CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PROGRESS OF SELECTED MULTINATIONAL FIRMS IN PORT HARCOURT

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Abstract

The study was determined to examine the relationship between conflict management and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt. The survey research design was employed. The population of the study was one hundred and twenty (120). The Taro Yemens formula was used to determine the sample size of 96. Both the primary and secondary data were used. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire. a total of 96 questionnaires are administered to the respondents. 85 questionnaires were retrieved.  The method used to analyze the data was simple descriptive method stated in tables and expressed in percentage. The chi-square statistical test was employed. The hypotheses were tested electronically using SPSS Version 22. The study revealed that conflict avoidance, competition and cooperation leads to organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt. Based on the findings of the study, we recommended that the universal declaration governed by conflict management on the premise management of organization should ensure and equitable treatments of employees, the fulcrum of any organization is dependent on the level of human capital performance. It behaves management to treat the intellectual capital as being rather than as robot and organization should bureaucratic bottle neck in terms of promoting the employee welfare.

Table of Contents

Title Page    i

Cover Page ii

Declaration iii

Certification         iv

Dedication  v

Acknowledgements        vi

Abstract      vii

Table of Contents viii

List of Table         x

List of Figures      xi

CHAPTER ONE  1

INTRODUCTION         1

1.1 Background to the Study  1

1.2 Statement of the Problem  2

1.3 Objectives of the Study     3

1.4 Research Question   3

1.5 Significant of the Study     3

1.6 Research Hypotheses        4

1.7 Scope of the Study  4

1.8 Definition of Related Terms        5

CHAPTER TWO 7

LITERATURE REVIEW        7

2.1 Conceptual Framework     7

2.1.2 Concept of Conflict Management      7

2.1.2 Dimensions of Conflict management 8

2.1.3 Concept of Organizational progress  10

2.1.4 Measures of Organizational progress          11

2.1.5 The Relationship between Conflict management and Organizational progress     14

2.2 Theoretical Framework     17

2.2.1 Marxist Theory of Industrial Conflict and Harmony     17

2.3 Empirical Review    18

CHAPTER THREE       21

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY      21

3.1 Research Design      21

3.2 Population of the Study    22

3.3 Sample Size Determination         22

3.4 Sampling Techniques        23

3.5 Source Data Collection      23

3.6 Method of Data Collection          24

3.7 Data Analytical Techniques        25

3.8 Reliability and Validity     26

CHAPTER FOUR         27

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS       27

4.1 Data Collection and Presentation         27

4.2 Data Analysis 28

4.3 Hypotheses Testing 32

4.4 Discussion of Findings      36

CHAPTER FIVE 38

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION  38

5.1 Summary       38

5.2 Conclusion     38

5.3 Recommendations   38

References  39

Appendix I 40

Appendix II          41

List of Table

Table 4.1: Questionnaire Administration and Retrieval 27

Table 4.2: Showing the Age of Respondents        28

Table 4.3: Showing the Gender/Sex of Respondents     28

Table 4.4: Showing the Educational Qualification of the Respondents      29

Table 4.5: Showing the Marital Status of Respondents 29

Table 4.6: Conflict avoidance and organizational progress of selected Multinational firms in Port Harcourt       30

Table 4.7: Competition and organizational progress of selected Multinational firms in Port Harcourt.    31

Table 4.8: Cooperation relate with organizational progress of selected Multinational firms in Port Harcourt       32

List of Figures

(Fig. 2.1: Source: The dimensions of conflict management was adopted from the work of Okoric, (2016) on Conflict Management and Organizational progress in an organization  while the measures of Organizational progress was gotten from the work of Batista and Francisco, (2017) on Organizational progress: A Study of the Firms Listed by the Corporate Sustainability Index)      7

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Progress, simply put, is a planned change; it’s purposeful, aimed towards achieving organizational objectives. To achieve progress, the organization needs to move in the direction of making its right intentions becoming a reality. This will only work when boxes of good planning and good implementation are both checked.

Organizational progress refers to changes in the management structure of the company, production processes and administrative work, behaviour of workers and adaptation processes, information resources, material factors of production, etc. Each type of resources, structures, processes or factors can be influenced by organizational change and development.

One way an organization can experience progress is through conflict management. Conflict refers to some form of friction, disagreement, or discord arising within a group when the beliefs or actions of one or more members of the group are either resisted by or unacceptable to one or more members of another group. Conflict can arise between members of the same group, known as intergroup conflict, or it can occur between members of two or more groups, and involve violence, interpersonal discord, and psychological tension, known as intergroup conflict. Conflict in groups often follows a specific course. This period of conflict escalation in some cases gives way to a conflict resolution stage, after which the group can eventually return to routine group interaction once again (Harvard Program on Negotiation Glossary, “Conflict” 2013). Conflict is a social factual situation in which at least two parties (individuals, groups, states) are involved, and who strive for goals which are incompatible to begin with or strive for the same goal, which, can only be reached by one party and want to employ incompatible means to achieve a certain goal (Schmid, 1998). The organizational conflict in business organizations is disagreement by individuals or groups within the organization, which can center on factors ranging from resource allocation and divisions of responsibility to the overall direction of the organization; conflict is the perception of differences of interests among people (Thompson, 1998). Conflict occurs between people in all kinds of human relationships and in all social settings. Because of the wide range of potential differences among people, the absence of conflict usually signals the absence of meaningful interaction. Conflict by itself is neither good nor bad. However, the manner in which conflict is handled determines whether it is constructive or destructive (Deutsch and Coleman, 2000). Conflict is defined as an incompatibility of goals or values between two or more parties in a relationship, combined with attempts to control each other and antagonistic feelings toward each other (Fisher, 1990).  

The study seeks to examine the relationship between conflict management and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Expanding industrial activities have been ascribed incompletely as casualisation of specialists (Kalejaiye, 2014). Taking the multinational firms as a case, as related to the extent to which the issue can be seen. This study also seeks to explain the effectiveness of conflict in organization and also the strategies available in managing the conflict. Numerous organizations in  Nigeria  are  tormented  by  a  bunch  of  issues  and  illnesses  created  by  wasteful  and incapable administrative style or strained relationship amongst administration and the worker’s party (Fapohunda, 2012).   It is against these problems that, this study empirically evaluates the relationship between conflict management and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between conflict management and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt. The specific objectives of the study are to:

1.       Examine the relationship between competition and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt.

2.       Examine the relationship between relationship between collaboration and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt.

3.       Examine the relationship between conflict avoidance and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt.

1.4 Research Question

The following research questions were proposed to guide the study.

1.       Does competition and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt?

2.       Does collaboration associate with organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt?

3.       Does conflict avoidance associate with organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The relevant of this study rest in the importance to stakeholders in the organization. The importance of this study is being includes an analysis of the most important themes of work, and define attributes general methods of managing organizational conflict on the effectiveness of regulatory. The importance of the results which expect to determine the relationship between organizational conflict and effective regulatory, and offers practical solutions to rationalize the organizational conflict, including serving achieve effective organizational structure, in order to raise the level of performance and the advancement of your devices administrative, to achieve the lofty goals of the highest efficiency and effectiveness. This study will assist organizational managers on the tools techniques to employ in managing conflict in their respective organizations in the multinational firms industries. This study is pertinent to trade unionist in their respective organizations. This study is justified because it will assist in the stability and relative profitability in the organization particularly in the period of economic recession. This study will also contribute in enriching the literature in industrial relations particularly in management sciences in general.

1.6 Research Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses are postulated to guide the study

H01: There is no significant relationship between competition and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt.

H02: There is no significant relationship between collaboration and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt.

H03: There is no significant relationship between conflict avoidance and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study is delimited under the following headings; content scope, geographical scope and unit of analysis.

Content Scope: The content of this study involves on investigation to ascertain the relationship between conflict management and organizational progress of selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt.

Geographical Scope: This study is delineated  to Port Harcourt metropolis with reference to selected Multinational firms which include Agip Oil Company and Total all in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Unit of Analysis: The unit of analysis involved the staff of the selected Multinational firms at the time of the study. Hence it is a micro level study. In carrying out an investigation of this nature the researcher must of necessity be faced with some constraints.

The time constraints, the time frame provided for this study was short.

Financial constraints. Usually, a study of this nature involved some level of expenditure therefore; finance was also a limiting factor.

Poor response from the respondent and inability to access the entire population of the study. In the next segment significance of the study will be discussed and lastly, poor measurement instrument.

1.8 Definition of Related Terms

AVOIDANCE: This study argues that “avoidance” in some instances, be recognized as an active form of conflict management.

COMPETITION: It reflects a desire to meet one’s own needs and concerns at the expense of the other party. COOPERATION: Cooperation is the most appropriate tool for managing organizational conflict if do not suffer the parties from time pressures.

CONFLICT AVOIDANCE:  This attempt to keep the conflict surfacing at all or would simply ignore the conflict or impose a solution.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT: This can be defined as attempt to control or regulate conflict through numbers of measures.

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