Conflict Analysis and Resolution - Research Proposal Example

Conflict Analysis and Resolution Methodology a. Research questions To what degree and to what extent the impact of the primarily and immediately relevant aspects of organizational conflicts affect employee relations in the US organizations and how they are resolved? What’s the level of response by companies to performance related outcomes against the backdrop of deteriorating employee relations? Why good employ relations are vital in order to maximize the productivity of an organization while conflict resolution is pushed into a secondary place? What’s the nature of correlations between and among the dependent and independent variables such as the government policy and the functional level impact of the trade unions on employee relations? What are the a priori and a posteriori causative variables that have contributed to the current level of deterioration in the US employee relations and how they have impacted on the learning outcomes? The primacy and the immediacy of trade union powers, including the collective bargaining and the employer’s freedom to manipulate legislation to overcome such resistance to change coming from entrenched labor. b. Hypothesis Employment relationship has become more and more individualistic due to many reasons. Reasons such as those related to the ambiguity and limited scope of labor laws; the implied absence of the employment relationship; the uncertainty about who the employer is; lack of enforcement and compliance; the triangular employment relationship and the disguised employment relationship (Appelbaum, 1999). In other words the legally defined work place relationship between the employer and the employee has become rather individualistic to a greater extent depending on a number of endogenous and exogenous variables such as employers’ preferences, employees’ willingness to accept such relationships and even time related economic pressures such as the prevailing global economic downturn. The strategic competition has forced organizations to adopt far reaching policy changes on employee relations with reference to both its operational strategy and the mission related corporate governance principles in order to achieve horizontal and vertical synergies which is associated with its organizational goals and objectives. Therefore the limitations that have cropped up against government and institutional efforts to curtail informal individualization of the employment relationship are many. c. Variables used The variables that were used were productivity, revenue, level of competition, market structure, the nature of the industry, trade union powers, collective bargaining process, the nature of labor markets and the impact of government policies on employee / industrial relations. Each of these variables would be analyzed using statistical methods such as correlations, regressions variances and so on (Marquardt, 1993). d. Unit of Analysis In this analysis it’s hoped to target individual employees of four companies involved in different industries. In this analysis the employees gave their own individual opinions too regarding industrial relations (Elsayed-Ekjiouly, & Buda, 1996). In the sample selected different employee levels were target so as to elicit their different opinions on conflicts in organizations and how they may be resolved. e. Sample population The questionnaire was administered to 50 randomly selected employees representing various levels in four organizations in New York. The survey was conducted among 20 company employees in these four organizations. That includes three private organizations and one government organization. Office personal including the likes of managers, executives, supervisors, clerks and casual employees were used in the survey and questionnaire. f. Research Design This Chapter presents the research methodology utilised to analyse the research data and describes the various methods used in this study. This research paper basically consists of two data sets – primary and secondary. Primary data set consists of a survey and a questionnaire. While responses to the survey were recorded with much more accuracy and detail, responses to the questionnaire were sifted and collated to identify significant trends and process orientations in decision making (Druckman, 2005). Secondary data was collected through an extensive research effort conducted both online and in libraries. The researcher extensively used the books written on the topic and also studied research journals, reports, graphs, articles, newspaper articles and so on. References were taken from most of the research material available in the field. The proposed research study would be quantitative in nature but encompass elements of qualitative research also so that better and more accurate conclusions could be achieved. Since the research involves the study of the impact of conflict on organizations and their resolution, a fairly large sample size comprising of employees of four organizations would be taken.The study would be taking into account the conceptual model as well as the theoretical model (Richards, 2002). The samples selected and the questionnaires would be prepared as per the theoretical model of survey and a wider conceptual model of the research would be used to analyze the data. The primary research aspect of this paper would consist of two parts – a questionnaire and a survey. (1) Primary Research (i) Questionnaire The questions in the questionnaire were planned in advance. The questionnaire was given to 50 employees working in four organizations. The researcher has exercised some discretion as to how these questions might explained but the aim is to standardize data as far as possible and to eliminate biases and prejudices due to different patterns in wording. The questions in the questionnaire may be phrased in such a manner that the respondent might exercise some discretion in answering or not. The possible answers are predefined so that the respondent’s freedom in responding to the question is limited to one of the pre-coded responses and thus data analysis is rendered easier. a) Preparation of questionnaire This is the most significant aspect in the design and planning process of a primary research program because a haphazardly designed questionnaire might jeopardize an otherwise well carried out survey. During this phase it is often desirable to plan ahead for the different outcomes related to variables and tabulations for later analysis. It is much more desirable that a dummy tabulation technique ought to have been prepared in advance, if possible. This researcher would adopt such an approach. Such an approach would facilitate the inclusion of the right information. In preparing the questionnaire this researcher kept the following points on mind to avoid unwanted dilemmas. Only the most relevant questions were included. Personal questions were framed in such a manner in order to avoid inconvenience. Questions would be ordered in a logical sequence. Those supposedly awkward personal questions were excluded. b) Administration of Questionnaire Once the questionnaire is prepared it may be administered by three different methods. Direct personal interviews. Email inquiry Telephonic conversation. In this research study the direct method was used. This method was much more desirable because most of the respondents are educated and co-operative and they realised the significance and relevance of the questionnaire. In these instances there is an obvious problem associated with non-response due to negligence on the part of respondents. However in the current circumstances such negligence was minimal. (ii) Survey The researcher hopes to undertake a survey among 20 employees working in 4 selected companies. The survey was designed and planned according to the weighting given in accordance with value attached to each question and response (Sobh, 2006). Value parameters of the survey would be determined by the amount of importance that each question and response takes in the context of analyzing the impact that conflicts have on organizations and what methods could be employed to resolve them. This survey would adopt semi-structured interviews while structured and unstructured interviews would be ruled out. Semi-structured type of interviews helps the methodically structured interview guide, which includes ratings and substantially open-ended questions. Semi-structured type of interviews is the most suitable choice to gather data since it allows the researcher to lead informal conversations based on prior decided topics. In ordinary language an interview is a social communication process between two people, with one person gathering facts from the other. It’s the interaction that distinguishes the direct methodology from indirect methodology. Semi-structured interviews permit the interviewer to ask each interviewee the same questions in the same manner. A well controlled and structured schedule of questions and a formal format are used, that resemble a questionnaire. (2). Secondary Research Secondary data was collected through an extensive research effort conducted both online and in libraries. The researcher extensively used the books written on the topic and also studied research journals, reports, graphs, articles, newspaper articles and so on. References were taken from most of the research material available in the field (Creswell, 2008). This study depends mainly on the secondary material, because theoretical analysis is much well facilitated by it than primary material which is basically limited to responses in the questionnaire and the survey. The available literature has been analyzed with specific focus on conflict analysis and resolution. This researcher has tried to show the most important aspectual overview of the research in the Literature Review. Also there is considerable reflection on the state and relevance of current research. Future research possibilities in the field are discussed in depth to show how theoretical underpinnings evolve with time and space. There is little or no critical literature to support the methodology of metrically determining the feasibility, attraction and obstacles to employment conflict and their resolution. This particular handicap has affected the researcher to a greater extent. However the research methodology segment of this paper places emphasis on the qualitative aspect of it rather than the quantitative aspect. As such the available empirical evidence has been greatly utilized by the researcher to delineate the current line of arguments as expounded in the Literature Review of this paper. g. Data Collection Measurement techniques would comprise of questionnaires and interview schedules. Primary data collection would be collected through detailed and qualitative and quantitative questionnaires prepared (Bazeley, 2002). The survey would entail questionnaire filled directly by random selection as well as through email. Sampling area would comprise of randomly selected employees from four selected organizations. Special interview schedules would also be used to gauge the responses of the union leaders since they represent the overall opinion of the employees. Future research possibilities in the field are discussed in depth to show the impact that conflicts in organizations have towards the productivity of the organization. There is little or no substantive literature to underpin the methodology of metrically determining the feasibility, attraction and obstacles to creating a theoretical conceptual contingency model on the impact that conflicts have on the functioning of an organization (Treiman, 2009). This particular handicap has affected this researcher to a greater extent. However the research methodology segment of this paper places emphasis on the qualitative aspect of it rather than the quantitative aspect. As such the available empirical evidence has been greatly utilized by the researcher to delineate the current line of arguments as expounded in the Literature Review of this paper. h. Data Analysis Q. 1. Please state your gender The population sample for the questionnaire was 50. 60% of them were male employees and 40% female employees. Q. 2. For how long have you been working at this organization? Only a few employees have worked for more than 5 years at one organization. Conflicts at organizations have contributed to this. Most have worked only for a year or two Q. 3. What conflict resolution methods are available at your organization? A few organizations had none of the conflict resolutions. But most companies had some conflict resolution method (Sandole, & Byrne, 2008). Arbitration and Internal mediation were the most common, while coaching was also used in some companies. Q. 4. What organization conflict polices have been documented? In most of the organizations Employee Handbook, Disciplinary Code and Procedure and Performance Review Policy are used. Q. 5. How would you rate the impact that organizational conflicts has had on your career on a scale of 1to10? 70 percent of the respondents answered with the range of 7 to 8. 20 percent rated it on 9 to 10. These figures indicate that organizational conflict has had a major impact on the careers of most employees. Q. 6. What trainings your organization has offered in the last 3 years? Only about 20 % of the employees said that their organization has offered training on Conflict Resolution, however most of the employees stated that they had training on dealing with difficult people and dealing with anger. Q. 7. Does your company have a vision, mission and values statement that specifically deals with conflict management? Yes/ No Roughly 65% of the employees said ‘no’ to this question. It indicates the fact that most organizations do not emphasize much on conflict management. Q.8. Is conflict management a core competency in the organization? Yes/No Out of the 50 respondents, 63% said “no” to this question. This further testifies the fact that not much emphasis is laid on conflict management at most organizations. Q. 9. Are people available to provide help to disputants e.g. to give advice, represent them, serve as mediators? Yes/No Most of the respondents said ‘no’ (70 percent) to this. Most of the companies didn’t have people to give advice, represent them and so on. Q. 10. Can disputants air their grievances fully in their own terms without consequences? Yes/No, Please specify Most of the respondents specified that they were reluctant to air their grievances as they feared that it would have adverse consequences on them. Survey Q. 1. Check which conflict resolution polices have been documented? Conflict resolution policies such as Sexual Harassment Policy, General Anti-Discrimination Policy and ADR Programs are used at most organizations. Q. 2. What Conflict Management measures are used at your organization? Conflict management measures such as Absenteeism, Turnover and Cases Litigated are often used. Q. 3. Which Conflict Management Resource Persons are currently on the staff? Conflict Management Resource Persons such as Human Resource Manager, Training manager, Mediator and facilitator are mostly in the staff at these organizations. Conclusion From the above analysis it can be inferred that conflict resolution is still an issue that is neglected by most of the organizations. Measures such as Conflict Resolution Procedures need to be laid more emphasis. Even employee conflict policies have to be documented and conflict management measures such as absenteeism, turnover and time spent on conflict should be considered. It is also vital that organizations offer training programs on such matters as communication, listening, dealing with difficult people, dealing with anger and customer service and so on. It has also been inferred that employees tend to leave organizations because of organizational conflicts. As such conflict resolution is also vital as a means of employee retention. As such it is of paramount importance that organizations employ good resolution techniques. REFERENCES 1. Appelbaum. S. H. (1999). The self-directed team: A conflict resolution analysis. Team Performance Management. 5(2), 60-77. 2. Bazeley, P. (2002). The evolution of a project involving an integrated analysis of structured qualitative and quantitative data: from N3 to NVivo, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 5(3), 229-43. 3. Creswell, J.W. (2008). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. California: Sage Publications. 4. Druckman, D. (2005). Doing Research: Methods of Inquiry for Conflict Analysis. California: Sage Publications. 5. Elsayed-Ekjiouly, S. M., & Buda, R. (1996). Organizational Conflict: A Comparative Analysis of Conflict Styles across Cultures. International Journal Of Conflict Management, 7(1), 71-81. 6. Marquardt, D.W. (1993). Estimating the Standard Deviation for Statistical Process Control. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 10(8). 7. Richards, L. (2002). Qualitative computing - a methods revolution, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 5(3), 263-76. 8. Sandole, J. D., & Byrne, S. (2008). Handbook of Conflict Analysis and Resolution. New York: Routledge. 9. Sobh, R. (2006). Research design and data analysis in realism research. European Journal of Marketing, 41(11/12), 1194, 1209. 10. Treiman, D. J. (2009). Quantitative Data Analysis: Doing Social Research to Test Ideas (Research Methods for the Social Sciences).California: Jossey-Bass. Appendix I Questionnaire 1. Please state your gender □ Male □ Female 2. For how long have you been working at this organization? □ more than 5 years □ more than 2 years □ more than 3years □ less than one year 3. What conflict resolution methods are available at your organization? □ Arbitration □ Internal Mediation □ Coaching □ None □ Other (please specify).................................. 4. What organization conflict polices have been documented? □ Employee Handbook □ Disciplinary Code and Procedure □ Performance Review Policy □ None □ Other (please specify).................................. 5. How would you rate the impact that organizational conflicts has had on your career on a scale of 1to10? □ between 1 to 3(the lowest) □ between 4 to 6 □ between 7 to 8 □ between 9-10(the highest) 6. What trainings your organization has offered in the last 3 years? □ Conflict Resolution □ Dealing with Difficult People □ Dealing with Anger □ None □ Other (please specify).................................. 7. Does your company have a vision, mission and values statement that specifically deals with conflict management? □ Yes □ No 8. Is conflict management a core competency in the organization? □ Yes □ No 9. Are people available to provide help to disputants e.g. to give advice, represent them, serve as mediators? □ Yes □ No 10. Can disputants air their grievances fully in their own terms without consequences? Please specify □ Yes □ No ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Appendix II Survey Q. 1. Check which conflict resolution polices have been documented? Q. 2. What Conflict Management measures are used at your organization? Q. 3. Which Conflict Management Resource Persons are on Staff? Read More