This study investigates preferred conflict management styles in order to explore how conflict is dealt with in a particular cultural/geographical context (i.e. the Middle East), as culture is one of the factors, which affects management style, whether in a conflict situation or any other situations. Upon researching the literature in the area of conflict management styles in the Middle East it has been found that there is no published research for the region and specifically on the cultural issues. Therefore, this research study has taken a step forward in exploring how and in what ways, the conflict management styles of those individuals (e.g. employees) in Kuwait (a culture/context within the Middle East) may or may not be similar or different to those described in studies carried out in other cultures/contexts. The research explores the different conflict management styles used in Kuwait, which is approached by simulating the application of different conflict situations in Kuwaiti business context and explores the negotiation and application of conflict management styles applied. The use of the Thomas Kilmann Conflict mode Instrument (TKI) to gather research data helped in understanding the different conflict management styles used. The TKI is an extensively validated instrument used in the field to highlight the different ways of how people handle disputes and its effects on the dynamics of individuals and teams. This study attempts to make its contribution to knowledge in the field of conflict management styles in that (a) it assesses Kuwaiti conflict management styles, and (b) It studies the effects of the process of the different conflict management styles and its outcomes in resolving these conflicts in the Kuwaiti Business culture.

Stress har funnits förekomma i läraryrket. Stress kan samvariera med konflikter i den psykosociala arbetsmiljön. Studiens syfte var därför att undersöka om konflikthanteringsstilar hade något samband med upplevelsen av stress. Ett annat syfte var att undersöka vilken konflikthanteringsstil som var mest och minst förekommande, samt att belysa universitetslärares upplevda stressnivå. Ytterligare syfte var att undersöka om stress och konflikthanteringsstilar hade något samband med kön och ålder. Undersökningens deltagare var 92 heltidsanställda universitetslärare (52 kvinnor) vid Högskolan Väst. För datainsamlingen användes skalan Perceived Stress Scale, Thomas – Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument samt bakgrundsfrågor gällande lärarnas kön ålder och tillhörande institution. Resultatet visade att den konkurrerande stilen var minst förekommande och att lärarnas upplevda stressnivå ansågs vara relativt låg. Det visades förekomma svaga positiva icke-signifikanta samband mellan stress och två konflikthanteringsstilar; samverkan och undvikande. Sambandet mellan stress och den undvikande stilen, samt mellan stress och den samverkande stilen, diskuterades bero på att det kan upplevas som mer stressande att se till bådas behov i en konflikt. Resultatet fann att stress och den konkurrerande stilen tenderade att vara mindre förekommande hos äldre universitetslärarna. Den konkurrerande stilen visades även vara den minst förekommande konflikthanteringsstilen hos lärarna, vilket diskuteras som positivt eftersom det indikerar att lärarna inte är angelägna om att tillgodose sina egna behov framför sina studenters. Ett kritiskt förhållningssätt bör hållas till resultatet, eftersom den interna konsistensen gällande konflikthanteringsstilar var svårbedömd / Stress has been found to occur in the teaching profession. Stress is connected with conflicts in the psychosocial work environment. The purpose of the study was to investigate if conflict styles were related to the experience of stress. The study examined which style that was most and least frequent, and university teachers perceived stress levels. A further aim was to examine whether stress and conflict styles were related to gender and age. The participants were 92 full-time teachers (52 women) at University West. For the data collection the Perceived Stress Scale and Thomas - Kilmann Conflict Mode Instruments were used among with background questions regarding gender, age and institutional belonging. The results showed the competing style to be least frequent and that teachers' perceived stress level was considered to be relatively low. The results also showed a weak positive non-significant correlation between stress and the two styles; collaboration and avoidance. The relationship between stress and the avoidance style, and between stress and the collaborative style, were discussed to be perceived as more stressful since both styles try to ensure both needs in a conflict. The study found that stress and the competing style tended to be less frequent and less prevalent among older teachers, which were discussed to be positive since it indicates that teachers do not look to meet their own needs in front of their students. A critical approach should be use with these results, since the internal consistency regarding conflict management styles, were difficult to assess

ABSTRACT THE IMPACT OF MOTIVATION AND CONFLICT ESCALATION ON THE FIVE ZONE MODEL FOR PREFERRED CONFLICT HANDLING AND MANAGERIAL DECISION MAKING BY DEWEY WILSON TODD JULY 2005 Committee Chairmen: Dr. Peter Zhang and Dr. Craig Hill Major Department: Managerial Sciences (Decision Sciences) The Todd-Cambridge Preferred Conflict-Handling Mode (PCHM) Instrument is an example of a two-dimensional, five zone model, similar to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, used to explain how individuals deal with situations in which their desires are in conflict with another individual or group. The instrument, developed for this research, was based on the Managerial Grid (Van de Vliert & Kabanoff, 1990). The two variables in the PCHM model are Assertiveness and Cooperativeness. Two additional interacting, independent variables (Motivation and Conflict Escalation) were posited to affect a sudden change in subject action under situations wherein there are different views of recommended decisions. The third variable being explored by this research is “Motivation”. This represents a measure of one’s degree of attachment with respect to a decision. Motivation may originate in compensation, personal regard or an emotional attachment. The primary theory was that while assertiveness and cooperativeness may be statistically uncorrelated, although interdependent for the purposes of categorization (Van de Vliert & Kabanoff, 1990), motivation creates an interaction effect with the other two variables and can be shown by inserting either a negative or positive motivational vignette between two administrations of the PCHM instrument. In other words, when one is highly motivated on a decision component there will be a predictable change in PCHM. Five of ten hypotheses were supported (null rejected) in investigating the effect of motivation. The fourth variable explored was “Conflict Escalation” – also introduced in the form of a vignette. The purpose was to determine the effect on PCHM when a normal group decision making environment suddenly intensified in conflict. Individuals are classified according to the five preference categories, with one primary preference generally emerging. The research question here was, “…as conflict escalates, does the dominant preference score of the individual change significantly?” This could potentially affect communication and make participants more disparate. In two of the five hypotheses, this theory was supported. The conclusion was that, although PCHM has traditionally been considered static, it can be affected suddenly and with a degree of predictability. This can be evidenced through motivation and conflict escalation.

Service integration is central to current government strategy for promoting positive outcomes for young people with educational and additional needs, yet evidence to support the efficacy of this strategy remains elusive. A review of the literature finds that many of the facilitators of successful multi-agency working are at the intra-group level. These barriers and facilitating factors are organised into an Eco-systemic Model of Multi-Agency Working (EMMA) which addresses leadership processes, group-level interactions and problem-solving processes. The first stage of the study generates data for intervention materials to be used in the second stage. This is achieved by comparing the purposes and practices of each group at different systemic levels. This stage of the study also provides baseline questionnaire data for the second stage of the study. Consideration is given to the sources of conflict within each group, the strategies used to resolve these conflicts and the levels of hierarchical and systemic thinking within the participating multi-agency groups. The resulting analysis is found to fit well within the EMMA model and the distinctiveness of each of the systemic levels as well as their interdependence is discussed. Suggestions are made for improved multi-agency practices and new directions for the educational psychologist in facilitating improved practice are explored. Paper II Abstract In the first phase of this two-stage study, self-organised learning principles were proposed as a useful knowledge base upon which to draw when facilitating change in multi-agency groups. In this second phase, this hypothesis is put to the test. Data from the first phase is used in combination with wider research findings to design feedback materials for participating groups. Evidence gathered from ensuing meeting transcripts, interviews and questionnaire data is compared with baseline data gathered in the first phase to assess the impact of this intervention on group functioning. Evidence is presented of improved clarity of purpose, improved group functioning and early signs of improved outcomes, though results are highly variable between groups. Different levels of group functioning were found to be inter-dependent, lending support to an eco-systemic model of multi-agency working. Trait-based models of leadership and conflict resolution are challenged. It is argued that improving outcomes for young people is dependent upon the healthy functioning of multi-agency groups and that investing resources in reflective learning in multi-agency groups is a worthwhile step towards securing better outcomes for young people.

The objective of this thesis is the relationship between emotional intelligence and individual conflict styles. In the theoretical part of the thesis the construct of emotional intelligence is introduced, followed by description of the most significant theoretical conceptions and models of emotional intelligence and by description of various approaches to its measurement. Theoretical debate about the relevance and validity of the construct of emotional intelligence and the main arguments of its proponents as well as of its critics are summarized. In following chapters the theory of conflict styles and its typology as well as ways of its measurement are described. Also the main findings about the group differences in conflict styles are presented. After introduction of these two concepts, emotional intelligence and conflict styles, existing research findings on their relationships are described. In the empirical part of the thesis the relationships between two dimensions of the emotional intelligence, emotional understanding and emotional management, and conflict styles are tested. Obtained results are not unequivocal. While there was not found any significant relationship between emotional understanding and conflict styles, in the case of emotional management analysis revealed negative relationship with the...

Bakgrund och problemformulering: I hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisationer är konflikter oundvikliga, ständigt förekommande och en naturlig del av arbetsplatsen. Ökad ohälsa i form av arbetsrelaterade sjukdomar och stress kan härledas till konflikter på arbetsplatsen. Trots det upplever många chefer ett obehag och svårigheter med hur konflikter ska hanteras. Syfte: Sammanställa aktuell forskning och få en samlad bild av olika konflikthanteringsstrategier med relevans för hälso- och sjukvårdsadministration under åren 2010-2021. Detta för att bidra till en hållbar hantering av mellanmänskliga konflikter inom hälso- och sjukvård för att främja en hälsofrämjande arbetsmiljö. Metod: Systematisk litteraturstudie med kvalitativ ansats. Analysen utfördes genom att syntetisera och sammanställa innehållet i tolv vetenskapliga primärstudier med både kvalitativ och kvantitativ ansats. Resultat: Studiens resultat indikerar att det finns ett orsakssamband mellan demografiska faktorer och val av konflikthanteringsstrategi. Vidare visar resultatet på att det finns en medvetenhet hos chefer om att en kompromissande, integrerande och aktiv konflikthantering huvudsakligen är det mest effektiva, men vissa studier indikerar att undvikande och dominerade strategier är förekommande. Resultatet visar även att chefer använder sig utav flera olika konflikthanteringsstrategier. Diskussion: Vi anser att konflikthantering bör vara ett prioriterat område för chefer som arbetar i verksamheter inom vård och omsorg för de tydligt positiva effekterna en effektiv konflikthantering har på hälsa för anställda, ökad effektivitet och vårdkvalitet. Samtidigt saknas det studier baserat på svensk kontext, orsakssamband och val av konflikthanteringsstrategier samt koppling till arbetsmiljö. Därför anser vi det nödvändigt med ytterligare forskning för att nå och möjliggöra ett hållbart och hälsofrämjande ledarskap. / Background: In health care organizations, conflicts are inevitable, constantly occurring and a natural part of the workplace. Decreased health in the form of occupational illnesses and stress can be attributed to unhandled workplace conflicts. Despite this, many nurse managers experience discomfort and difficulties with how conflicts should be handled. Aim: This study aimed to compile current research and present an overall picture of different conflict management strategies relevant to health care administration during the years 2010-2021. This is to contribute to the sustainable management of interpersonal conflicts in health care in order to promote a health-promoting work environment. Method: Systematic literature study with a qualitative approach. The analysis was performed by synthesizing and compiling twelve primary scientific studies with both a qualitative and quantitative approach. Results: Our result indicates a causal relationship between demographic factors and the choice of conflict management strategy. Furthermore, the results show that there is an awareness among managers that compromising, integrative and active conflict management generally is the most effective, but some studies indicate that avoidant and dominated strategies is prevalent. The results also show that managers use several different conflict management strategies. Conclusion/Discussion: Effective conflict management positively affects occupational health, organizational efficiency, and the quality of care. Therefore, we believe that conflict management should be a priority area for managers and management training in healthcare. There is a lack of studies based on the Swedish context, causation and choice of conflict management strategies, and connection to occupational health. Further research is needed to achieve and enable sustainable and health-promoting leadership.