Det gemensamma intresset för konflikter grundade idén att studera väl ansedda ledares perspektiv på arbetsplatskonflikter och hur dessa ledare löser konflikter konstruktivt. I grunden finns en undran om väl ansedda ledare har förmågor som gör att de löser konflikter mer konstruktivt. Konflikter utgör en stor del av en ledares arbetstid. Konflikter kan förmodligen inte undvikas men hur konflikter hanteras är avgörande för att en organisation och dess anställda skall mogna och utvecklas. Det har utövats forskning inom konflikthantering utifrån ett ledarskapsperspektiv men de studierna har haft en kvantitativ ansats. Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur väl ansedda chefer ser på arbetsplatskonflikter och hur dessa chefer hanterar konflikter. Ett delsyfte är att erhålla kunskap om vilka metoder ansedda ledare använder i konflikthantering. För att besvara syftet har följande frågeställningar använts: Vilka typer av arbetsplatskonflikter uppstår i en organisation? Vad är avgörande om konflikter blir konstruktiva eller destruktiva? Vad har ledarskapet för inverkan på konflikthantering och hur ska ledaren ta sig an konflikter? Vilka förmågor och egenskaper har ledare som hanterar konflikter effektivt? Studien grundar sig på en kvalitativ ansats med semistrukturerade intervjuer som insamlingsmetod. Det införskaffade materialet kodades och tematiserades. Resultaten analyserades med hjälp av teoriramen. Slutligen användes Rahims (2002) teori om conflict management i diskussion då det i resultatet framkom stöd för modellen, dock med en utveckling vilket presenteras i slutsatsen. I studiens analys framkom att ledare som hanterar konflikter konstruktivt behärskar tre huvudområden. Dessa förmågor är människoorienterad, uppgiftsorienterad och lärande- och kulturorienterad. Väl ansedda ledare manövrerar emellan dessa förmågor beroende på situation. I studiens resultat framkom också att undvikande och dominant ledarskapsbeteende skapar barriärer i konflikthantering. / The authors' joint commitment conflicts produced the idea to study highly-regarded leaders' perspective on workplace conflicts and their constructive resolution. Basically there was a curiosity about how such leaders resolve conflicts so effectively. Workplace conflicts are a major part of a leader´s time at work. While probably unavoidable, how conflicts are handled is crucial for the growth and development of an organization and its employees. There has been practical conflict management research from a leadership perspective, but the studies have had a quantitative focus. This study aims to examine the various ways respected managers address and resolve workplace conflicts. The study seeks to answer the following questions: What kinds of workplace conflict exist in an organization? What are the critical factors in conflicts? How are conflicts viewed constructive/destructive? What is a leader's role when managing/resolving workplace conflict? What abilities and qualities have leaders who manage conflict effectively? The study is based on a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews. The material was thematic and coded. Results were analysed using the theoretical framework. The empirical data was analysed using Rahims (2002) theory of conflict management. Building on the results, the model which has been developed will be presented at the study’s conclusion. The study's analysis reveals that leaders who deal with conflicts constructively mastered the three main areas of concern, depending on the situation. These are people-oriented, task-oriented, and learning- and culture-oriented. The study's results also revealed that evasive and/or dominant leadership in particular creates barrier store solving conflict.

Behavioural and emotional problems in children have been linked with a number of deleterious effects for the child, their family and the community at large. Research has demonstrated that targeting parents through behavioural family interventions is an effective way of ameliorating the negative long term effects of early behaviour problems. A number of evidence-based interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing dysfunctional parenting practices and reducing the severity and intensity of behaviour problems however less than 10% of parents’ access parenting services and even fewer access evidence-based interventions. Some researchers now advocate that a population approach that emphasizes prevention rather than treatment and considers parenting in its broader ecological context is required to increase parental access to evidence-based parenting interventions and reduce population levels of disruptive behaviour problems. One important context that affects parenting is the workplace. Changing economic and demographic climates mean the majority of parents are now employed and must balance the competing demands of work and family commitments leading to increased levels of work and family conflict as functioning in one domain invariably effects functioning in the other. High levels of work and family conflict have been shown to increase psychological distress and dysfunctional parenting and are associated with a range of negative organisational outcomes such as increased turnover and absenteeism. Additionally, levels of work and family conflict are highest in parents of young children indicating that balancing work and parenting is particularly difficult at a point in a child’s life where there is greatest development plasticity. This thesis argues that one way to improve parents’ access to services and to reduce work and family conflict is to provide support to working parents in the form of a workplace parenting intervention. Such an intervention has the potential to ease the burden on working parents, increase parental access to evidence-based parenting support and reduce population levels of disruptive behaviour problems. This research comprises of a randomised controlled trial of Workplace Triple P, a variant of Triple P- Positive Parenting Program that is tailored to the specific needs of working parents. Two studies are presented. Study 1 examined the utility of a model that posits that the relationship between parental exposure to disruptive behaviour problems and occupational stress is mediated by family-work conflict. Data analyses supported the hypothesised model. The relationship between parental exposure to disruptive behaviour problems and occupational stress was fully mediated by family-work conflict. The results of this study provide a rationale for examining parenting in a workplace context by demonstrating that disruptive behaviour problems in the children of employees are related to higher levels of occupational stress and that reducing disruptive behaviour and family-work conflict should result in reductions in occupational stress. Study 2 built on the findings of Study 1 by evaluating the effectiveness of Workplace Triple P, a workplace parenting intervention that aims to assist parents to more effectively manage work and family demands. Using a sample of teachers balancing work and parenting commitments, a randomised controlled trial was conducted comparing Workplace Triple P to a waitlist control condition. Results indicated that participants who completed the Workplace Triple P intervention reported improvements in five key outcome areas: disruptive behaviour problems, parenting style and satisfaction, personal adjustment, work and family conflict and occupational wellbeing. Specifically, compared with participants in the waitlist control condition participants in the intervention condition reported that their child displayed lower numbers of disruptive behaviours and engaged in problem behaviour less frequently, that they themselves engaged less in verbose, over-reactive and lax parenting styles, that they felt more confident in dealing with a range of behaviour problems across a range of home and community settings and enjoyed parenting more. Participants in the intervention condition also reported lower levels of personal anxiety and depression. The intervention was also effective at improving work-related variables. Participants who completed the Workplace Triple P intervention reported lower levels of work-family conflict, family-work conflict and occupational stress, as well as reporting increased levels of occupational efficacy. No changes were reported for participants in the waitlist control condition. Participants in the intervention condition were reassessed at 4-months post intervention. Results indicated that all intervention gains were maintained. Together these studies contribute significantly to our understanding of work-family interface by providing insight into the mechanisms by which family life exerts an influence on occupational stress and by demonstrating that a workplace parenting intervention has the potential to improve functioning both family and occupational domains. The findings have significant implications for assisting parents more effectively manage work and family demands, for increasing parental access to services, and informing family-friendly policies and practices. Research, clinical and policy implications are discussed.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Conflict is an integral part of relationships in the workplace. This study supports the pluralistic view that states that people with different values, views and aims come to the workplace and therefore conflict can be expected. This assumption puts challenges to any business to manage conflict constructively and to keep it within controllable levels. The study was done amongst team leaders on five table grape export farms in the vicinity of Piketberg. It showed that increased conflict is a clear indication of deficiencies on management level regarding skills and the execution of management tasks. Team leaders with inadequate or no management or technical training find it extremely difficult to cope with conflict assertively. The change in the composition of the workforce over a period of a couple of years to comprise of a majority Xhosa speaking workers has brought unmanageable challenges, even to senior team leaders. Their limited ability to communicate and to give clear instructions to people of an unknown language and culture is stretch to the edge and often leads to serious conflict. It poses a number of challenges to companies to keep a positive atmosphere for conflict resolution and to equip base line management to deal successful with conflict. The following themes will need urgent attention: • The acknowledgement and management of diversity in the workplace; • The development of a positive organisational culture and values; • Skills training and the development of self image; • The setting up of communication channels and participation of workers in management. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Konflik is ʼn inherente deel van verhoudinge in die werksplek. Die pluralistiese siening word onderskryf dat mense met verskillende waardes, sieninge en doelwitte die werksplek betree en daarom is konflik te verwagte. Hierdie aanname stel uitdagings aan die onderneming om konflik kontruktief te bestuur en dit op beheerbare vlakke te hou. Die studie op vyf tafeldruifuitvoerplase in die Piketberg omgewing onder spanleiers het aangetoon dat verhoogde konflik ʼn duidelike aanwysing is van tekorte op bestuurvlak t.o.v. vaardighede en uitvoering van bestuurstake. Spanleiers met gebrekkige of geen bestuurs- en tegniese opleiding vind dit uiters moeilik om konflik op ʼn assertiewe manier te hanteer. Die verandering in die samestelling van die werksmag oor ʼn periode van enkele jare om nou uit ʼn meerderheid Xhosa-sprekendes te bestaan, bring onhanteerbare uitdagings, selfs aan senior spanleiers. Hulle beperkte vermoë om te kommunikeer en duidelike instruksies te gee binne die vreemde taal en kultuur, word tot die uiterste beproef en lei dikwels tot ernstige konflik. Dit laat die ondernemings met verskeie uitdagings om beide ʼn gesonde atmosfeer vir konflikhantering daar te stel sowel as om die vaardighede aan grondvlakbestuur te gee om dit suksesvol te hanteer. Die volgende temas sal ernstige aandag moet kry: • Erkenning en bestuur van diversiteit in die werksplek; • Ontwikkeling van ʼn positiewe organisasie-kultuur en –waardes; • Vaardigheidsopleiding en selfbeeldontwikkeling; • Skep van kommunikasie-kanale en werkersinspraak by bestuur.