CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the study

Conflict is an inevitable element of any labor – management relationship. In work situation people are bound to have different interests and aspirations which may tend to conflict with each other. Also in every organization where people from different background have to interact in the collective efforts towards achieving a common goal, conflict is bound to occur. This is because in addition to the common workplace his own personal ambition which he earnestly desires to achieve alongside the organizational goal. This individual goal or interest may not necessarily be compatible with that of other members. Thus, there is clash of interest. For example, management is often committed to pursuing a goal of profit maximization through rationalization of economic decision and other cost maximization policies. The workers, through their union want higher wages are lucrative welfare package which tend to result in higher costs of doing business to the management. Union wants effective participation in most factory shop decision even at expense of encroaching on areas that fall exclusively within the confinement of management prerogatives. Management cannot, but resist these unwholesome moves. In the process conflict will ensure, therefore, it is obvious that conflict is inherent in every organization irrespective of size, mission or age. Conflict is a regular feature of organizations which results from divergences in interests of individual workers and management. Because individuals differ in their values, attitudes and goals, conflict amongst them become unavoidable. Conflict occurs at both individual and collective levels, personality and other structural factors coming into play. Obisi(2005:47)observe that, there is intra-management conflict just as conflict situations do occur between and among groups of workers and their organizations as well as between individuals. market place, with its increasing competition on globalization, magnifies different among people in terms of personality, values, attitudes, perceptions, languages, culture, and national background, with the increasing diversity of the workforce. Furthermore, comes potential incompatibility and conflict. Estimates show that managers spend about 21 percent of their time dealing with conflict. That is the equivalent of one day every week, and conflict management skills are a major predictor of managerial success. The accompanying organizational reality feature describes how “emotional intelligence” relates to the ability to manage conflict.

Not all conflict is bad. In fact some types of conflict encourage new solutions to problems and enhance the creativity in the organization. In these cases, managers will want to encourage the conflict. Therefore, managers should stimulate functional conflict and prevent or resolve dysfunctional conflict. This is the key to conflict management. However, the difficulty lies in trying to text the difference between dysfunctional and functional conflict. The consequences of conflict can be positive or negative. (Nelson and Debra, 1956).

Nelson and Debra (1956 ) identify different form of conflict in the organization including inter organizational, inter group, interpersonal and intra personal conflict. It is important to note that the prefix inter means “between” whereas the prefix intra means “within” managers have at their disposal a variety of conflict management styles. Avoiding, accommodating, competing, compromising, and collaborating. Increasing uncertainty and complexity in the operating environment of organizations provide fertile ground for the onset of conflict in the workplace. Workplaces are breeding grounds for conflict, including those arising out of harassment, discrimination and personality clashes (between employees, employees and their managers, particularly recently assigned managers). Conflict among workers in an organization is inevitable. If it is managed properly, it will bring catalyst for change and can have a positive impact on employee satisfaction and performance of the organization. Conversely, unmanaged conflict negatively impacts both employee satisfaction and job performance. When organizational leaders ignore workplace conflict, they send a message that unsatisfactory job performance and inappropriate behavior are acceptable (Abdul and Sehar, 2015).

Conflict is a part of organizational life and may occur between individuals, between the individual and the group, and between groups (Weihrich, 1992). While conflict is generally perceived as dysfunctional, it can also be beneficial because it may cause an issue to be presented in different perspectives. Conflict has both positive and negative effects (Rusell and Jerome cited in Hotepo, Asokere, Abdul-Azeez1 and Ajemunigbohun, 2010). It can be positive when it encourages creativity, new looks at old conditions, the clarification of points of view, and the development of human capabilities to handle interpersonal differences. Conflict can be negative when it creates resistance to change, establishes turmoil in organization or interpersonal relations fosters distrust, builds a feeling of defeat, or widens the chasm of misunderstanding.

Conflict is described as the presence of discord that occurs when goals, interests or values of different individuals or groups are incompatible and frustrate each other’s attempt to achieve objectives in an organization (Kazimoto, 2013). It is a communication process and an inevitable consequence of transactional relationship manifesting in disagreement and dissonance with and between individuals and groups in the work-environment. In this context, workplace conflict is a fact of life in any organization as long as people will compete for jobs, power, recognition and security (Adomie and Anie, 2005). Therefore, the task of management is not to suppress or resolve all conflicts, but to manage them in order to enhance and not to detract from organizational performance.

A constructively managed conflict induces a positive performance, while destructively managed conflict heats up the work environment to bring about dislocation and polarization of the entire group with reduction in productivity and job performance (Akanji, 2005). This is suggestive that a well-managed conflict aims at the improvement of organizations for the purpose of stimulating performance in the work-situation. Through good conflict management strategies, weaknesses in the organizational decision-making are exposed which may prompt the establishment to effect changes and search for positive solutions. Hence, management are duty bound to resolve conflict properly for the sake of increasing organizational performance, because the outcome of such action will result in good communication, time management, good cooperation and increase corporate productivity (Obasan, 2011).

Two types of conflict at work have been distinguished. These are organized and unorganized conflicts. Otobo (2005:125) expresses that organized conflict forms part of a conscious strategy to change the situation which is identified as source of discontent. This type of conflict is thus a group activity, involving deliberate decisions taken at a mass meeting or by selected representatives or affected staff. In unorganized conflict, the worker responds to the situation in the only way open to him as an individual, that is by withdrawing from the source of discontent, or in reactions engaging in sabotage and rudeness Agwu (2006:12) argues that such reaction rarely derives from any real calculative strategy. Indeed, unorganized expression of conflict are often not regarded as conflict by the persons in the situation. This is why most people may not ordinarily associate acts of rudeness with being in a state of conflict. Quite often, such rude behavior may be attributed to “bad mood” and similar psychological state of mind. Conflicts in organizations whether organized or unorganized individual or group need to be managed effectively because of their effects on the organization.

Conflict situations affect the overall effectiveness of cooperate organizations in the sense that they cause disharmony among organizational participants impacting negatively on organizational performance. This is because useful time and resources are wasted during conflicts in organizations. Nevertheless, we have to bear in mind that an organization is immune to conflict within itself since every organization is made up of different individuals with diverse interest, goals, ideas and temperaments and it is very difficult to harmonize these divergences. As a corollary, interests and goals usually conflict between the individuals and the management team as well as within the management team members or between management and owners.

Conflict management is an important aspect of corporate management. Ugbaja (2002:111) notes that the aim of conflict management is not to create an ideal corporate situation sine that is not attainable given the divergences in individual’s goals etc. however, conflict management systematically uses the available conflict resolution strategies to build an effective mechanism for conflict management in corporate organizations. Although there maybe existing mechanisms and procedures already in place to deal with conflicts whenever they occur, some organizations with reactive managers rise to the situation when it occurs. Dunlop (2002:321) expresses that the virtues of organizational harmony underscores effective conflict management which is indisputable to effective organization performance. For this reason, every corporate organization strives to ensure good work environment in which relationships among workers on the one hand and workers and management on the other are cordial and appreciated by all the organization participants. . Nevertheless, we have to bear in mind that an organization is immune to conflict within itself since every organization is made up of different individuals with diverse interest, goals, ideas and temperaments and it is very difficult to harmonize these divergences. As a corollary, interests and goals usually conflict between the individuals and the management team as well as within the management team members or between management and owners.

1.2. Statement of the research problem

The success of an organization largely depends on its level of conflict management. This is because there is a positive reaction on organizational performance when conflicts are properly managed. The success of an organization largely depends on its level of conflict management. This is because there is a positive reaction on organizational performance when conflicts are properly managed. Conflict also affects performance negatively since valuable time and resources (human, material and financial) are used in controlling and managing conflicts rather than in enhancing output and productivity. In spite of the extensive work by different authors on conflict many organizations still face difficulties in handling conflicts within their organization. Knowing fully well that conflicts are inevitable in an organization since it deals with humans who have diversities in attitudes, culture, interest amongst others. Owners of an organization (principals) and those that manage the organization (agents) have different interests. Hence owners will face the problem that managers are likely to act according to their own interests rather than the owner’s interests (Fama and Jensen, 1983). In this regard, boards are required to monitor managers on behalf of the owners. In performing this role, members are expected to be independent and monitor the actions of managers as agents of the owners to ensure that they are acting in accordance with the owner’s interest (Jensen and Meckling, 1976). According to Rahim (2002) conflict management involves designing effective strategies to minimize the dysfunctions of conflict and enhance the constructive functions in order to optimize learning and effectiveness of an organization. This implies that managing conflict does not necessarily connote avoidance or termination but decrease of the odds of non-productive escalation. As such, conflict management is the method by which organizations and people handle grievances or disputes so as to find a middle way alternative to increase resolution, work toward consensus and offer genuine commitment to decision making. As observed by (Uchendu, Anijaobi and Odigwe 2013), since conflict is inevitable in organizations, its management determines whether it will generate positive or negative effect on the workers output. In the same vein, collective bargaining strategy has been suggested as the approach for managing conflict in organizations. Conflict management goes a long way in strengthening the bond among employees. Stress disappears, people feel motivated, happy and the organization definitely becomes a better place to stay as a result of conflict management. It is paramount to revisit those strategies that organizations should put in place to enhance effective conflict management thus leading to an increase in organizational performance.

1.3. Research objectives

1.3.1. Main objective

The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of conflict management on the output of workers in hospitality industries in Bamenda

1.3.1. Specific objectives

-To find out how Conflict Avoidance affects the output of workers in hospitality industries in Bamenda

-To examine how Conflict Accommodation affects the output of workers in hospitality industries in Bamenda

-To assess how Conflict Collaboration affects the output of workers in hospitality industries in Bamenda

1.4. Research questions

1.4.1. Main research question

What effects does Conflict Management have on the output of workers in hospitality industries in Bamenda?

1.4.2. Specific research questions

-What effects does Conflict Avoidance have on the output of workers in hospitality industries in Bamenda?

– What effects does Conflict Accommodation have on the output of workers in hospitality industries in Bamenda?

– What effects does Conflict Collaboration have on the output of workers in hospitality industries in Bamenda?