Workplace Conflict Management Styles Among Employees of Debre Berhan Blanket Factory
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Date
2007-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In this study awareness of functions of conflict at work and the link between demographic
variables and conflict management styles were investigated. For this investigation, 315
employees were randomly selected from the 748 employees of Debre Berhan Blanket
Factory (DBBF). A self report questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were
employed to collect data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to
analyze the data. Results of the descriptive analyses showed that generally employees '
awareness of functions of conflict at work was not quite sufficient. In the inferential
analysis, men were found to be avoiders and more competitive than their female
counterparts. Males were also found to be more compromising than females. Females on
the other hand were found to be more accommodative than their male counterparts. It
was also found out that as the employees' age and work experience increase, they tend to
shift from competitiveness to accommodativeness and more collaborative styles of
conflict management styles. Though gender-based differences in conflict management are
reported in many studies, the gap between male and female employees of Debre Berhan
Blanket FactolY is quite wide. The insufficient awareness of functions of conflict at work
of employees is also a phenomenon repeatedly reported in many studies. Thus, the
factOlY management and workers association should collaboratively do whatever they
can to narrow down the wider gap between men and women across the three conflict
management styles (avoiding, competing, and accommodating). They also should design
continuous trainings to inform employees with the positive values of conflict.
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Keywords
Management Styles