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IJMRR/ May 2013/ Volume 3/Issue 5/Article No-3/2855-2862 ISSN: 2249-7196

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

AND REVIEW

ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ON EMPLOYEE

JOB SATISFACTION: A CONCEPTUAL RELATIONSHIP

Shehu Aliyu Mukhtar* 1

1 Department of Management Sciences, Kano State College of Arts and Sciences, Kano-

Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

The paper provides a general look at conflict and conflict management strategies in

workplace. As part of its objective, it discovered the common sources and types of conflict,

basic component to conflict, importance as well as problems associated with conflict in an

organizational setting.The paper delves on some aspect of employee job satisfaction. It

proposes anfuture empirical investigation between organizational conflict management

strategies and employee job performance.

Keywords: Conflict management, strategy, organization, workplace.

1. INTRODUCTION

Conflict is as old as man, because it coexists with human existence and interaction between

different social forces (human beings, religion, culture, marriage) that make up the human

society. The social composition of the society reveals the existence of various social elements

which share so many things in common in terms of culture, biological nature; identity and so

on (Veshki, Jazayeri, Shariff, Esfani, Aminjafari&Hosnije, 2012). However, human beings

differs in so many respect as a result of individual differences which manifested in form of

emotional feelings, perception, physical structures, psychology etc. Despite, these differences

the social nature of man necessitates the interaction of man with another fellow human

being(s). However, the more they interact the more there is bound to be a conflict, as a result

of their differences in either personal, family and societal levels, making conflict endemic

and ubiquitous and as well pervasive in every human society past or present, traditional or

modern, simple or complex, and at all levels of the society. Hence conflict is inevitable as all

human societies, communities, organizations and interpersonal relationships experience

conflict at one time or the other in the process of their regular interactions (Bagobiri and

Kassah, 2009). Conflict affects the entire organisation, its segments, sub-segment and

components the same way it affects the society in general.Therefore, conflict is inevitable

between organization and organizational members within the environment, which simply

means that conflict is a common phenomenon between workers and the management and

between individual workers within the organization.

Conflict management may be perceived as a wider concept involving conflict resolution and

transformation when necessitated and it is more of a long term arrangement involving

institutionalized provision and regulative procedures for dealing with conflict. Whenever they

IJMRR/ May 2013/ Volume 3/Issue 5/Article No-3/2855-2862 ISSN: 2249-7196

occur, people must learn to manage conflict productively, otherwise the risk to society and it

development are overwhelming, individual and organization use various approaches to

manage / resolve conflict.

1.1 Problem Statement

Conflict is inevitable in human society, it arises with human existence. One cannot eliminate

conflict but it can be properly managed. Differences in goal attainment, shared resources,

interdependence in work activities, poor communication, and perception are identified as

major problems leading to organization conflict (Aliyu, 1999). Poorly handled conflict may

generate more conflict at an individual or organizational level (Woodrow, 1999).

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

The concept has been variously defined by different scholar and other stake holders.Robbin

(1974) defined Conflict as any kind of opposition or antagonistic between two or more

parties.Conflict is a fight and contest among people with opposite needs, ideas, beliefs,

values, or goals (The Foundation Coalition, 2003). Zorn (2009) viewed conflict as a state of

affairs in which people express differences in satisfying their needs and interests, and they

experience interference in achieving them. Omolalabi (2001) viewed conflict as a state of

serious disagreement and argument about something perceived to be important by at least one

of the parties involved.Sasso, (1990) defines conflict as a process in which an individual

firmly makes a conversed effort to offset the efforts of another individual by some form of

obstruction that causes hindrance to the latter in accomplishment of his goals or furtherance

of his interests.It is defined as a mere disagreement between two or more organizational

members or groups arising from the fact that they must engage in inter-dependent work

activities and from the fact that they have different status, goals, values and perceptions. Gray

and Sarke (1989) in Bagobiri and Kassah (2009), defined conflict as a behaviour by a person

or group that is purposely designed to inhibit the attainment of goals by another person or

group. Based on this definition, conflict can be seen as a state of opposition, disagreement or

incompatibility between two or more people, group or organization which is sometimes

characterized by physical violence.Wilson and Hanna (1990) describe conflict as a struggle

involving opposing ideas, values, and or limited resources, this shows that conflict exist

between employees and management, where each partly want to achieve the objectives /

goals through scarce resources available in the organization. In a nutshell, conflict is viewed

as an action which presents, obstruct, interferes with, injures or renders ineffective another

action with which it is incompatible.Conflict management involves implementing strategies

to limit the negative aspects of conflict and increase the positive aspects of it at a level equal

to or higher than where the conflict is taking place. The aim of conflict management is to

enhance learning and group outcome (Rahim, 1992). It is not concern with eliminating all

conflict or avoiding it. Conflict can increase group outcome when managed properly. Overall

conflict management should aim to minimize conflict at all levels, attain and maintain a

moderate amount of substantive conflict, and use the appropriate conflict management

strategy to effectively brings about solutions, and also to match the status and concerns of the

parties in conflict. On the other hand, organisation is seen as a system, having an established

structure and conscious planning, in which people work and deal with one another in a

IJMRR/ May 2013/ Volume 3/Issue 5/Article No-3/2855-2862 ISSN: 2249-7196

coordinated and cooperative manner for the accomplishment of recognized goals. In as much

as people will work together in order to achieve stated objective there is bound to be a

conflict.

2.1 Types of Workplace conflict

Workplace conflict is a specific type ofconflict that happens in workplaces. According to

Luthan (1998), conflict can occur at the individual, interpersonal, group or organizational

levels. Kirkwood (2002), viewed the various types of conflict that exist in organizations to

includes data conflicts, structural conflicts, relationship conflicts, and interest conflicts which

can lead to disputes, grievances, lawsuits, complaints, strikes, and disciplinary actions.Rahim

(1992), identified the following workplace conflict types as:

a- Inter-personal Conflict: This is a conflict between two or more individuals due to

personality differences. It arises due to differences in experience and the Knowledge of

carrying out certain task. For instance, conflict may arise between production engineer and

foreman. The engineer who feels he has the knowledge of production, thus processes should

be followed systematically on the other hand, foreman feels that he has the experience and

therefore, some processes should be rejected to minimize cost.

b- Between Individual and group: This type of conflict arises because of the way individuals’

deals with the pressures for conformity imposed on them by their work group; it is the

inconsistencies that arise between individual’s decision and that of the group.

c- Between groups in the same organisation: This is a conflict between Organisations

functional units because of the inter-relationship that existed between them. For instance,

sales department may be in conflict with production department either because quality is too

low or prices are too high to meet with competition.

d- Between organisations in the same Environment: This deals with external to organisations.

It is the existence of conflict between the various organisations within the environment.

2.2 Sources of Conflict in the Work Place

Aliyu (1999), identified five major sources of conflict within the organisational setting as:

• Shared Resources: This potential of conflict exists because vital resources in

organisations are limited, and at the same time such resources need to be allocated. Some

groups will inevitably get less than what they need, therefore conflict arise because

organisational groups compete for the greatest possible share of the limited available

resources.

• Differences in goals: Various functional units within the organisation with dissimilar

goals, know-how and responsibility tend to be in conflict with one another. For instance,

sales department may wish to lower price to attract customer while production department

may wish to increase price to meet with current production costs.

• Interdependence of work activities: the potential for conflict to exist in situations where

two or more sub-units depends upon each other to complete their tasks if the works are

evenly distributed but the rewards are dissimilar

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• Differences in Values, perception and attitudes: Individual differences in values attached

to things and issues, the way and manner through which people perceived things and issues as

well as individual behaviour also result to conflict. Where there are differences in goals

among organisational units, such differences usually result to different attitude, values and

perception and these often lead to conflict.

• Poor Communication: This implies a situation of either preventing others from

understanding an issue or failure to fully and clearly define the duties and responsibility of

individuals and sub-units. Barriers in communication lead to failure to understand and clarify

issues, hence serving as a major source of conflict.

Bell (2002) advocates on the following reasons as the major source for conflict in the

workplace: conflicting needs, conflicting styles, conflicting perceptions, conflicting goals,

conflicting pressures, and conflicting roles.Echezona (2007) identied the following as the

major cause of Conflict which includes among others as; political factors, external factors,

economic factors, government policy, inadequate flow of information sharing, development

patterns/inequalities, ethnic/ religious factors respectively.

2.3 Component of Conflict

Kaneth (1984), suggested four components in the conflict Process as follows:

a- Parties Involved: Conflict must involve at least two parties i.e. individuals, groups and

organisation.

b- Field of the conflict: The field of conflict is defined by Kaneth as ‘The whole set of

relevant possible state of the social system’. This means any of the parties view would

interfere, intervene or cause friction to itself, work process or the goal of the organisation.

c- Dynamic of the conflict situation: This means that each party adjusts its position, it feels

is congruent to its opponent. It is the level or state of intensity with which the conflict is

pursued or existed over time. One thing to note on the dynamics of conflict is that it

fluctuates over time.

d- Management control/ Resolution of conflict: Whether the field of conflict is justified or

not, the destructive or constructive, the dynamics of conflict cannot be left unable. As conflict

cannot be solved or eliminated once and for all because of its dynamic nature. What is of

importance in conflict resolution is to prevent it from becoming pathological.

2.4 Conflict Management and Control

Conflict management is a process whereby managers in organizations decide on the proper

methods to take in order to manage conflict situations. Whether strategies usedwill entail

overpowering conflict or stimulating it, is usually a matter managers have to decide on by

themselves.Aliyu(1999), identified the following elements as ideal for minimizing and

controlling conflict in organisations work structures and procedures which includes:

• Ensuring that data for problem solving are generated in common: This method involves

the setting up of meetings or task forces with members cutting across various departments

and organisations structure. It also involves hearing from all parties to conflict.

IJMRR/ May 2013/ Volume 3/Issue 5/Article No-3/2855-2862 ISSN: 2249-7196

• Rotating people among the different work group and department in the organisation: This

involves job enrichment most especially job rotation. This can be improve through enhancing

the manpower training of the employees.

• Recognising the interdependence of individuals and groups and establish means of

bringing them into closer contact: This entails coordination and integration aspect of

management functions. Canteens, sporting facilities, parties and other social and recreational

activities promote interaction among staff.

• Locating a common enemy: Conflicting parties may be made to realise that, the conflict

may emanates from a third party and the third party could be inside or outside the

organisation.

• Developing a common set of goals and objectives: These goals and objectives are the

justifiable reasons for organisations existence; therefore, effort should be geared toward

accomplishing them.

• Producing Organisational manuals and handbook: Thorough reading and understanding

of them could improve performance in that they guide workers in performing jobs, spell out

channels of communication, rights and obligations, rewards and penalties.

• Minimising status barriers and Rigidity: Here flexibility should be adapted and review of

rules, procedures, manual instructions and decision should be in harmony with changing

organisational environment.

In (2008), Joshi identified the following as the management strategies in conflict when he

conducted an interview with 74 children between the ages of (8.5-11.5) in an exploratory

study of interpersonal conflict between Children. The management strategies are: submission,

compromise, conventional, standoff, third party intervention, aggression, assertion,

discussion, appeal to a rule, withdrawal. Non-action, adult intervention, and time elapse.

George, et.al (2013), identified the following approaches to conflict management:

• Smoothing mode: In this approach conflict is completely denied. The parties to the

conflict ignore the conflict by putting it under the carpet and pretend that it does not matter or

exist.

• Avoidance / Unilateral Moves: In this case conflict can be resolved when one party

withdraws. This is mostly useful to inter-personal conflicts. It should be clearly understood

that when a party withdraws the other party will no longer be in conflict.

• Edicting/ Placation of Parties Involved: In this approach the conflicting parties are usually

called by higher level administrators and persuaded them so as to reach a consensus.

• Confrontation Mode: At this stage the resolution absolute power is used by the third party

within or outside the organisation. It is however worthy to know that all avenues are

exhausted, proper hiring taken and objective judgement made before resorting to this

approach.

2.5 Importance of Conflict

IJMRR/ May 2013/ Volume 3/Issue 5/Article No-3/2855-2862 ISSN: 2249-7196

Atiomo (2000) cited in Abubakar (2009), identifies the following benefits associated with

conflict in organisational settings as:

• Conflict helps to raise and address Problems: It is through conflict that both manager and

subordinate will be able to identify problems and it is through this, that the problem identified

will be address with a view of providing lasting solution to the problem.

• Energizes workers: Conflict in an organisation lead to energize workers/ employees to

perform certain job/ task, so that organisation can achieve its primary goal, e.g. market share,

profitability, higher sales volume and goodwill.

• Help people learn how to Recognise and benefits from their differences: Human being

differs in many different ways e.g. perception, believe, values and norms, etc. It is through

conflict that most of these differences are identified and people tend to benefit from them.

• Helps Organisation to move forward: It is with conflict that individual differences are

identified which will in the long run pave way for members of such organisation to map out

strategies of overcoming with the major cause of conflict, hence allows for team work and

consequently result in moving the organisation forward. The paper discovered a number of

problems associated with conflict, despite numerous benefits derived from it existence.

2.6 Problems associated with workplace conflict Management

Carter (2008), identified the following problems:

� Hamper Productivity: Conflict affect organisational productivity because of the simple

fact that little or no attention will be given to the job, thereby concentrating on major issues

that causes the conflict, hence lower productivity is to be achieve.

� Conflict lead to Poor Morale: When conflict exists in an organisation, there are likely

tendencies of having behaviour disorder in that organisation, i.e. issues like disrespect of

supervisors, poor attitude to work, late coming etc.

� Conflict causes more and continued conflict: The existence of conflict in organisational

setting, if not adequately managed and or minimised will serve as an avenue for continued

conflict. Managers are strongly advised to objectively assess conflict situation with a view of

providing lasting solution.

� Conflict lead to Friction of organisational Members: As the name implies, conflict divide

the members of organisation in to a number of groups, each with distinct ideology and goal to

achieve. Hence, the principle of teamwork which is an integral part of management objective

will not be realised.

� Conflict leads to deviation in Goal Attainment: The existence of conflict in organisational

setting, if not adequately managed will lead to failure of achieving the primary goals and

objectives of affected organisations.

2.7 Concept of Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction is the feeling of an employee towards his work. Aliyu(1995) describes morale

fromindividuals' point of view as the degree to which individual needs are satisfied and the

degree to which the individual desires satisfaction from his total job situation Work

satisfaction is an important workplace construct and one that is of concern for effective

IJMRR/ May 2013/ Volume 3/Issue 5/Article No-3/2855-2862 ISSN: 2249-7196

management. Satisfaction is a pleasing or positive demonstrative state resulting from the

appraisal of one’s job (Carter, 2008).Satisfaction with supervision is one of the most

important attitudinal issues in the workplace that managers face. Itis a collection of feelings

or affective responses of the organizational members which are associated with the job

situation within the organization. Individual subordinate with higher levels of satisfaction

with regulation demonstrates lessened propensity to look for other job and decrease

propensity to leave (Judge, Thoresen, Bono & Patton,2001). It is important for managers to

improve ways of satisfying employees.Dana (2001) defined workplace conflict as a

circumstance amongworkers whose jobs are interdependent, who feel annoyed, who perceive

others as being a fault and who act in ways that cause a business problem.

3. PROPOSED RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

Base on the above discussion and literature review, this paper proposes a conceptual

framework illustrated as

The literature reviews indicate a direct relationship between Organizational Conflict

Management Strategies and Employee Job Satisfaction. Hence, the framework suggests that,

the ability of Organization conflict management depends to a large extend on Employee job

satisfaction. The framework could be empirically examined in the future study.

4. CONCLUSION

Conflict represents a mere disagreement between individuals within an organisation. It is as

old as man, meaning there was conflict right from day one. No organisation regardless of its

sound policies, plans, goals articulation is free from conflict. Hence, as an endemic and

inevitable phenomenon, it must be addressed to ensure smooth conduct and continuity of the

organisation and achievement of its designated objective (s). Otherwise, continued conflict

brings organisation to its knee and its eventual collapse as a system.

REFERENCES

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