In South Africa, private and public sector organizations have been experiencing
conflict at an increasing rate during the past few decades and especially the last
ten years. The prominence and high level with which conflict is regarded in this
new democracy has made the study of this phenomenon more relevant.
Especially within business organizations, between individuals, groups, and at
management level, the influence of transformation and affirmative action has
steadily affected interpersonal and intergroup relations. This situation makes it
more difficult to handle or to manage. The lack of knowledge experienced in
many business organizations causes mismanagement of conflict which
eventually (directly or indirectly) affects the productivity of the employee corps
and subsequently, the effectivity or profitability of the organization.
The objective of this study was to establish by means of a comparative
theoretical and empirical analysis, the nature, causes and handling/
management styles of conflict within a public and a private sector organization.
Being respectively non-profit and profit driven organizations and having
introduced affirmative action and transformation at different degrees, it was
possible to evaluate the effect with regard to conflict.
The research method followed in this study was both qualitative and
quantitative. In the first five chapters a theoretical, qualitative approach was
applied. Different theories of conflict, from the classical, neo-classical to modern
systems, were analysed in order to establish sources of conflict. From this
discussion, an analysis of conflict which was viewed by the theories of both Karl
Marx and Ralph Dahrendorf to be a social interactive process characterized by
force, strife and animosity, was accepted to form the basis of the study
regarding the sources of conflict.
Departing from this basis the various concepts of conflict as developed in the
literature were studied in a comparative way. This was followed by a
comparative analysis of conflict handling processes for which an adapted
conflict process model was presented. The elements of this model form the
core research of this study. Analysis of three key conflict handling style models
(Thomas-Killman, ROC-II and CMS) were consequently compared to decide
which one would be the most suitable for the empirical survey.
The second part of this study consisted of a quantitative comparison of causes,
handling styles and manifestation of conflict on an interpersonal basis within a
local authority and an agricultural company. This was done by means of
questionnaires containing designed variables obtained from the qualitative
section of the study and a standardized section borrowed from Rahim's ROC-II
model questionnaire.
The descriptive statistical analysis was done with the SPSS-program in
consultation with the STATCON Bureau of the Rand Afrikaans University. The
empirical survey validated the viewpoints brought forward in the qualitative part
of the study. By way of the results obtained from the analysis, the four
hypotheses which were linked to the set objectives of the study were validated.
The four hypothesis are:
- A significant difference exists with regard to the causes of conflict
between a local authority and agricultural organization.
- A significant difference exists between employees of the local authority
and the agricultural organization's perception of what effect conflict has
on them.
- A significant difference exists in the frequency with which different
conflict-handling styles are used when compared to different background
variables in both organizations.
- A significant difference exists in the frequency with which different
conflict-handling styles are used amongst employees of the agricultural
organization and local authority
Explicit findings with regard to the literature (qualitative) and empirical
(quantitative) study were brought forward, and practical recommendations for
management as well as recommendations for further research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Sociology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nwu/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/508 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Havenga, Werner |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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