THE STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT FOR EMPLOYEE’S PRODUCTIVITY (A CASE STUDY OF IKOT EKPENE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL)
ABSTRACT
This study was undertaken to examine the strategies for reducing organizational conflict for employee’s productivity using Ikot Ekpene, Local Government Council as a case study. To accomplish the research objectives, the study adopted the survey design while convenience sampling technique was used to select fifty (50) respondents as sample size for the study. Instrument for the study is a self-developed questionnaire and the forms were personally administered. Hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and data was analyzed using the simple frequency table and chi-square (c2) statistical tool. This study revealed that the causes of conflict in organizations is economic factors, management goals and mis-interpretation of provision of collective agreement. It also revealed that the effects of conflicts in organizations are sabotage, strikes/lock-out and loss of man-hour. The study also revealed the effective’s strategies for reducing organizational conflict for employee’s productivity are to be grievance negotiation, collective bargaining and joint consultation committee. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made; that management and employees should balance their views and interest in order to reduce conflict in organization, seasoned human resources managers should be employed to handled issue of employee-employer relations and also that employees should not rush into declaring trade disputes without exhausting all channels of negotiation.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the Study
Conflict involves disagreement among parties in an organization. Conflict can occur between individuals or among groups. Virtually all organizations operate in an environment that is characterized by constant change and a need for constant adaptation. Trying to eliminate conflict requires tremendous amount of energy, and even if it can be done, it will usually also suppress any positive outcomes that may come from disagreement, such as improved decision making and innovation.
Human beings have in conflict since the very beginning of history. Conflict is defined as an irreconcilable context between two or more parties. Human history is really that of conflict. War can be traced to the advert of civilization. The “Neolithic Revolution” brought the domestication of plants and animals resulting in food surpluses. Early conflict was a context to control the most and best resources. Conflict through the ages has shaped us into what and who we are today. The industrial revolution of the 18th century which modern industries evolved is experiencing tremendous changes geared towards the production of goods and services for the benefit and satisfaction of the various needs of mankind. A modern firm applies sophisticated and complex methods of technology to produce these goods and services to better the life of mankind. As organizations pursue the consistent improvement in the quantity and quality of goods and services delivery to mankind in the process, this unintentionally opens up windows of opportunity for conflict to develop due to human nature in the industrial sectors. Thus, conflict need not necessarily be viewed negatively but rather positively as a potential force in contributing to the performance of the workers in an organization for improved productively.
