ANALYSIS OF STRATEGIES FOR RESOLVING ORGANIZATION CONFLICTS IN NIGERIA

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

According to Hobbes (1996) conflict is any breakdown in standard of mechanism of decision making without any specified reference to competition. In his further conceptualization, Makus (2000) sees conflict as the relationships between groups which involves compatible differences of objectives. He argued that conflict implies some type of hostility and perhaps some desire to do harm and must at the very least be considered as extreme case of competition. Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary (2005) sees conflict as an active disagreement between people with opposing opinions or principles.

Ugwu (2007) sees conflict as Natural phenomena in an organization, she said that conflict can be good or bad but managers are advised to accept it and adopt strategies to manage it.

Organizational conflict according to David (2001) is a disagreement between two or more organization members or groups arising from the fact that they have difference status, goal, values or perceptions.

Onwuta (2002) defined industrial organization as one, which is made up of people who through the ale of their labour power has come together for a common purpose. The relationships they enter into in the course of productive activity to a large extent determine the degree of harmony, disharmony, conflict and smoothness.

Ugwu (2006) conflict is inevitable in every organization starting from the nuclear family to the most complex organization one can think of in the world of work. Disputes are inevitable, the reason being that the social partners have opposing interests often time these disagreement escalate to industrial action such as strike, look out, work to rule etc. When conflict are envisaged, management will begin to set machineries to avoid it. Our workers and management are faced with human and organizational conflict everyday, but the ability to solve these problem show in high level of maturity.

Organizational conflict then means a disagreement between two or more organizational members or groups arising from the fact that have different status, goals, values or perception. J.K. Broan (1970) organizational conflicts vary in forms and intensity from place to place and from time to time. The specific factors that accounts for such variation are determined by the circumstance of each conflict situation. This managing or finding solution to them requires not just a clear understanding of the nature and genesis of each conflict but also more importantly identifying its indicator/signals in order to if possible prevent it, Gehard (200).

Conflict seems to be as old as human society itself, it has attracted the attention of different social thinkers and management consultants who have attempted to explain yit in different ways, social thinkers such as Machvels, Hobbes and Max offer a materialistic interpretation of conflict. They said that the root of all conflict in human society can be traced to the struggle of individuals and small groups to acquire and control the material conditions of existence. This struggles in variably becomes a zero sun game, the winner takes iut all and the looser equally losses it all. Thus organization can remain in business and make profit over a long period by managing and resolving internal and external conflicts that are incident on her existence, organizational conflict which is inherent in Nigeria contemporary society, is a social problem ravaging our industries. Organizational inefficiency and low output has been linked to organizational with reference to Nigeria Breweries Plc. Ninth mile corner, Enugu.

This study will examine the issues of organizational conflict in Nigeria Brewery with interest and purpose of understanding its type, genesis and consequences in order to proffer adequate solution at ameliorating the trend in Nigeria industries in particular Nigeria Brewery plc, Ninth mile corner Enugu.

1.2 Statement of the problem

Management of organizations/industries should be of great concern to management of various corporate organizations.

According to UNICEF, report 2002, on :Organizational management” when conflict exists in any organization, it posses a threat to that sectors and the entire economy. Still on the same UNICEF Journal 2002, report that American energy generating company collapsed because of internal conflict. Enugu, which was voted American highest energy generating company, was run down by inability of its board of directors to control internal conflict rocking the organization.

Adedeji (1994) reported in Daily time Newspaper f 4th June 1994 that Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAM) plc, retrenched all its junior staff who were agitating for better incentives and for their refusal to carry on their normal work activities while negotiation were on within the same period. This industrial unrest was symbol of organizational conflicts. These conflicts have devastating effect on the performance of organization such as Nigeria Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu.

Conflict however, have economic importance in a particular organization (manufacturing or marketing). Conflict within a reasonable level or competition can enhance the production or sales of such organization. This industrial action can last for days without the impact of no production, no profit, excess labour cost, loss of market to competitors etc.

It is the attainment of corporate objectives and organizational performance depends largely upon the management or organizational conflict. It is now a challenge to find an ending resolution in the industrial sector.

However, the impact or effect of high degree of conflict on corporate organization regarding their objectived is paramount to the causes of this research strike action that culminate into industrial unrest is agitation for better incentives, better living conditions, etc, are efforts to attain the objectives. Due to the damaging effect of conflict have on organizational growth, existence, profit, customers and workers, the research deem it fit to examine conflicts and the resolution procedures and methods in major manufacturing organization in Nigeria, using Nigeria Breweries plc, Ninth mile Enugu.

This will enable us access the existence of conflict in the company; the negative and positive effect of such conflict on productivity and workforce of the organization and the promptness of the new solution of the conflict given Nigeria Breweries Plc, Ninth mile Enugu.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

This research work is aimed to unravel the effect of organizational conflicts with respect to Nigerian Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu, Enugu State.

The purpose of the study is as follows:

1. To identify forms and dimensions of organizational conflict in Nigerian Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu.
2. To identify the strategies that can be used in solving organizational conflict in Nigeria Brewery Plc, Ninth mile Enugu.
3. To access the effectiveness of the strategies in resolving organizational conflict in Nigeria Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu.
4. To find out the consequences or organizational conflict on Nigeria industries and to evaluate how conflict affect the output of Nigerian Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu.
5. To discover new solution or strategies to organizational conflict in Nigerian Brewery plc and proffer solution to the problem.
6. To find out the factors or organizational conflict in Nigeria Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions are raised to enhance the study of this topic:

1. What are the forms or organizational conflict in Nigeria Brewery Plc, Ninth mile Enugu.
2. What strategies have been used in solving organizational conflict in Nigeria Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu?
3. What are the factors of organizational conflict in Nigerian Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu
4. What are the solution to the organizational conflict in Nigerian Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu?
5. What are the consequences of organizational conflict in Nigeria plc, Ninth mile Enugu?
6. How effective had the strategies been in achieving solution in Nigeria Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu.

1.5 Research Hypothesis

1. Ho: Poor management does not lead to organizational conflict
   Hi: Poor management lead to organizational conflict
2. Ho: Poor motivational attitude of managers does not result to organizational conflict.
   Hi: Poor motivational attitude of managers result to organizational conflict.
3. Ho: Organizational conflict and resolution strategies affect productivity in organizations.
   Hi: Organizational conflict and resolution strategies does not affect productivity in organizations.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is very wide if it has to be carried out in all industries in Nigeria. The study is limited, based on the fact that there is no time and material resources to see the whole nation. This study is limited to Nigeria Brewery plc, Ninth mile corner Ngwo, Enugu state and the findings may not reflect the solution in the whole country. These findings may not be valid for the whole industries in Nigeria but by and large, what happens in Nigerian Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu state can be said to apply in other industries.

1.7 Significance of the Study

The significance of this study could be divided into two types.

1. Theoretical and
2. Practical significance

Theoretical Significance:

This research work is significance theoretical in several ways. The research work is to study and understand the effect of conflict in our industrial environment and how to curb them. The study will go a long way in adding new strategies and solution to existing theories of conflict resolution in Nigerian Brewery plc, Ninth mile Enugu.

Practical Significance:

This research work will enable organizational managers to know when conflict is beyond their control and what to do in such phenomenological solution. It will also help them on the effects of conflict caused by reason other than simple operations. The study will also help various organizations to avoid those areas of conflict with the management and learn how to relate with the management to ride away conflict on the bud, it will also damage the growth of the national economy through strikes now and in future.

Government is not left out, as it will help them in solving conflict inherent in the organizations in Nigeria.

1.8 Definition of Terms

There are some terms used in their chapter, which will should be clearly defined. Such terms are:

1. Psychological propensity
2. Strikes
3. Output
4. Organization
5. Conflict resolution

a) Psychological Propensity:

This term is used in this project, it means personal behaviour exhibited in person such that be believes in this struggle. This during conflict man seems to exhibit such psychological behaviour in that the tries as much as possible through any means to be the miner in the conflicts

b) Strikes:

It is used in this work, it is a time when no work is done because of disagreement eg. Over pay or working condition. Strike is also a breakdown of relationship between employers and employees whereby works stop work and workplace close down.

c) Output:

This refers to the final product of an organization e.g. larger beer from Nigerian Brewery. The term output is associated with production the final product of an organization is referred to as output.

d) Organization:

It is operational to this work, it means a formal structured and collection of people or group of people who come together strictly for business purpose or production purposes.

e) Conflict Resolution:

This is the way of finding or bringing possible solution to the problems or conflict. It denotes to resolve, that is a formal decision or settlement made by the vote of a group, and it is a decision on a problem anarchy that arise in an organization.