Conflict Change and Stability: A Reciprocal Interaction in Schools

Intra-organizational conflict-is conceptualized as a function of school size, the degree of work specialization, and the centralization of decision-making authority. Conflict is divided into two types, intraand inter-hierarchical, according to its location within the formal organizational structure. A simultaneous-equations model is postulated which relates the exogenous variables to the two forms of organizational conflict. The model is estimated separately for elementary and secondary schools. Data used in the analysis come from 38 elementary and 15 secondary schools in 5 large school districts. The model fits the secondary school data satisfactorily, although it does not seem to be wholly realistic when applied at the elementary level. Some suggestions for future research and model modification are offered. Conflict may stem from many differing sources, and may be found in various locations within organizations. Much internal dissension, however, is the result of conditions built into the formal structure of the organization. Recent empirical studies of Beck and Betz (1974), Corwin (1969; 1970), Darkenwald (1971), Smith (1966) and Walton et al. (1969), as well as the more theoretically oriented works of Litwak (1961), Pondy (1967; 1969), Schmidt and Kochan (1972), and J. Thompson (1960), have focused attention on some of these structural conditions producing conflict in organizations. The purpose of this analysis is to explore the implications of a nonrecursive simultaneous-equations model of conflict in elementary and secondary schools. Many different factors have been found to be related to organizational conflict, but they seem to revolve around the generalized concept of organizational structure. Corwin's (1969) study of staff conflicts in secondary schools concentrated on assessing the influence of structural differentiation, decision-making participation, work standardization, heterogeneity of personnel, and the informal interaction network on creating intra-organizational conflict. Using a smaller set of explanatory conditions, Beck and Betz (1974) conceptualized conflict within schools as being primarily a function of school size, the specialization of teaching, and the degree of centralization of decision-making authority. Investigating colleges, Darkenwald (1971) found that chairman-administrator conflicts appeared to be a curvilinear function of organizational differentiation. Looking toward interdepartmental conflict in a service industry, Walton et al. (1969) found that conflict appeared to be influenced by such factors as the amount of ambiguity in departmental responsibilities and inequities in the ratio of work load to rewards. In this study we will use some of the factors mentioned here to account for variation in conflicts in elementary and secondary schools. Although elementary and secondary schools are similar types of organizations in that they are formally created, are structured along rather basic principles, and are staffed by highly trained personnel, they differ considerably in several important details. Schools at the elementary level tend to be smaller, less formalized, and more highly centralized structures than do the secondaries. Further, secondary schools tend to be centrally located * The comments of Ronald G. Corwin, Ronald M. Pavalko, Fred E. Katz, Gene F. Summers, Norman P. Hummon, David L. Featherman, and Michael Betz are acknowledged. The author is solely responsible for all errors made either by ommission or commission. This analysis is an extension of preliminary investigations reported in Beck (1970) and Beck and Betz (1974). D. M. Betz must receive special acknowledgement for permitting the use of his. data for this elaboration.