Conflict Resolution Strategies and Staff Morale in Selected Federal Universities in Nigeria
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2012-08
Authors
Abolo, E.V
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Conflict is inevitable in all organisations, and the university being a centre of learning, with diverse needs is not left out. The study examined the modes of strategies employed in resolving conflicts in the South- West federal universities and their impact on the staff morale. The study focused on the three South-West federal universities in Nigeria, they include: the University of Ibadan, the University of Lagos, and the Obafemi Awolowo University. The survey research design was adopted for the study. Academic and non-academic staff of the universities constituted the target population for the study, from which 1385 participants were selected as sample size. The stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the sample from the three unions in the selected universities. The unions include: the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non- Academic Staff Union of Universities. Two sets of research instrument namely: Conflict Resolution Strategies and Staff Morale Questionnaire (CRSSMQ) and an interview schedule were used for data collection. Nine research questions and eight research hypotheses were answered and tested in the study. The variables tested in the study include the following: the frequency rate of the conflict resolution strategies, the morale of staff, staff perception on the adequacy of the strategies, the unions influence on staff etc. The research questions were answered using descriptive statistics of percentages, frequency, mean, standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested using inferential statistics such as Pearson Product Moment Correlation, the t-test and One- Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The eight hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study are that university staff did not significantly differ in their ratings of the usage of conflict resolution strategies and their adequacy ( t- cal 0.32<t- crit 1.65& t- cal 0.18 < t-crit 1.65); that conflict resolution strategies significantly related to staff morale( r- cal 0.64>r- crit 0.20); that
external conflicts impacted more on staff morale than the internal ( t- cal 18.57>t- crit 1.65); that gender and union significantly impacted on staff morale after each resolved conflict (t-cal 10.27>t- crit 1.65 & p=.000<0.05); while educational qualifications had no influence on staff morale (p=.0.484>0.05) and there was no significant difference
in staff perception on how to improve on the conflict resolution strategies (t- cal 0.91<t- crit 1.65). The study outlined the implications for policy as they affect universities administrators and stakeholders in charge of developing university
education in Nigeria. Also, the study highlighted the various contributions to knowledge such as the Conflict- Action Consequence Model while recommending appropriate strategies and measures to cushion the effects of conflicts resolution on university staff, students and the society in general. The study also recommended the need for the university and the federal government to embark on morale booster programmes for the university staff.
Description
A Thesis Submitted to the School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lagos
Keywords
Conflict Resolution , Conflict , Staff Morale , University education , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Education::Subject didactics
Citation
Abolo, E.V (2012). Conflict Resolution Strategies and Staff Morale in Selected Federal Universities in Nigeria. A Thesis Submitted to University of Lagos School of Postgraduate Studies Phd Thesis and Dissertation, 274pp.