CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Organizational wellness is any workplace health promotion activity or organizational policy designed to support healthy behavior in the organizational and to improve health outcomes. One of the ways an organization can wellness is through conflict management.

Conflict refers to some form of friction, disagreement, or discord arising within a group when the beliefs or actions of one or more members of the group are either resisted by or unacceptable to one or more members of another group. Conflict can arise between members of the same group, known as intergroup conflict, or it can occur between members of two or more groups, and involve violence, interpersonal discord, and psychological tension, known as intergroup conflict. Conflict in groups often follows a specific course. This period of conflict escalation in some cases gives way to a conflict resolution stage, after which the group can eventually return to routine group interaction once again (Harvard Program on Negotiation Glossary, “Conflict” 2013). Conflict is a social factual situation in which at least two parties (individuals, groups, states) are involved, and who strive for goals which are incompatible to begin with or strive for the same goal, which, can only be reached by one party and want to employ incompatible means to achieve a certain goal (Schmid, 1998).

Conflict is the most common general and wide-spread phenomenon that is synonymous with group activity and interaction. According to Uya (1992), conflict cannot be completely dissociated from human beings and their endeavors be it group or organization. This means that conflict is necessary evil that one cannot do without. Conflict is natural and normal phenomenon in all spheres of life. It is an unavoidable component of human activity (Gerami, 2009) that may be viewed as a situation in which the concerns of two or more individuals appear to be incompatible (Darling & Fogliasso,1999), and which tends to occur when individuals or groups perceive that others are preventing them attaining their goals (Antonioni,1998). More broadly, conflict is an interactive process manifested in incompatibility, disagreement, or dissonance within or between social entities i.e. individual, group, organization etc. (Sander, 2009).Within organizations conflicts are inevitable, and arise in case of disagreements over workloads, problems in communication, individual differences in needs, wants, goals, values, opinions, preferences or behavior, as well as in case of conflict between employees and employers (Augustine,2000; Bisno,1998). Explicitly, as human beings interact in organizations, differing values and situations create tension and conflict (Stimec & Poitras, 2009). Conflict refers to a situation in which there are incompatible goals, cognition or emotion within or between individuals or group that led to opposition (Uya, 1992). This definition recognizes three basic types of conflict which are goal conflict which arises when the desired outcomes are in compatible between groups cognitive and effective conflict. Cognitive conflicts arise as a result of incompatibility of ideas.  Affective conflict on the other hand usually arises when there is an incompatibility in emotions. Conflict can also arise when two or more values, prospective and opinions are contradictory in natures and have not been agreed upon, conflict has both positive and negative effect on organization that is why there is a need for effective conflict management strategy. Conflict management refers to an attempt to control or regulate conflict through a number of measures. Adeyemi and Ademilua, (2012) constructively managed conflict induces a positive performance while privately managed conflict heats up the environment to bring about dislocation of the entire group and polarization reduced productivity on job performance, psychological and physical injury. Though an effective conflict management a cooperative atmosphere is created to promote opportunities and movements are directed towards non- violent, recondition or basic clashing interest (Uchindu, Anijaobi and Odigwe, 2013). From the foregoing therefore, the study seeks to examine the relationship between conflict management and organizational wellness of deposit money Bank in Port Harcourt.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Expanding industrial activities have been ascribed incompletely as casualisation of specialists (Kalejaiye, 2014). Taking the banking sector as a case, as related to the extent to which the issue can be seen. 

Considering the impact of conflict in an organization and how people view the concept it becomes imperative for such a research work to be carried out in order for the organization association and even interested public appreciate the concept. This study also seeks to explain the effectiveness of conflict in organization and also the harmony available in managing the conflict. Numerous organizations in  Nigeria  are  tormented  by  a  bunch  of  issues  and  illnesses  created  by  wasteful  and incapable administrative style or strained relationship amongst administration and the worker’s party (Fapohunda, 2012).   It is against these problems that this study empirically evaluates the relationship between conflict management and organizational wellness of deposit money Bank in Port Harcourt to bridge the gap.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between conflict management and cooperative wellness. The specific objectives of the study are to

1.       Examine the relationship between conflict avoidance and organizational wellness of deposit money banks in Rivers State.

2.       Determine the relationship between competition and organizational wellness of deposit money banks in Rivers State.

3.       Ascertain the relationship between cooperation and organizational wellness in selected deposit money bank in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions were proposed to guide the study.

1.       Does conflict avoidance relate with organizational wellness of deposit money banks in Rivers State?

2.       Does competition relate with organizational wellness of deposit money banks in Rivers State?

3.       Does cooperation relate with organizational wellness of deposit money banks in Rivers State?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H01: There is no significant relationship between avoidance and organizational wellness of deposit money banks in Rivers State.

H02: There is no significant relationship between competition and organizational wellness of deposit money banks in Rivers State.

H03: There is no significant relationship between cooperation and organizational wellness of deposit money banks in Rivers State.

1.6 Significant of the Study

The relevant of this study rest in the importance to stakeholders in the organization. This study will assist organizational managers on the tools techniques to employ in managing conflict in their respective organizations in the banking industries. This study is pertinent to trade unionist in their respective organizations. This study is justified because it will assist in the stability and relative profitability in the organization particularly in the period of economic recession. This study will also contribute in enriching the literature in industrial relations particularly in management sciences in general.

1.7 Scope/Limitation of the Study

The study is delimited under the following headings; content scope, geographical scope and unit of analysis

Content Scope: The content of this study involves on investigation to ascertain the relationship between conflict management and organizational wellness.

Geographical Scope: This study is delimited to selected banks in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Unit of Analysis: The unit of analysis involved the staff at the terms of carrying this study. The scope of this study is to ascertain the relationship between conflict management and organizational wellness.

In carrying out an investigation of this nature the researcher must of necessity be faced with some constraints.

Firstly, the time constraints, the time frame provided for this study was short.

Secondly, Financial constraints. Usually, a study of this nature involved some level of expenditure therefore; finance was also a limiting factor.

Thirdly, Poor response from the respondent and inability to access the entire population of the study. In the next segment significance of the study will be discussed. Lastly, poor measurement instrument.

1.8 Definition of Related Terms

AVOIDANCE

This study argues that “avoidance” in some instances, be recognized as an active form of conflict resolution.

COMPETITION

It reflects a desire to meet one’s own needs and concerns at the expense of the other party.

COOPERATION

Cooperation is the most appropriate tool for managing organizational conflict if do not suffer the parties from time pressures.

CONFLICT AVOIDANCE

 It is the attempts to keep the conflict surfacing at all or would simply ignore the conflict or impose a solution.

ADAPTABILITY

Is an aspect of resilience that reflect clearing flexibility to experiment and adopt novel solutions and the development of generalized response to broad classes of challenges.

resources base.

CONFLICT

This refers to a solution in which there are incompatible goals recognition or emotion within or individual or group that lead to opposition.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

This can be defined as attempt to control or regulate conflict through numbers of measures.