Article Review - Organizational Communications

The Impact of Conflict in Organizational Communication in School Units

Doina Todoruţ Timeea-Alexandra Savu (Simionescu)

“Valahia” University of Târgovişte, Romania [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract

The act of communication within the school organization can be interpreted through the following aspects: operational communication, institutional communication. Communication prints a powerful effect in unfolding relationships between teachers, non-teaching staff and manager. Information arrived in time and undeformed contributes to the achievement of an optimal working environment, which stimulates participation members of the school unit to reach the set aims. Also, are inevitable generated conflicts, in turn, by disturbing communication factors. The totally inappropriate reactions generate criticism addressed by both the transmitter and receiver. The intrapersonal conflict also occurs determined by feelings, of beliefs, by external influences but also the external influences but also the interpersonal conflict which it is developed between members of the organization, which have totally different concepts on the situation they were in. The stamp of this conflicting state counts on the efficiency of members’ activity, on their feelings and emotions bringing change in behaviour, and on how to resolve new issues. Organization reality can no longer be perceived, bring deformed by hostility, by spreading of roumors and incomplete information. Key words: communication, school units, conflict, disturbing communication factors, information J.E.L. classification: D83 1. Introduction

A pleasant atmosphere, efficiency in the school unit is the result, first of all, of an organizational communication that blurs the birth of the conflict. The communication under its different sides, brings safe solutions to solving and even resolving conflicts that appear in the school unit. Indeed the conflict is based on a faulty or non-existent communication. Starting from the definition of conflict, it appears as a process that occurs when a person, group or sector of an organization lacks another to achieve the objective pursued. Inside the school unit, attitudes and behaviors that support changes imposed by the manifestation of conflict are felt.

Examples of attitudes can be multiple: the mutual antipathy of the parties involved in the conflict, the doubtful character of the relations, the amplitude of the negative stereotypes about the adversaries. At the time of manifestation of the conflict the behaviors of the parties involved use nicknames, resort to unconventional rumors and discussions, to clashes, to undermine the adversary’s activity managing to damage his image within the school unit. Not infrequently, as a last step, we resort to physical aggression.

The implications are felt by manifesting dysfunctions at the school unit level. It is the occasion when the manager acts, in the sense of effectively monitoring the respective conflict (Seriţan et al, 2005, p.25). There are various causes of conflicts. In school units there is a tendency for all staff, wether didactic or non-didactic, to join a certain group. The lack of these small groups that are most often at odds, depends on the manager’s ability to ensure the cohesion of the members of the school unit. Thus, there is that pressure on the group to exists this cohesion. In turn, it stops the conduct of unconventional discussions, the spread of rumors and other behaviors that generate

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conflicting states. The opposing groups can be: manager-teaching staff, teaching-care staff; primary education teachers-teachers; women (predominant)-men (in minority) (Seriţan et al, 2005, p.25) Between these groups there are aspects that represent causes of the existence of the conflict: a) the partiality comes from the good opinion about his own person and the visible separation from the failures of the other members considered responsible for the failures of the school unit; b) overestimation of the respective group in comparison to others from where and obtaining results most often unsatisfactory; c) the complaints of the care staff regarding the maintenance of cleanliness in the classrooms, in the laboratories, on the halls, in the chancellery, complaints that accuse the teaching staff that they do not supervise the students, during the break, allowing them to make a mess; d) unlimited of behavioral deviations of students or teachers affecting the quality of relationships with parents, with the manager of the school unit; e) different level of power, professional training. It may be a conflictual state between the manager and the board of directors, between the commissioners and the other teachers, the members in the methodical commissions; e) unclear formulation of goals, performance criteria, deadlines for carrying out tasks specific to the activities of school units (Seriţan et al, 2005, pp.27-31).

The impact of the conflict can be viewed from both a positive and disadvantageous point of view. Both at the level of the group and of each individual member, who belongs to the school unit, manifests destructive emotions and feelings (suffering, fear, stress, aggression, anger, isolation), waste of time, energy, can destabilize cohesion among the members of the group, one gets to mental and organic illnesses (Stoica Constantin, 2018, p. 26). On the other hand, the conflict also has positive aspects: it can bring about change within the school unit, within the relationships between its members, it can influence personal development by encouraging self-critical reflection, stimulating interest and curiosity, determining awareness of problem content and being stimulated to find solutions.Thus the purpose of the present paper is to emphasize the importance of knowing the sources of the conflict and the most suitable ways to resolve the conflict.

2. Literature review

The term “conflict” comes from the latin verb confligo, to fight, with the participle substantiated by conflictus, with the meaning of collision, of quarrel, of fighting against someone else. Other specialized works define this term by the words dissension, dispute, war. The Romanian encyclopedic dictionary and the American Webster’s adopt term “misunderstanding, collision, interest, disagreement, antagonism, quarrel, discussion (violence). (Stoica Constantin, 2018, p. 20) Webster’s dictionary deepens the definition, using the meaning of “a disagreement or a collision, wich is related to interests, ideas, etc., which refers to the process rather than to the result.”, and also uses the word beating (physics), fighting (for example, fighting for survival), quarrel (verbally), competition (fight for primacy in a certain problem). Encarta encyclopedia describes the conflict by referring to four areas of reference: military conflict; conflict as the difference, ie disagreement between opinions, principles, persons; the psychological conflict determined by the opposition between aspirations, needs, concomitant tendencies, but inadequate; literary conflict between characters. (Stoica Constantin, 2018, p. 20) 3. Research methodology

The accomplishment of this work involved a bibliographic research consisting of books, articls, recent studies, taking into account certain references of interest that were noted and accesed. Thus, the basic elements can be used in situations that can refer to these elements. Also, scientific databases were accesed. Being aware that the research methodology links the theory with the empirical research (Crăciun, 2015, p.18), in this paper the theoretical research was used, starting from the concepts presend in the studies realized and devoted to deepen the understanding of the implications brought by the manifestation of the conflict in the process of organizational communication.

The criteria used to select the bibliography were: the theoretical model, because the theoretical basic consulted is a definite starting point for the analysis of the subject of this paper; the analysis of the subject of this paper; the empirical study, because the experience described in various

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specialized studies facilitates the understanding of this phenomenon so common in the school unit; the impact of conflict itself in the development of organizational communication. 4. Findings

If there are cases when the parties are overwhelmed in the resolution and settlement of the conflict, it appears the necessity of the intervention of another person, usually the manager of the school unit. Desirable is the resolution of the conflict by the participating parties, thus proving responsability, the ability to identify salvage solutions to meet the needs of those involved. There are also situations in which the intervention of another party is required, which can play a role in strengthening a futurerelationship between the participants of the conflict, emphasizing the cohesion in identifying and applying satisfactory decisions for the entire staff of the school unit.(Safta, 2016, p.135)

The disadvantages of solving without the input of the third party are easy to identify. For example, conflict resolution is closely linked to the kindness and degree of involvement that each party in the conflict demonstraates. In the absence of this type of behavior, the moment of extinction is far from being achieved. This is the case of a parent-teacher conflict, when the parent tries to impose himself, even if the level of personal training does not provide him with the necessary skills to analyze an educational act carried out by the teacher during the course.

Also, the verbal communication skills, if missing, to which are added other minuses related to persuasion, assertiveness, personal motivation in involving the achievement of the objectives of the school unit may place the party that does not have these aptitude characteristics in a lower position in the ongoing conflict. At any time, the moment destined for the settlement of the conflict can be dissturbed by one of the parties, if there is then a person not involved in the conflict. In order to have the expected outcome of the conflict resolution and settlement, the third party must demonstrate a certain level of authority, benefit from the request of both parties to the conflict, to demonstrate objectivity so as not to offer biased solutions, especially that these solutions lead to the delay of pronouncing the decision with maximum efficiency in the resolution of the conflict (Safta, 2016, p.136).

E.V. de Vliert states that „individuals are in conflict when they are obstructed or irritated by another individual or group and they inevitably react in a beneficial or costly way.” But is does not refer to the possibility of the existence of a party in conflict, who chooses to withdraw, to deny the presence of the conflict. This author calls „conglomerate conflict behavior” the complexity that reflects the source of the conflict, the behaviors resulting from it, and the last aspect that underlines this behavior is the result. Thus, it identifies the major components of the conflict: the source, the conglomerate conflict behavior and the outcome (Stoica Constantin, 2018, p. 22).

The disparity of authority causes the conflict to be resolved. Important for the evolution of the conflict is the quantity of the authority to which the involved persons appeal, compared to the qualitative particularities of the authority, which pass in a secondary plan. The ability to manipulate authority, more precisely the amount of authority, interveness. This state of affairs underscores the reality according to which the affective involvement delays its solutionand influencesthe unfolding of the organizational communication process (Safta, 2016, p.81).The participants who benefit from a reduced authority are open to cooperation, to adaptation to the new situation, contributing to a somewhat acceptable solution for the parties involved in the conflict. The conflict also amplifies the existing personality problems, leading to the destruction of the group, of the teaching staff. These aspects can be affected at the managerial level, leading to the manager’s overloading, increasing his responsability within the school unit, as a whole, and within the conflictual relations between its members (Safta, 2016, p.171).

5. Conclusions There are many differences between people. Thus, the sources of conflict are endless. The existence of contradictory discussions puts its mark on the individual behavior, influenced also by the personality traits (extraverted-introvert; adaptive-innovative), on the self-esteem, that is, the individual cannot conceive to reject his personal opinions; personal gestures, thinking that in this

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way denies its own value; thus, the individual tends to attribute his qualities, and to the others to brings a series of shortcomings, according to which the conflict has increased (Stoica Constantin, 2018, p. 29). As a result, the organizational communication process can also be regarded as a source of conflict, with an impact on verbal communication, in case the person does not speak out loud what is bothering him and thus he accumulates within him frustration that finds a favorable moment of manifestation, but also when this communication process is defective, not being an open, precise and clear communication (Stoica Constantin, 2018, p. 29). Conflict is a dynamic process and has an impact on the efficiency of the activity specific to the school unit. The manager must manage the conflict constructively, identifying its causes and implementing the most appropriate strategies to achieve the expected efficiency. It is necessary for the manager to be involved in mitigating the effects of the in the school unit, in preventing it, identifying precisely the particularities of each possible conflict state. This can also be possible through the manager’s effort to get to know the staff of the school unit very well, to accept the conflict as a real feature of everything that means school unit, with all the staff working within it. Managing a conflictual state, visualizing the impact on the activity of the school unit, is not a simple step, therefore the courses of continuous training of the managers, of the teaching staff, especially, are a necessity, which facilitates the process of knowledge and the application of a wide range effective strategies for managing conflicts and their effects on the entire school universe. These conflicts also influence the leadership styles, determine the reformulation of the objectives of the school unit, intensify the feelings of competition, decrease the interest to perform the task at all levels. The conflict-generating situation, the manner of solving them are challenges that the members of the school unit must face through continuous professional training. It is the occasion when organizational communication plays an important role, which can be such a triggering moment, or a solution to the conflict that is expanding (Utku et al, 2018, p. 267) Thus, in order to reduce the impact of conflict in the school unit, attention should be paid to those behaviors that block communication, such as “deaf dialogue”, unsolicited advice, confusion, voluntary cessation of obedience, persuasion, irony. A manager concerned with the quality of the communication act within the school unit attaches importance to personality factors, but also to the psyhic processes: timidity, strong emotions (Stoica Constantin, 2018, p. 80). The manager’s intention is the optimal and efficient functioning of the school unit, and among its members there is a favorable environment for the implementation of the objectives of the school unit. But we must not ignore the fact that the unity of a group is given to diversity, so it is necessary that the manager provides a framework for effective communication, cleary favoring the responsible management if conflicts. 6. References

• Crăciun, C., 2015. Metode şi tehnici de cercetare. Bucharest: University Publishing House. • Safta, D., 2016. Managementul conflictelor în organizaţie. Bucharest: TREI Publishing House. • Seriţan, R.G., et al., 2005. Management şcolar Ghid practic pentru directorii de şcoală şi liceu.

Bucharest: RAABE Romania. • Stoica Constantin, A., 2018. Conflictul interpersonal. Prevenire, rezolvare şi diminuarea efectelor, 2nd

edition. Iaşi: POLIROM Publishing House. • Utku, I., Sunay, H., Cengiz, R., 2018. The Relationship between School Administrtors’ In House

Communication and Conflict Management Strategies According to Physical Education Teachers’ Perceptions. Asian Journal of Education and Training, Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 266-271.

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