CHAPTER ONE

1.0    INTRODUCTION

Conflict is a struggle or contest, when workers and management have incompatible, conflicting or irreconcilable views or issue that could lead to conflicting tendencies are not new to industries organization. Conflicting is normal and it is positive as well as negative. It is unethical to find organisations without conflicts, or conflicting issues.

Industrial conflict many be defined as the inability of labour and management to reach agreement on any issue connected with the object of employer – employees interaction. Conflicts many be caused within the enterprise (internal) or outside it (external). Internal sources refer to the inability of employers and employees to obtain maximal share of the industrial cake, the conflicting needs of all three and various forms of employers grievances of complaints about individual employees or the work group.

Most important is the inability of the employer to satisfy the workers various needs, submission to mechanical control and alienation. Other issues are connected with misinterpretation or non-implementation of the collective agreements.

External source of conflicts include governments industrial and economic policies, the nature of labour legislation, unpatriotic and unethical behaviour of the political and economic classes, national economic management and general distribution of wealth and power in the society.

1.1    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY                                  

The objective of this study is stated below as follows:

1.           To critically examine the causes of conflict within the management of an organization.                                   

2.           To identify the sources of conflict in management.             

3.           To analyse how conflict can be managed in an organisation.

4.           To asses the impact of conflict management on business performance.                                    

5.           To appraise the importance of personnel management in conflict resolution in an organisation.

6.           To study the concept of personnel management in an organisation.

7.           To evaluate the effectiveness of adopting managerial approach in resolving conflicts within an organisation.

8.           To make necessary recommendation.

1.7       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY                                 

The final work of this research study will assist management in every organisation to adopt strategic means of managing personnel to enhance efficiency and performance.

It will also highlight the importance of using effective personnel management in resolving conflicts within the organisation, and the problems and challenges faced by managers when carrying out this critical aspect of managerial functions                                                                                                              

1.8       SCOPE OF THE STUDY                                             

The research study shall focus on the role played by personnel managers in resolving conflict between management and members of the staff of an organisation. The type of conflict management will be properly analysed in the course of the research study.

1.9       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study is aimed at assessing and analyzing the impact of conflict management on top management decision making on the performance of an organisation.

1.10    LIMITATION OF THE STUDY                                     

The research study shall be constrained by the unavailability of funds, resources, data, information and time.

1.11    DEFINITION OF TERMS

1.           EMPLOYEE: A person who has agreed to render services for another person (employer) in return for wages or salary.

2.           INDUSTRY: The aggregate of similar firms that perform similar functions for the same market under separate management.

3.           MANAGEMENT: This means of achieving organizational goals and objectives through planning, organizing, co-ordinating and controlling both human and material resources.

4.           EMPLOYER: A person who has employed the services of another (employee) in payment of either wages or salary.

5.           DECISION MAKING: A managerial function of selecting the best course of action for achieving goals and objectives among many other courses of action.

6.           BUSINESS: An activity that involves investment of capital, risk, profit and loss.

7.           CONFLICT: Disagreements and arguments between some group of people in an organisation that cannot be controlled easily.

8.           ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: The pattern in which the relationship between tasks, positions, responsibilities and authorities are charted in an organisation.

9.           COMMUNICATION: This means of transmitting ideas, feelings and messages from one person or unit of an organisation to another.

10.       DIRECTORS: Executivesin an organisation that make policy for the day to day management of the organisation.

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