
The structural character of modern work-organisations whether in the field of service
industry or manufacturing unit inevitably develops an interest of conflict. These interest of
conflicts is emerged in cluster due to resources, position and scarcity of freedom. The conflict in
the workplace is widespread, notwithstanding the better management practices in an institution
and establishes in different forms as an unavoidable and intrinsic feature of the employment
relation. It is a process that takes place in hierarchical organisations where an individual carries
background interact, opinion and divergent view. This article provides an overview of conflict
management strategies through a literature review. A study was then conducted of 219 radiologic
technologists to predict commonalities in conflict management styles in this particular cohort,
taking into account education level. Conflict in any work relation is never considered as an
aberration because it provides or creates a better chance for reconciliation and correction for the
development of the employees and the work organisation.
According to Kazimoto (2013), the conflict in the workplace is defined as the existence
of discordance takes place when interest, values or goals of different groups or individual are
mismatched and aggravate each other that results in attempting to achieve the specific activities
in an institution. It is a process of communication and is an unavoidable significance of
transactional relationship establishing the dissonance and disagreement in the between the
groups and among the individuals in the workplace. Conflict in the workplace is a fact of life in
any institution or organisation as individuals will strive for employment, security, power and
recognition. Therefore the work of the management is not to solve all the arisen conflicts nor to

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suppress. The actual task of the management is to enhance and to protect from detraction form
the performance of the organisation.
Part 1:
Discussion:
Literature review:
Concept of Conflict in the Workplace:
Several authors have defined workplace conflict in different ways. Obi (2012) stated the
term workplace conflict as an action of contention and discontentment in which the employers or
the workers of employment exploit to place excess pressure to each other to fulfil their demands.
The same angle of view remains consistent with Henry (2009); Campomar, Veludo and Ikeda
(2005), Oghenekohwo (2002), Ajala and Azamoza (2004) described the term of conflict in
workplace as an argument that takes place when values, goals and interest of different groups or
individuals do not match against each other in an organization. On this context, the employment
relationship on the premises of workplace conflict can be considered as an unavoidable clash of
disputes and interests of variable strength between any of the active employees in an
organisation. Focus of the economists on decision making and game theory, interpersonal
conflicts are being explored by the psycologists, class and status conflicts are being taken by the
sociologists as the point of focus, at the same time the international and intra-national conflicts
are being centered by political science. The conflict will surely occur when there will absence in
the common values of an organisation.
Causative Influences in Workplace Conflict:

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Experimental research has provided visions into the field of causative factors in a
workplace conflict. Abdul. Asokere and Hotepo – Ajemunigbohun (2010) and Azeez invented
deficiency in resources, competition, expectation, interdependence, deficiency in cooperation
and problems in communication are the factors that caused the main conflicts in the service
industry of Nigeria. Relatively, the banking sectors of Nigeria, Obasan (2011) recognized
improper terms of service, deficiency in human relations in between the workers and the
management, non-consultation along with workers before constructing any decision that will
affect the workers, anti-union position of management and deficiency in mechanism for
preventing any conflict as a factor of conflict in workplace. Philippian research has been
conducted in the field of the banking sector by Tsevendorj (2008) valued perception, values,
culture and failure in communication problems as a quite serious cause of workplace conflict.
Classification of Conflict in the Workplace:
Ogunbameru (2006) categorised conflict in the workplace into two types: formal and
informal workplace conflicts. According to his categorisation, the work-relation conflict is
considered as informal when they are not based on any problems of organizational system, but
the outcome was supposedly or directly from the grievance source that is sensitive in nature. In
this context, the fundamental sources cannot be seen; they can only take place in the form of
unconscious protest, bad behaviour, sabotage and lack of work-attitudes by the workers in an
organisationIn case the situation gets widespread, it can knowingly affect the focus of a worker’s
job description, impact and turnover on the wealth of an institution (Kazimoto, 2013).
On the other hand, conflict in a formal work can be expressed as the organised form of
expression in conflict expressed through the worker's representatives or a trade union

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(Ogunbameru, 2006). These conflicts are highly visible as it is a calculated attempt and
conscious strategy for altering the employment relationship.
Management if Conflict in the Workplace:
According to Rahim (2002), the management of conflict involves ineffective strategy
designing for minimising the dysfunctions concerning the conflict to enhance the function of
construction for optimising the effectiveness and learning of an institution. A conflict
management that is compromising involves a strategy for finding a “mutual ground” which
satisfies both the party partly. With the involvement of the strategy every person realize
everybody cannot be satisfied entirely in the situation of conflict.This infers in conflict
management that cannot be terminated and avoided, but it decreases the chances of escalation
that is not productive. Conflict management is a method which helps to handle the grievances of
the people of the people or the organisation for finding an alternative of increasing the resolution
effort towards agreement and proposes for genuine decision-making. As found by Anijaobi,
Uchendu and Odigwe (2013) as the conflict is unavoidable in an institution, in that case the
management of the company will decide about the negative and positive effect on the
performance of the organisation. The immediate explication and the timely recognition of the
basic tension before the issues of the conflict go out of the hand are relevant in conflict
management in the workplace.
The four issues that are situational for considering chooses the conflict that can best
manage the conflict; the requirement of the issue that the conflict deals; requirement to maintain
good relation with the opposite party, the control of dealing the issu, and the duration of time that

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can resolve the issue. Consequently, the orientation of conflict management is a highly
conspicuous process that can be applied in several ways in an organisation. Ford (2007)
suggested a four-way technique that includes implementation, design, assessment, inquiry and
evaluation, which can achieve objective and efficacious conflict of making decision in the
workstation. This type of integrative approach often encourages the management for satisfying
the basic need of the shareholders for resolving the conflict. King and Vigil (2000) initiated that
the implementation of integrative style of conflict management will provide some higher
commitment and better result to an individual. It will be better than the groups or teams that use
the method of non-integrative management of conflict. The method of integrative approach helps
and widens the understanding the problem on the matter of conflict and helps in increasing the
resolution.Thomas (1976) provided some better approaches for managing the problems that arise
in conflict. These include the collaboration, compromise, competition, avoidance and
accommodation. The strategy of avoidance is popularly known as conflict avoidance. If any
institution or an organisation uses the method of conflict avoidance, it clearly depicts that the
particular organisation is sitting on a barrel of gun powder. The strategy of accommodation trusts
that any amount of sacrifice is not too much for reign of the place. Strategies of the conflict
management resolves the conflict through behavioral methods. The methods of the resolving
conflict through behavior causes a consequences of the external circumtances and person’s
specific way of interacting with problems and people, and those who choose to be depending on
the significance of others concern versus one’s self concern. It is a soothing technique involving
appeasement and capitulation. The strategy of competition helps in involving the win-lose and
the fittest method, without granting any other party into consideration. In the strategy of
compromise, conflicting parties always will to leave something for settling the problem of

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conflict. The last approach of strategy is the collaboration which clearly says it is a win-win
approach where the conflicted parties get ready and prepared willingly full satisfaction of the
demands. In case of strategy of collaboration there is an exception which reflects in the attitude
that is assertive cooperative, rest of the approaches depends on the organisational structure they
deliver a short time resolution to the situation of conflict. Another approach for conflict
management for the resolution in Nigeria is presented in the rules of the disputed of Trade
Amendment Decree, 1988, No. 39 and Trade dispute Act CAP 18, 2004 which delivered all the
five steps for the management of the legal rules of conflict in the organisations within the
country.
2. Part B – Proposing a Model for Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution is a process that is aimed at decreasing violence and tolerance, and
assists two disputing parties in arriving at a solution to their problems (Ford, 2007). In this
section, a model for conflict resolution will be proposed that can be utilized in resolving disputed
or stalemate situations, and which can be effective for implementation particularly in a business
or organizational setup. This model of conflict resolution will be made up of a number of crucial
components or procedures and as such is influenced by the tools that have been proposed by
various scholars, for the resolution of conflict (Vigil-King, 2000).
2.1. Tools for Conflict Resolution
Some of the tools that the proposed model for conflict resolution can make use of in the
specific context or situation in which it is being made use of are as follows –
 To stay calm while the conflict situation transpires or takes place

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 To listen to whatever is happening in order to understand the causes of the conflict and
why it is taking place.
 To accentuate what it is that is positive about the conflict situation
 To state the case for conflict resolution in as tactful a manner as possible
 To encourage disputing parties to attack the situation that is causing the conflict rather
than each other.
 To make sure that the blame game is something that is avoided at all costs in the process
of conflict resolution.
 To avoid focusing on the past, and look ahead instead into the future, in order to get the
conflict resolved (Rahim, 2002).
People who are best suited to use the Model for Conflict Resolution
The people who are best suited to make use of the model for conflict resolution that is
currently being proposed, are the people who can witness the conflict taking place and who are
employed in a managerial or supervisory capacity at the organization. This is the case because in
a conflict situation in an organization, it is left to the people in charge to get the matter resolved
as soon as possible and to make efforts to keep such a situation from ever arising again in the
future (Vigil-King, 2000).
Situation or Context in which the Model can be used
This is a conflict resolution model that can be made use of in a business setup or
organizational setting where conflicts can arise at any given time over differences between
among colleagues, differences between and among employees and their supervisors, differences
among employees over religious, ethnic and cultural differences including eating habits, work

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styles and differences over an approach to a particular project or a business situation (Ford,
2007).
Cues or Signs that People using the Model can look for
Some of the cues or signs that people using the model can look for when making use of
this model for conflict situation are intense arguments that appear to be arising among two or
more colleagues in an organizational setting, acts of violence, however minor in nature that this
may be, and acts of isolation as engaged in by colleagues because of the fact that they cannot get
along with the people who they are working with, are working under or both (Ford, 2007).
Intrapersonal Cues to look for when using the Model
Intrapersonal conflict is something that is seen to occur when an individual experiences
conflict within himself or herself because of the fact that his or her goals or objectives appear to
be undergoing a change or transformation or are diverging in some or the other way (Albert,
2001). Some of the intrapersonal cues that may be looked for in workers or employees when
using this model for conflict resolution are –
 The dilemma that is experienced by an employee in taking up a promotion because he or
she may have been offered a similar promotion at another organization too or are simply
happy and content with performing their existing job roles instead of taking up a
promotion (Akanji, 2005).
 The conflict or dilemma that a person expresses when he or she is asked to express what
it is that is bothering this person at the workplace in a way that it is affecting the person’s
productivity levels but is unable to speak up about it or express it because of fear (Ibid).

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Interpersonal Cues to look for when using the Model
Some of the interpersonal cues that can be looked for when using this model of conflict
resolution are
 Signs of intensely competitive behavior among colleagues
 Differences in approaches to business projects by employees that leads eventually to
conflict taking place between or among them
 Violent acts among employees in the organization such as physical violence or verbal
abuse which serves as clear indication of the fact that there is conflict brewing between or
among them (Adobie & Arnie, 2005).
Important Aspects of the Model of Conflict Resolution
The model for conflict resolution that is being proposed is one that is characterized by
three important aspects
Task – The task of the model is to help managers and supervisors in an organization to get a
conflict situation or disputed matter to get resolved in a smooth and hassle free manner, with
minimal or no damage being incurred in the process (Adebisi, 2004).
Process – The process of conflict resolution would be to first detect or be aware of the fact that
conflict is taking place, to identify the sources or causes of the conflict, engage in the process of
mediation where the disputing parties are made to understand that what is happening is wrong,
attempts are made to resolve differences and invoke empathy, after which a resolution is arrived
at by adopting a solution or a status quo that appears beneficial and in keeping with the desires of
both or more of the parties involved in the dispute (Adebisi, 2004).
Relationships – Once the conflict has been resolved, attempts need to be made on the part of the
management to foster positive or constructive relationships among co-workers in order to avoid
the conflict situation from arising again. This can be done by placing disputing parties in

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different teams of operation, or under different supervisors who are better capable of handling
and managing them (Adobie & Arnie, 2005).
Conclusion
The first part of this assignment engaged in an in-depth review of literature on how
conflict is negotiated and managed at the workplace. A diverse range of perspectives was offered
as part of the literature review process on how conflict can be determined, identified, managed
and prevented in a business organization with special reference to the country of Nigeria. The
second part of the assignment proposed a negotiation model that can be put to use to handle and
manage conflict at the workplace. What can be concluded in the ultimate analysis is that conflict
negotiation and conflict management is a complex process which is comprised of many parts or
aspects and which must be implemented with care, only after taking several important factors
into consideration.

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Adomi, E., & Anie, S. (2005). Conflict Management in Nigerian University Libraries. Journal of
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