common and in most cases unavoidable. Because of this, it has become critical for managers to start evaluating the styles they use in managing conflict and to assess the implications of these styles to the benefits and costs of conflict. In order to meet this challenge, managers must understand the nature, sources and the outcome of conflict. It is by reflecting on the above, that managers may become more informed about the right conflict management approach to apply. This research deals with an investigation into the conflict management styles used by managers in organisations. It seeks to identify the styles currently used and to establish whether there is any correlation between these styles and the conflict management styles identified in the literature survey. The study targeted six health institutions in the Northern Region of the Eastern Cape Province. Findings from the literature study revealed two main approaches to managing conflict. These were: the Resolution and the Stimulating approaches. Five conflict management styles were identified when the resolution technique is used. These included: Collaboration, Avoidance, Accommodating, Compromise and the Dominating styles. Five approaches for stimulating functional conflict in organisations were also identified.They included the following: use of programmed conflict, manipulation of communication channels, encouraging competition among employees, encouraging the use structured debates and changing the organisational structure and culture. A research questionnaire and personal interviews were used for collecting data. The Questionnaire sought to establish the conflict management styles currently used in organisations while the interview’s aim was to probe deeper and to establish the participants’ view of the factors which determine one’s preferred conflict handling style and also to assess to what extent managers understand contemporary approaches to managing conflict such as conflict stimulation. The study revealed that the conflict management styles used by managers are similar to those identified in the literature review. It also emerged that managers are not very knowledgeable about the view of managing conflict by stimulating it. This highlighted the importance for further research into managing conflict by means of the stimulation approach.

Human resource management, or people management, is concerned with the philosophies, policies, programmes, practices and decisions that affect the people who work for an organisation. The various people management functions are aimed at helping the organisation achieve its strategic goals and as such are an integral part of the management process. People management consists of several aspects and sub-divisions of which pro-active conflict handling and management is one and which is also the subject of this study. The objective of this study was to assess causes of conflict and interventions and styles of conflict management in the workplace. Workplace politics, change management, diversity, cultures and religious views are but a few major sources for the emergence of conflict. We are currently in the era of fast change or more aptly put “hyperchange” and conflict is inevitable and management styles can also create and/or escalate conflict situations including, the composition of diversity in the workplace. This adds to the new challenges of management. Organisations in this decade need to acknowledge that their management styles of days gone by are not relevant anymore and one must understand to recognise conflict and resolve it in an appropriate manner. This study assessed the major causes of conflict in the workplace and whether the managerial style of managers and management interventions impacts on the overall conflict situations experienced by staff members in organisations in Cape Town and Windhoek. It also gave an indication if interventions and conflict management training/programmes are in place or used, if at all. Sometimes conflict is resolved successfully or unsuccessfully and what impact it has on the managers, his/her staff and colleagues and the organisation as a whole. This can have a detriment impact on the business and the culture within the organisation and which could result in or give rise to high labour turnover, underlying unhappy staff and disempowerment of managers and staff and poor production and service levels.

South Africa has always been cited as an example of protracted social conflict by the analytical conflict resolution school. Given that appellation, the conflict, in terms of the understanding of that school of thought, would not have been amenable to resolution, and yet many observers hail the South African democratic transition as a miracle of transformation. This thesis, using a detailed application of the various elements of protracted or deep-rooted social conflict, demonstrates that South Africa is indeed an example of protracted social conflict. Given the application of pre-negotiation initiatives, and the establishment of a unique National Peace Accord, negotiations were enabled, and successfully delivered a democratic election, and so far, also a sustainable democracy. The establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was the result of a realization on the part of a wide spectrum of South African leadership and conflict resolution professionals, that negotiation alone would not provide conflict resolution for South Africans, and that there was therefore an additional need to deal with the deeper issues of conflict, if the settlement were to prove sustainable. The question remains whether ours represents a successful resolution of the conflict from the theoretical perspective of the analytical conflict resolution school. A close examination of South African socio-political issues across a number of domains regarded by the analytical conflict resolution school as important, indicates that while the requirements for conflict resolution were indeed met in the South African case, their more advanced stage of resolution; conflict provention has not been satisfied. That explains the fact that many tensions, much violence and intolerance remain. South Africa’s democracy has not been infused with analytical conflict management institutions, basic human needs have not been substantially met and valued relationships remain elusive. Because protracted social conflict is cyclical, we can expect high-levels of conflict behaviour to haunt, and even threaten our fledgling democracy. It is argued here that a coherent theoretical approach to the South African conflict management process would have produced a more sustainable outcome, and we recommend the continued use and institutionalization of analytical conflict provention processes to secure the future of our country.

Several Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) training workshops have been established to help transform correctional institutions worldwide. There is no evidence of any research on AVP conducted in the context of South African Schools to date. This research therefore aims to evaluate AVP training by the Quaker Peace Centre at five high schools on the Cape Flats. Taking a qualitative approach, the study provides a literary contextualization of the problem of violence in South African schools as well as the history of AVP programmes in South Africa and abroad. In respect of his data collection, the researcher used both evaluation forms submitted at the completion of training events, as well as a purpose-designed questionnaire, mailed to a convenience sample of 635 past participants in the training. The results of the study indicate that the AVP workshops have had an impact on the lives of the participants, and there is an acknowledgement of feelings of empowerment experienced by recipients, which enables sound recommendations to be made.

Intergroup conflicts are rife in public schools and often the bone of contention is promotional posts. These conflicts can affect the quality of teaching and learning if the focus of the teachers moves from the primary purpose of teaching to contesting senior posts. In addition, such contestation often splits the teaching staff into groups or factions. One such split is between the group made up of teachers belonging to the politically-aligned union and the group of teachers from non-politically aligned teacher unions or those not unionised at all. The School Governing Body parent-wing is often caught in conflict between these two groups as it has the legislative power to recommend appointment to the District Director. It is within this context that this study explores the perceptions of stakeholders in selected schools in Diepkloof with regard to intergroup conflict and investigates whether cadre deployment plays a role in this conflict. The findings of this study reveal stakeholders' perceptions that politically-aligned unions tend to exert influence to have their members promoted and, in the process, often overlook better qualified educators.

In order to fill the gap in existing research on the topic, this study was undertaken to establish whether a relationship exists between five sources of power and five conflict handling styles. A theoretical study regarding the concepts of power and conflict was undertaken. In the empirical study these variables were measured using the Power Base Index and Thomas-Kilmann Conflict MODE questionnaires. Reward power was significantly related to the competing and avoiding conflict handling styles; expert power was significantly related to the compromising style; and legitimate power was significantly related to the collaborating conflict handling style. The research contributes towards a better understanding of power and conflict in organisations and in supervisors' day-to-day management. However, the results indicate the importance of wider, more sophisticated research. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial Psychology)

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the advent of democracy in 1994, domestic and international expectations have steadily grown regarding the role of a new South African as a responsible and respected member of the international community. These expectations have included the hope that South Africa will playa leading role in a variety of international, regional and sub-regional forums and that the country will become an active participant in attempts to resolve various regional and international conflicts. The nature of international activities aimed at international conflict prevention, management and resolution has changed dramatically over the past decade. A radically post-Cold War security environment has seen the transformation of classical peacekeeping operations into complex, multi-dimensional conflict management activities with a political focus in which the military is but one of many participants. Whilst South Africa has, as a member of bodies such as the United Nations, the Organisation of African Unity, the African Union and the Southern African Development Community, begun to play an active role in diplomatic resolution initiatives, the country is also expected to contribute to wider multi-national peace missions. Contemporary peace missions are fundamentally political initiatives, despite the complex mixture of political, humanitarian and military concerns and means. South Africa must therefore make a careful appraisal of the political and strategic environment within which peace missions are to be launched and the principles governing South African participation in such efforts. A clear understanding is required of the type of mandate, which governs peace missions in order to facilitate a detailed articulation of acceptable entry and exit criteria and to determine the scope, level and type of resources that South Africa is willing to commit to future peace missions. This will provide a clear indication to the international community and the regional and sub-regional partners of South Africa's stance on participation in peace operations. South Africa has limited but valuable resources to offer the international community for the conduct of peace missions. These include civilians with a diverse range of skills and experience appropriate to peace processes, professional and experienced police officers and well trained and disciplined military capacity. If these resources are to be utilised by the international community in the cause of peace, their approximate nature and size must be defined through an appropriate readiness system for each component. On the other hand, a number of key conditions must be met before these potential resources are deployed in support of a particular peace mission. Some of the responsibility for meeting these conditions lies at the level of the international community - such as the formulation of a clear and realistic mandate. On the other hand, it is a national obligation to support and budget for such participation. After an assessment of the South African National Defence Force, operation BOLEAS in Lesotho, a clearly articulated Aide de Memoire is recommended as a model for Peace Support Operations, which will cover all aspects in relation to South African National Defence (SANDF) participation in peace initiatives. This Aide De Memoire aim to set conditions that should be met before any peacekeeping operation can be implemented. It will provide clarity on matters relating to the scope of South African peace missions; the question of mandates, joint task organisation and legal responsibilities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert die aanvang van demokrasie in 1994 was daar 'n stelselmatige groei in eie en internasionale verwagtinge oor die rol van 'n nuwe Suid-Afrika as verantwoordelike en gerespekteerde lid van die internasionale gemeenskap. Hierdie verwagtinge het die hoop ingesluit dat Suid-Afrika "n leidende rol sou speel in 'n verskeidenheid van internasionale, streek en sub-streek forums en dat die land 'n aktiewe rolspeler sal word in pogings om oplossings te vind vir verskeie streeks- en internasionale konflikte. Die aard van internasionale bedrywighede, wat gemik was op die voorkoming van internasionale konflik, bestuur en besluitneming, het oor die laaste dekade drasties verander. 'n Radikale post-koue oorlogse sekerheidsomgewing het die transformasie beleef vanaf klassieke vredesoperasies na komplekse, multi-dimensionele konflikhanteringsaktiwiteite met 'n politieke fokus waarin die militêre arm van die staat maar een van baie deelnemers is. Terwyl Suid-Afrika, as lid van organisasies soos die Verenigde Nasies, die Organisasie van Afrika Eenheid en die Suider-Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeenskap, 'n meer aktiewe rol begin speel het in diplomatieke besluitnemingsinisiatiewe, word daar ook van die land verwag om 'n bydrae te lewer by groter multi-nasionale vredesendings. Kontemporêre vredesendings is in beginsel politieke inisiatiewe, ten spyte van die komplekse mengsel van politieke, humanitêre en militêre belange en middele. Suid- Afrika is dus verplig om 'n versigtige beoordeling te maak van die politieke en strategiese omgewing waarin vredesoperasies hul afspeel, asook die beginsels wat Suid-Afrikaanse deelname aan hierdie pogings vereis. 'n Juiste begrip van die tipe mandaat wat vredesendings beheer, word vereis sodat 'n gedetailleerde uitspraak van aanvaarbare toetree- en uittreemaatstawwe vergemaklik kan word. Ook die bestek, vlak en tipe van hulpbronne waartoe Suid-Afrika bereid is om homself in die toekoms te verbind moet bepaal word. Dit sal 'n duidelike aanduiding vir die internasionale gemeenskap, streek en substreekvennote gee van wat Suid-Afrika se standpunt ten opsigte van deelname aan vredesoperasies is. Suid-Afrika het beperkte maar waardevolle hulpbronne wat aan die internasionale gemeenskap gebied kan word vir die uitvoering van vredesendings. Dit sluit in: burgerlikes met 'n verskeidenheid van vaardighede en ondervinding wat geskik is vir vredesprosesse; ervare en professionele beleidmakers, asook goed opgeleide en gedissiplineerde militêre vermoëns. Indien hierdie bronne deur die internasionale gemeenskap in die bevordering van vrede aangewend sou word, moet die beraamde aard en omvang daarvan vasgestel word met behulp van 'n toepaslike gereedheidstelsel vir elke komponent. Aan die ander kant moet 'n aantal sleutelvereistes nagekom word voordat hierdie potensiële hulpbronne as steun vir 'n spesifieke vredesending ontplooi word. Sekere verantwoordelikhede om by die beginsels te hou, berus op die vlak van die internasionale gemeenskap - soos die formulering van 'n duidelike en realistiese mandaat. Dit is egter 'n nasionale verantwoordelikheid om vir so 'n deelname te begroot en dit te ondersteun. Na die beoordeling van OPERASIE BOLEAS deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag, stel die navorsing 'n duidelik geartikuleerde Aide de Memoire vir Vredesteunoperasies voor wat alle aspekte in verband met die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag se deelname aan vredesinisiatiewe sal insluit. Hierdie Aide de Memoire beoog om voorwaardes te stel wat nagekom moet word voordat enige vredesoperasies geïmplimenteer kan word. Dit sal duidelikheid verskaf oor aangeleenthede rakende die bestek van Suid-Afrikaanse vredesendings; die kwessie van mandate; gesamentlike taakorganisasie en regsverantwoordelikhede.

D.Com. (Industrial Psychology) / The primary purpose of this study was to determine various perceptions of a group of Black industrial workers regarding group conflict which arises between management and the workers. A second objective was to establish whether any differences exist between ,the perceptions of this group and those of a similar White group. "Conflict" as a phenomenon was introduced and 'collective bargaining' as a means of resolving labour-management conflict was reviewed. This required examining the history of negotiation and its development from biblical times, the Black man's traditional method of negotiation, and the Black workers' involvement in, the trade union movement in South Africa to-day. A study of the relevant literature revealed various approaches to industrial relations, and frames of reference, and it became clear that a person's approach would largely he determined by the frame of reference adopted. The most popular frame of reference in Western industrialized countries appears to he the pluralist perspective which views conflict as' a natural outcome of human interaction. As such it is found in all labour-management interaction t and has been institutionalized through the process of collective bargaining. The sample used in the study consisted of 1124 Black and 201 White industrial workers employed in East London. The instrument used was a questionnaire designed to measure the attitudes of the two groups on various aspects of collective bargaining...

M. Tech. Labour Relations Management / The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is responsible for the rehabilitation, through skills-training and development, of all offenders incarcerated for different kinds of crimes/offences committed in South Africa. The DCS assumes responsibility for safeguarding society against convicted criminals.. It was reported that DCS experienced a dramatic increase in workplace conflict in the period 2008/2009 - 2012/2013, and the situation has not changed ever since. Workplace conflict, especially dysfunctional conflict, creates unstable labour relations and related risks in the DCS, and should therefore be combated without any further delay. The researcher is under the presumption that many forms of dysfunctional workplace conflict in the Department of Correctional Services, arise because managers, trade union representatives and employees have different perceptions of how employment relations practices and behavioural norms should be applied in the workplace. The primary objective of this study was to investigate employee perceptions on the causes of destructive conflict in the workplace of the Department of Correctional Services, and for that purpose, Zonderwater Management Area was purposefully sampled for the research.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the causes, effects and management of conflict among school based educators. The dissertation acknowledge the existence of conflict in every human interaction. Conflict in organizations should be managed systematically. An appropriate approach in conflict management should aim at enhancing the benefits of conflict. The study aimed at determining whether site-managers possess the essential skill of managing healthy conflict while defusing unhealthy conflict. The institution of effective management of conflict techniques and guidelines is essential in a number of practical ways for preventing, managing and resolving workplace conflict, because the long term effects of unresolved conflict may impact negatively on an organization. The subjects of the study were 44 educators and one circuit manager based at the Area Project Office. Questionnaires and interviews were used to evaluate the perceptions in areas such as:- Conflict in the workplace, causes and effects of conflict and conflict management. The Research findings revealed that there is a lack of a conflict management system in schools. The absence of a conflict management system result in an array of problems related to conflict. Other findings include:- the management style of site-managers contributing to conflict management, lack of communication between stakeholders in the schooling system and a deficiency in Conflict management skills. / M. Admin. (Industrial Relations) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2006