Workplace conflict : the line manager's role in preventing and resolving workplace conflict
Naidoo, Kameshni (2012-12)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The costs of conflict within organizations is higher than is often realized due, amongst others, to lowering morale and lower productivity of employees. One of the most common reasons provided during exit interviews when employees resign from organizations, is the manner in which conflicts were addressed by management. A high turnover of employees has a significant cost to organizations as companies have to spend more money to recruit new employees than they would have needed to had the conflicts that had arisen were effectively resolved. Often as a result of poor conflict resolution within organizations, companies are faced with high litigation costs when employees seek resolution from labour courts and other dispute resolution bodies.
The main objective of this study was to identify the role line managers play in resolving and preventing conflicts and to establish strategies that line managers can implement when faced with conflict in their teams.
The research methodology for this study first involved a study of relevant literature to determine the theory regarding conflict resolution within organizations. Research reports, dissertations, internet websites, articles and books were used in an attempt to formulate a theoretical basis for this study.
Thereafter an empirical survey was conducted among employees of an organization that had already undergone a restructuring process as well as an organization that is currently undergoing a restructuring in order to determine the employees’ views on how conflict within their organizations has been or is being resolved. Questionnaires were formulated by the writer and submitted to responders. The reason the writer had used organizational restructuring as a point of departure for the empirical study, is that organizational restructuring is an example of a project within companies whereby many conflicts arise and line managers need to be proficient in being able to handle these conflicts as well as be able to prevent conflicts from arising.
Finally, an analysis of the empirical study was performed so that adequate and relevant conclusions and recommendations could be established.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die koste van konflik binne organisasies is hoër as wat dikwels besef as gevolg van, onder andere, tot die verlaging van moraal en laer produktiwiteit van werknemers. Een van die mees algemene redes wat gedurende afrit onderhoude wanneer werknemers van organisasies bedank, is die wyse waarop konflikte deur die bestuur aangespreek is. 'N hoë omset van die werknemers het 'n beduidende koste vir organisasies as maatskappye het meer geld te spandeer om nuwe werknemers te werf as wat hulle sou nodig het om die konflikte wat ontstaan het is effektief opgelos. Dikwels as gevolg van swak konflikoplossing binne organisasies, maatskappye uitgedaag word met 'n hoë litigasie koste wanneer werknemers soek resolusie van arbeid howe en ander geskilbeslegting liggame.
Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was om te identifiseer die rol lynbestuurders speel in die oplossing en voorkoming van konflikte en strategieë wat lynbestuurders kan implementeer wanneer hulle gekonfronteer word met die konflik in hul spanne te vestig.
Die navorsingsmetodologie vir hierdie studie het die eerste keer betrokke by 'n studie van die relevante literatuur om die teorie te bepaal ten opsigte van konflikhantering binne organisasies. Navorsingsverslae, proefskrifte, internet webtuistes, artikels en boeke is gebruik in 'n poging om 'n teoretiese grondslag vir hierdie studie te formuleer.
Daarna was 'n empiriese opname uitgevoer onder die werknemers van 'n organisasie wat reeds 'n proses van herstrukturering ondergaan sowel as 'n organisasie wat tans herstrukturering ondergaan om die werknemers se menings te bepaal oor hoe konflik binne hul organisasies opgelos was en/of huidiglik opgelos word. Vraelyste is deur die skrywer geformuleer en aan individue uitgehandig. Die rede waarom die skrywer gebruik het organisatoriese herstrukturering as 'n punt van vertrek vir die empiriese studie, is dat organisatoriese herstrukturering is 'n voorbeeld van 'n projek binne maatskappye waarby baie konflikte ontstaan en lynbestuurders moet vaardig wees in staat is om hierdie konflikte te hanteer, asook in staat wees om die ontstaan van konflikte te voorkom.
Ten slotte is 'n ontleding van die empiriese studie uitgevoer sodat voldoende en relevante gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings vasgestel kon word.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/95588