EFFECT OF DISPUTE MANAGEMENT AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE
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EFFECT OF DISPUTE MANAGEMENT AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
According to Fadipe (2000), a dispute is a type of disagreement in a setting between two individuals or groups who have reason to interact formally or informally. Similarly, Miller and King (2005) define it as a conflict between two or more persons or groups about mutually beneficial aims. Dispute is thus a series of irreconcilable behaviours. It may entail one person or a group of people interfering or disrupting another action in some way or ways that make another action less likely to be effective.
Deutsch (1973) defines conflict as “people working against each other in such a way that what one wants is incompatible with what the other wants.” It may result in competition in the pursuit of goals.
What the rival obtains is obtained at the expense of others or the job. As a result, it is counter-productive, disruptive, unnatural, and results in a diversion from the spontaneous flow of events.
A major aspect that might lead to incompatibility between parties is their perception of the problem at hand or issue of interest. Other elements that might contribute to the emergence of conflict in organisations include task interdependence,
inadequate resources, goal incompatibility, communication breakdowns, individual differences (or cultural differences), and a poorly structured reward system (Ngbekem, 2004).
Dispute is an inevitable and fundamental aspect of organisational life. It is unavoidable and an essential component of the transformation process. It is, in fact, an assistance to cooperation rather than an impediment. There are two sides to the debate:
one is destructive and unhealthy, and the other has a problem-solving foundation in which those involved are willing to sublimate personality and cultural differences, listen to others’ perspectives, and be open and candid with each other, to be supportive and helpful, whereas the former undermines cooperation.
According to Albert (2001), there are both useful and destructive conflicts. As he puts it, “A dispute is said to be positive when it is constructively discussed by the parties and amicable terms for settlement reached” .
Poorly managed disputes heat up the environment, causing “dislocation of the entire group and polarisation, decreased productivity on employee performance,
psychological and physical injury, emotional distress and inability to sleep, interference with problem activities, escalation of differences into antagonistic position and malice, and increased hostility” (Akaniji, 2005).
A cooperative environment is formed through dispute resolution to promote opportunities and movement towards nonviolent, reconciliation, or core conflicting interests.
However, regardless of how one views conflict, it is critical to recognise that conflict is one of the finest methods in the world to reverse the tide and improve unsatisfactory situations. In truth, there may be no actual dispute to resolve, but there may be a need for increased understanding,
cooperation, and teamwork to foster interpersonal harmony and a positive organisational atmosphere for teaching and learning. As a result, disagreement should not necessarily be regarded as an unfavourable event, but rather as a necessary one with good repercussions if handled properly.
Cultural variety is a feature of groups of two or more people and usually relates to demographic disparities of some kind among group members (McGrath, Berdahl, and Arrow, 1995). Researchers have developed a plethora of dimensions for categorising demographic disparities, frequently positing distinct outcomes for individuals and work groups based on the degree and character of such differences.
Based on the visibility of race and the job-relatedness of functional background, Pelled (1996) developed one set of predictions about the influence of racial diversity among group members and another about the impact of functional background diversity.
Others have differentiated the consequences of variety based on whether the distinctions are cultural (Cox, 1993; Larkey, 1996), physical (Strangor et al., 1992), innate and immutable (Maznevski, 1994), or role-related (Maznevski, 1994; Pelled, 1996).
Perhaps more importantly, researchers’ expectations about any given diversity variable vary depending on which of its aspects they consider to be critical to evaluating its impact. Pelled (1996) predicted that racial diversity would incite intergroup bias and lead to negative outcomes for work groups as a source of visible differences,
whereas Cox, Lobel, and McLeod (1991) predicted that racial diversity, as a source of cultural differences, would enhance creative problem solving and lead to positive outcomes for work groups. According to Maznevski (1994), ethnic variety, as a source of inherent and immutable distinctions, would supply groups with various types of information from which they may possibly profit,
but such disparities would frequently be difficult for parties to understand and accept. As demonstrated by these examples, the types and qualities of demographic variables in which one is interested affect one’s investigation. Against this backdrop, it is necessary to investigate the impact of dispute resolution and cultural diversity on employee performance.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Dispute arises in an organisation when an individual feels that the activities of another person endanger or impede his ambitions. The majority of disagreements in an organisation stem from the company’s incapacity to fulfil its collective agreement with its employees, which leads to employees engaging in industrial action, which can be work-to-rule or outright strike.
Employees’ strikes typically result in lost man-hours, machine-hours, output, skilled staff, employee morale, and organisational reputation. More often than not, cultural differences among personnel cause conflict inside an organisation.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the study’s objectives:
To investigate the association between dispute resolution and employee performance.
To investigate the link between cultural diversity and employee performance.
Identifying characteristics that enhance employee performance.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What is the connection between conflict resolution and employee performance?
What is the connection between cultural diversity and job performance?
What elements contribute to employee performance?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO1: There is no statistically significant association between dispute resolution and employee performance.
HA1: There is a strong link between dispute resolution and employee performance.
HO2: There is no statistically significant link between cultural diversity and employee performance.
HA2: There is a link between cultural diversity and employee performance.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the study’s implications:
The study’s findings will educate corporate managers and the broader public on the impact of dispute resolution and cultural diversity on employee performance.
This study will contribute to the body of literature on the effect of personality traits on student academic achievement, forming the empirical literature for future research in the field.
1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This research will look at the association between conflict resolution and employee performance. It will also discuss the connection between cultural diversity and employee success.
STUDY LIMITATIONS
Financial constraint- A lack of funds tends to restrict the researcher’s efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data collection procedure (internet, questionnaire, and interview).
Time constraint- The researcher will conduct this investigation alongside other academic activities. As a result, the time allocated to dispute resolution research will be reduced.
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