ABSTRACT

This study examines the Effect of Conflict on Organizational Growth and Productivity using a case study of Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi. The interaction and competition between individuals and groups has made conflict inevitable. Conflict is bound to happen in any organization particularly amongst the workers because of the divergence in interest and goals for the employees and management respectively. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher employed simple percentages and chi-square statistical techniques to analyze, the data extracted from the respondents. Based on the analysis, we found that management inability to met up with collective bargaining and negotiation agreed on between workers and their representative might have a great effect in influencing conflict. We therefore, recommended that management should endeavour to constantly be looking into the improvement on wages and salaries of workers and resolve conflict by the use of internal statutory methods which would help the organization to achieve its expected goals.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

All establishment either public or non governmental organizational experience some kinds of conflicts. This is normal natural and sometimes even necessary for continued growth and development in organizations. For some people, the best thing is to avoid conflict, while this may be appropriate at times, it is not always recommended. The main issue with conflict is not so much that it occurs, but how you can manage it and at the same time know the effects it has on the growth and productivity of the organization.

The Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary (2000), defines conflicts as a serious disagreement, a serious different of opinions, wishes etc. This definition therefore assumes that the entire organizations with various opinions are making efforts to achieve a common goals, which makes organizational conflicts inevitable. Conflict is part of organizational life due to the fact that individuals that make up the organization have different perceptions, interests, goals and values. These  differences might be due to the backgrounds they came from e.g social economic and even religions angles.

Apart from the different opinions and values of workers, which make up the rank and file of the organizations, the various goals and objective between the management and workers could result to conflicts. For example, while the workers are interested in personal satisfaction through increased wages and salaries, fringe benefits and other motivating techniques, the management on the other hand maybe concerned with the optional use of human resources for the maximization of profit and the survival of the organization (Kalia, 2007). These differences in goals and objective can result in organizational conflict between management and employee and this is what the research is out to investigate.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Every business organization wants to be successful in carrying out its objectives and goals. However, there are often problems resulting from changes in organizational climate as a result of external or internal contributing factors, limited resources like shortage of finance, lack of good equipment, poor planning, communication breakdown and conflicting goals and objectives. These problems could cause conflict in organization that can lead to lack of growth and low productivity. It is often noted that employee are mostly affected by this conflicts with fear of being treated unkindly by management and this often result to low productivity. It is as a result of this separate interest and desire among management and employee that this study focuses the effect on conflicts on organizational growth and productivity, using Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi  as a survey becomes necessary.

1.3     Research Questions

The following research question will be provided answer to:

(1)             Can workers dissatisfaction with leadership style of their boss lead to conflict?

(2)             Can conflict be resolved through compromise between employee and management?

(3)             Does conflict affect the attainment of organizational goals?

1.4     Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of conflict on organizational growth and productivity using Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi as a case study.

The specific objectives of the study are:

(1)             To examine if workers dissatisfaction with leadership style of their boss lead to conflict.

(2)             To determine if conflict can be solved through compromise between employee and management.

(3)             To investigate if conflict affect the attainment of organizational goals.

1.5     Statement of Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses shall be tested:

(1)             Workers dissatisfaction with leadership style of their boss cannot lead to conflict.

(2)             Conflict cannot be resolve through compromise between employee and management.

(3)             Conflict does not affect the attainment of organizational goals.

1.6     Scope of the Study

Scope of this study is limited to the effect of conflict on organizational growth and productivity, using Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State as a case study. This consists of lecturers in the School of Business Studies were the respondents used on this study.

1.7     Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is to generate the awareness of the cause effects and management of the organizational conflicts which will help the management and the organization at large.  The study is also undertaken on the premise that those involved in the management of human resources in organization would draw vital lessons fro the findings. The research would provide workable solutions to the problems arising from conflict in organizations, which will be useful to both practitioner and management.

 1.8    Limitation of the Study

In the course of carrying out this research, the researcher encountered a lot of problems such as time constraints, financial constraints and a series of disappointment, while keeping appointment with the respondents.

The most crucial of  all the constraint is the academic stress due to the crash programme embarked up by the school during the course of writing this project. Furthermore, information from both questionnaires distributed and personal interview conducted were not enough to draw the conclusion of this study, so the researcher consulted other relevant textbook, magazine, seminar papers in the library.

1.9     Operational Definition of Terms

          The following terms are defined as used in the study.

Conflict: The refers to the disagreement between individuals or groups in the organization (misconception).

Organization Conflict: This is a disagreement between two or more organizational members or groups arising from the fact that they must share scare resource or works activities or resulting from their various values, goals, perception and interests.

Conflicts Resolutions: This is an e attempt to settle the disagreement between members in the organization.

Organization Growth: This refers to the objects or desires which the organizations want to attain or achieve.

Fringe Benefit: It is the entitlement or incentive which the employee receives from the employers for his job aside from his pay.

Perception: This is the way the employee view things.

Inter-Department Squabble: This refers to grievance expressed between departments of the same organization.

Mediation: This is the process whereby a third party called a mediator outside the conflict within or outside the organization helps to resolve the nagging conflict.