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IMPACT OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT ON WORKERS’ PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECTOR

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to access conflict management in public organization, using Iba Local Council Development Area as a case. The major objective of the study is to find out the causes of conflict in public sector, its effect and to recommend effective managerial approach to conflict. In the last twenty years there has been a surge of interest in the study of how conflicts are managed. Countless new efforts have been made to consider how disputants and interveners can find satisfying, less costly, and more expeditious ways of settling their differences. Practitioners, scholars, and educators have been implementing more informal conflict resolution systems. This essay reviews some of these developments and available resources for those managing conflicts in the public sector. Having received the findings of this study and based on the outcome of the tests of hypothesis which revealed that conflict affects workers performance negatively, efficient and effective conflict management significantly enhance correlation among workers in public sector and that resolving conflict significantly benefit an organization, it is logical to conclude that the poor performance of workers is, partly, due to the negative effect of conflict on a public sector and inadequate management of such conflict. Employees work under excruciating conditions resulting in low productivity. In the light of the above conclusion, it is obvious that organizations will witness enhanced productivity, harmonious correlation among workers and a number of other benefits if conflict are properly managed. Based principally on analytical findings and partly from the knowledge gained from the review of relevant literature and also selectively from an opinion pool contained in the questionnaire administered on respondents is was recommended that Training programmes should be organized from time to time for conflict managers and sometimes the entire workforce should be involved. Such training should be one that would improve work knowledge and skill and at the same time provide the bases for improved peaceful work condition.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0  INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

One of the traditional areas of managing a corporation that have received considerable emphasis is that of managing conflict. It’s in an effective organization has long being recognized. Hence, organizations/corporations operates in a system of standards, roles, procedures, norms, work schedules, positions and structure articulated as adequate to achieve targeted goals and individuals in the organisation are expected to function in harmony with these corporation provisions in or to achieve their targets. But it is important to recognize that the corporation is made up of numerous individuals with considerable different in their characteristic, perception and aspirations. These differences inherent in human nature can generate conflict due to the fact that human beings understand things in different ways and attach meanings.

However, it is logical to assert that crisis and conflict are inevitable in every organization. Conflict is a phenomenon that cannot be easily ignored or quietly swept under the carpet because it involves around every aspect of human endeavour, be it church, business, life, community life, family life, or even the nations itself. A critical look into the relationship existing between the worker and management in most organizations reveals a considerable disharmony on their claim on organization. Therefore, conflict as an inherent feature of public corporations which is usually induced, partly by the organizational provisions and may give rise to ‘full blown conflict’. Conflict emerges either between employees and the management of an organization or among workers, karl max in Dauneninghan (2007: 1) noted that ‘conflict is a features of the unequal nature of organizational life, hence, conflict is seen as a natural part of class struggle’.

Presently, hardly is there any day without news of conflict from the media. It could be religious, social, political, economic or industrial conflict. Conflict poses a great threat to the socio-economic growth and political stability of any country and therefore requires appropriate measures and structures to manage them when they occur. The credibility and reputation of organizations are heavily influenced negatively or positively by the perception and measure of their responses during the conflicting period. Basically, conflict should not be regarded as inherently good or bad, rather what matters is the ability of humans to manage the differences when they arise and integrated a more harmonious and smooth working relationship between the disputing/ conflicting parties. To this end, the needs for public sector to be well acquainted with the skills are strategies, measure for effective conflict management due to their socio-economic importance to the development of the entire nation gave rise to this study in which Iba Local Council Development Area was a case.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It is obvious that conflict is indispensable in an organization, associated with negative features and situations which give rise to inefficiency, ineffectiveness or dysfunctional consequences. Conflicts are perceived as disruptive and unnatural and represent a form of deviant behaviour which should be controlled and changed. Clear extreme cases of conflict in organizations can have very tragic consequences for some people within the organization and have adverse effects on the corporation performance. Hence, the problem of this study constitutes finding solution to the following research questions which will guild the logical sequence of this study:

ü  What type of conflict is mostly witnessed in public sector?

ü  What are possible causes of conflict in public sector?

ü  What effective managerial approach to conflict can be applied or adopted when the need arises?

ü  What are the principal outcomes of conflict in public sector?

ü  What are the benefits of resolving conflicts?

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY  

The research is aimed at proffering modalities and solutions for the improvement of management of conflict for conflict for effective organizational management in Iba Local Council Development Area. Following the above prevailing problems, the objective of this includes:

1. To examine those types of conflict that is mostly encountered in public sector.

2. To evaluate the possible courses of conflict in public sector.

3. To find out the effective managerial approach to conflict that can be adopted when the need arises.

4. To explain the principal outcome of conflict in public sector.

5. To examine the benefits of resolving conflicts.

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research work aims to achieve in significance inference based on Iba Local Council Development Area  in which corporation can only be achieved when individuals in the organization function as in harmony. It is therefore generally expected that a healthy organizational climate would be reflected by complete harmony in working relationship, loyalty and mutual commitment to the goals and objectives of the establishment. This is however, a worthwhile and creditable venture. This research will reveal to the managers/directors on to become aware of the possible causes of conflict in public sector or corporations and how to adequately avoid their occurrence. It will also open grounds for other researchers who might be interested in the area of this study and also serve as a point of reference.

1.5  SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study shall be conducted at Iba Local Council Development Area, Iba Town Lagos. This study shall cover the concept of public sector, its origin and functions. The concept of public conflict, its principal causes in public sector, effective managerial approach to conflict and the benefits of solving conflicts. In the attempt of carrying out this study, the problem of time limitation may pose its ugly print because the period of three months required for the study is inadequate for a research of this nature especially as to combine it with other academic activities. Financial constraint is another problem that is confronting this research activity. The economic problems of the time may affect my financial input to the study as am not financial viable.

Meanwhile, bias may have set in, as the researcher may have been biased unknowingly during the interview process or during the development of the research; the respondents also may have being biased in responses due to other matters best known to them. And death of literature is another area of stress to the study. Materials for the study, particularly for the review of related literature is scare and difficult to get. Inspite the above limitations, I shall successfully complete the work in good time and ensure there is non interference with the result of the study.

1.6     RESEARCH QUESTION

The research question focuses on gathering information on conflict management on public sector and how it can be resolved.

The questions include:

A.   Does conflict affect workers performance negatively?

B.   How can efficient conflict management significantly enhance harmonious correlation among workers in public organizations?

C.   Does resolving conflict significantly benefit public sector?

1.7      RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Having highlighted the problems and objective of the study, the following hypotheses were formulated for testing and analyzing.

1. H0: Conflict does not affect workers performance negatively.

Hi: Conflict affect workers performance negatively.

2. Ho: Efficient conflict management does not significantly enhance harmonious correlation among workers in the public organizations.

Hi: Efficient conflict management significantly enhance harmonious correlation among workers in the public organizations.

3. H0: Resolving conflict does not significantly benefit public sector.

Hi: Resolving conflict significantly benefit public sector.

1.8     DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following definitions shall apply in this work:

i. PUBLIC ENTERPRISE: This is a business organization established, owned, managed and financed with tax payers money by the government of a state with the main objective of not making profit but rendering essential services such as water, transportation, electricity e.t.c to its citizen.

ii. CONFLICT: This is any event that is, or expected to lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an organization.

iii. CRISIS: This is a state of disharmony between incompatible of antithetical persons, ideas or interests.

iv. MANAGEMENT: This is the act of getting men and materials together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively.

1.9 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF IBA LOCAL COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT AREA, OJO LAGOS STATE.

Prior to the creation of Lagos State, Iba fell under the jurisdiction of Awori distric, but by 1968 it fell under a reconstituted Awori Ajeromi district. By 1976 the creation of Badagry Local Government and Iba came under its wings. However the civilian administration created Ojo Local Government with Iba again falling under its jurisdiction. Later the military government merged Ojo into Badagry Local Government until Babangida’s administration returned to the status-quo. It was Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu who created Iba Local Council Development Administration and today the present administration of Akinwunmi Ambode has maintained the state of affairs.

The original inhabitants of Iba practice crop farming, poultry, sheep rearing, and small scale hunting. These were family occupations. As in ancient times, they practiced trade by barter unlike today where they practice commercial farming. Later a crop of artisans appeared on the scene, including tailors, bricklayers and mechanics. Record shows that there are 19 filling stations, 13 hotels, 46 companies, and 14 markets within the Iba jurisdiction. Commerce and industry are really booming because of the effort of the present administration. New businesses are bound to spring up due to the conducive environment.

Before 1975, there was no motorable road in the town. The Lasu Isheri road was opened in 1983. Later the Iba main road was tarred and used to be the only tarred road in the town. The Lasu Isheri road served as the major entry to and exit from Iba. Commercial buses ply this route conveying passengers at Iyana Iba bus-stop, originating from Ojo or Iyana Ipaja amidst many other places. Today, the Lasu Isheri road has been dualised giving room for more traffic. There is also an ongoing road construction project at Igbo Elerin and Iba New Site, gradually the town is being expose to the world following increased commercial activities under the present administration.

Today, there is a primary health centre in the Iba Local Council Secretariat. Besides, there are also six private hospitals in the area. The state government has no health facility in Iba, but there has always been a general hospital in Badagry and the newly constructed general hospital in  Igando.Over the years, the town which lies above sea level has become flooded due to environmental health department of the Hon. Toyin Suarau led administration has lived up to task in checking this ugly trend. Apart from the P.S.P trucks dispatched by the state government, members of the department in the LCDA embark on regular environmental sanitation by clearing blocked drainages, dumpters, canals and waterways.

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