There is a need to determine the real reasons for conflict in the South African context. because it seems that the transformation process brought forth a reduction in work opportunities, workers losing their jobs, an increase in workplace violence, increasing dissatisfaction amongst workers, more strikes occuring, affirmative action, discrimination, recruitment of workers without the appropriate skills, corruption, workers who are too lazy to work, and professionals going overseas, etcetera. Personnel in the companies must be adequately informed about the nature of conflict, the causes of conflict, the types of conflict and the management of conflict, because conflict is increasing and it must be managed correctly otherwise it will be destructive and inhibit the functioning of a company. The objectives of the research study are as follows: a) To determine how conflict dynamics are conceptualised in literature through the application of industrial sociological theories, organizational principles and general management theories. b) To determine the main sources of conflict within the Engineering Company. c) To determine if personnel on the horizontal and vertical levels in the Engineering Company are influenced differently by conflict. d) To determine if there is a significant difference between the personnel in the Engineering Company in the manner in which they handle conflict with their superior and subordinates. The research study consists of a theoretical and an empirical framework. Chapter 1 covers the introduction, problem statement, the method and purpose of the research, and the description of relevant terms. In Chapter 2, the philosophies of Georg Friedrich Hegel and Immanuel Kant, and the theories of Karl Marx and Max Weber are used to serve as a basis on which the study can be built. In Chapter 3, the nature of conflict is discussed in terms of the following types of conflict: interpersonal conflict, intrapersonal conflict, intergroup conflict, and intragroup conflict. The management of the different types of conflict is also discussed. Chapter 3 covers the empirical data of the research, and the empirical research results of the study. The most important results of this study and recommendations are given in Chapter 5. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Sociology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Sociology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

There is a need to determine the real reasons for conflict in the South African context. because it seems that the transformation process brought forth a reduction in work opportunities, workers losing their jobs, an increase in workplace violence, increasing dissatisfaction amongst workers, more strikes occuring, affirmative action, discrimination, recruitment of workers without the appropriate skills, corruption, workers who are too lazy to work, and professionals going overseas, etcetera. Personnel in the companies must be adequately informed about the nature of conflict, the causes of conflict, the types of conflict and the management of conflict, because conflict is increasing and it must be managed correctly otherwise it will be destructive and inhibit the functioning of a company. The objectives of the research study are as follows: a) To determine how conflict dynamics are conceptualised in literature through the application of industrial sociological theories, organizational principles and general management theories. b) To determine the main sources of conflict within the Engineering Company. c) To determine if personnel on the horizontal and vertical levels in the Engineering Company are influenced differently by conflict. d) To determine if there is a significant difference between the personnel in the Engineering Company in the manner in which they handle conflict with their superior and subordinates. The research study consists of a theoretical and an empirical framework. Chapter 1 covers the introduction, problem statement, the method and purpose of the research, and the description of relevant terms. In Chapter 2, the philosophies of Georg Friedrich Hegel and Immanuel Kant, and the theories of Karl Marx and Max Weber are used to serve as a basis on which the study can be built. In Chapter 3, the nature of conflict is discussed in terms of the following types of conflict: interpersonal conflict, intrapersonal conflict, intergroup conflict, and intragroup conflict. The management of the different types of conflict is also discussed. Chapter 3 covers the empirical data of the research, and the empirical research results of the study. The most important results of this study and recommendations are given in Chapter 5. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Sociology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

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.