CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN VARIOUS ORGANIZATION ACROSS

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

Conflict is an inseparable part of people’s life. It is a perpetual gift of life, although varying
views of it may be held. Some may view conflict as a negative situation which must be avoided
at any cost. Others may see it as a phenomenon which necessitates management. Still, others
may consider conflict as an exciting opportunity for personal growth and so try to use it to their
best advantage. Wherever one may fall on this continuum of viewpoints concerning conflict,
seldom would one expect to be in a continual state of conflict as the basis for employment
(Nebgen, 1978). Conflict theory is significant to the role of the administrator, but it emanates
primarily from fields such as business, sociology, psychology, etc. Conflict is a struggle over
values and claims to scarce status, power and resources in which the aims of the opponents are to
neutralize, injure or eliminate the rivals. It is also defined from communication perspective as an
expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals,
scarce rewards and interference from other parties in achieving their goals.

Organizational conflict is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of

needs, values and interests between formal authority and power and those individuals and groups
affected. There are disputes over how revenues should be divided, and how long and hard
people should work. There are jurisdictional disagreements among individual departments and
between unions and management. There are subtle forms of conflict involving rivalries,
jealousies, personality clashes, role-definitions and struggles for power and favour. There is also
conflict within individuals between competing needs and demands to which individuals respond
in different ways.

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Background Study

Human resource management is the basis of all management activity, but it is not the basis of all
business activity. A business may depend fundamentally on having a unique product. The basis
of management is always the same that is getting people of the business to make things happen
in a productive way, so that the business prospers and the people thrive, Torrington, Hall, Taylor
and Atkinson (2011). Employee relation is the human resource discipline concerned with
strengthening the employer-employee relationship through measuring job satisfaction,
employee engagement and resolving workplace conflict. Labor relations functions may
include developing management response to union organizing campaigns, used of collective
bargaining agreements and rendering interpretations of labor union contract issues. According to
Cooke (2007) “Performance management is a process by which managers and employees work
together to plan, monitor and review an employee’s work objectives and overall
contribution to the organization. More than just an annual performance review, performance
management is the continuous process of setting objectives, assessing progress and providing on-
going coaching and feedback to ensure that employees are meeting their objectives and career
goals”.

Therefore, in any organization efficient and effective performance of the resources

available to achieve organizational goals most put in place a good working relationship
among the workers as well as the employer. Maintenance of human resource is the supportive
function of human resource management. This paper study the causes and effects of workplace
conflict in various organization in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the reasons why employers
should act to address conflict, offers suggestions to create such an organizational climate and
includes methods to deal with employee grievances and conflicts and this paper also explores the
various roles human resource professionals play in managing workplace conflict, ways to
communicate an organization's conflict-resolution procedures and how to measure the
effectiveness of those procedures.

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Problem Statement

Conflict can occur in any organization when employees with different backgrounds and priorities
work together. Conflict can be expressed in numerous ways such as insults, noncooperation,
bullying and anger. Its causes can range from personality clashes and misunderstood
communication to organizational mismanagement. The negative effects of workplace conflict
can include work disruptions, decreased productivity, project failure, absenteeism, turnover and
termination. Emotional stress can be both a cause and an effect of workplace conflict.

According to Brookins and Media (2008) “employee conflict in the workplace is a common
occurrence, resulting from the differences in employees' personalities and values. Dealing
with employee conflict in a timely manner is important to maintaining a healthy work
environment. Believing that a small conflict will simply disappear is an inaccurate assumption
to make because simple conflicts can grow into major problems if not dealt with
appropriately. Human resource managers should understand the common causes of employee
conflicts, so that a solution is found before the issues become unmanageable.” Conflict
occurs in the workplace on a regular basis. Disagreements arise between colleagues. Rifts
come between a manager and his employee. There are many situations, such as these that can
cause conflicts among groups within an organization.

Objective of Study

The aim of this research is to examine conflict management in various organization across Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. Therefore, the objectives of this research work are as follow:

 To identify the causes of conflict in an organization.

 To examine the consequences of conflict on employees performance in the organization.
 To investigate the methods and strategies by the human resource professionals in
managing and resolving conflicts in the organization.

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Scope of Study

The study will be conducted on several small and medium sized companies across Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. The respondent of the study would be the human resource professionals in
order to investigate and understand further on the methods and strategies used by them in
managing and resolving conflicts related matters in the organization. The success of the
organization depends on the ability of conflict recognition and the very way of conflict
management. Conflict management implies integration of all factors which can contribute to
conflict resolution or its prevention. Those factors are improvement of communication and
practicing discipline in the organization, as well as having in mind the life phases of parties
included. Therefore, this study would observe if the correct conflict management are being used
in resolving conflicts within the organization.

Significance of Study

A well-functioning work environment is one in which employees communicate with respectful,

inoffensive language; show tolerance and acceptance of differences among each other; and
demonstrate respect for all individuals in the organization regardless of position, status or tenure.
If an employer has mechanisms in place to resolve conflict at its early stages, employees will
generally see their employer as fair in their dealings with them and will likely be more satisfied
with their jobs. Reductions in employee conflict can lead to increased employee productivity,
greater motivation and loyalty, lower medical costs, fewer workers' compensation claims, and
reduced litigation costs. Unresolved issues of interpersonal tension and conflict can create
emotional stress for employees, politicize the workplace and divert attention from the
organization's mission. If employers do not act, conflicts will escalate into larger problems,
discrimination and harassment complaints may increase, and the employer's reputation could be
damaged. In resolving a conflict in an organization, human resource managers should play an
appropriate role to identify, address and solve the conflicts accordingly.

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The human resource team has a leadership responsibility to develop and implement workplace
conflict policies and procedures and to create and manage conflict-resolution programs. Human
resource team also initiates employee communication on conflict and tracks the metrics and costs
of conflict-resolution efforts. Many human resource professionals receive conflict-resolution
training, often as part of their professional development, and many are accustomed to conducting
such training or enlisting outside training resources for supervisors and managers.

Human resource professionals often become involved in settling workplace conflicts, particularly
if the employees and their supervisors cannot achieve a resolution. If human resource cannot
resolve a conflict, an outside specialist may be needed to work out a settlement. In many
instances, however, HR does not learn of workplace conflict until differences have escalated.
Human resource professionals must be made aware of workplace tensions before they grow into
larger problems and managers should act as human resource's "warning system." By completing
and highlighting important areas this research, employees within the organization, human
resource professionals and the organization itself are the beneficiary.

CHAPTER TWO

Literature Review

Definition of Conflict

It is difficult to put forward a definition of conflict that is commonly accepted by all scholars,
indicating that the single phenomena of conflict can be given different subjective interpretations.
Some perceive it as a reflection of interpersonal hostility, while others regard it as an
interpersonal disagreement stemming out of different choices or preferences (Barki & Hartwick,
2001). Earlier researchers focused on developing a generic definition that encompasses the
entire phenomenon and its processes, such as antecedent conditions, emotions, perceptions,
behavior (Pondy, 1969). (Corwin, 1969) conceptualized conflict as some form of interpersonal

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or intergroup strain, or as actions (e.g., disputes and information distortions) which violates the
norms of cooperation within the organization.

A similar point has been presented by (Thomas, 1992) who identified conflict as the “process
which begins when one party perceives that another has frustrated, or is about to frustrate, some
concern of his”. These definitions have a common theme revolving around identification of
elements that trigger and propagate conflict. Conflict is not necessarily related to the differences
in the perception of ends. It can also occur when people share the same perception of goals with
disagreement related to means. The theoretical underpinning pertaining to conflict and its origin
have received a great deal of attention from the ends perspective. (Jehn, 1997) has postulated
that this may not be the case in every situation as conflict is likely to arise out of the
disagreement related to means of managing work. The classification of conflict based on means
versus ends is one of the commonly used approaches to encapsulate the phenomenon; however,
other antecedents of conflict also need to be taken into consideration.

Many researchers conceptualized conflict as a process model of antecedents, processes and

outcomes. The definition of conflict as a dynamic process between two or more individuals,
incorporated five stages of conflict: latent conflict, perceived conflict, felt conflict, manifest
conflict, and the conflict aftermath. Similarly, (Thomas, 1976) defined conflict as a process
including perceptions, emotions, behaviors, and outcomes. According to (Putnam and Poole,
1987), conflict is “the interaction of interdependent people who perceive opposition of goals,
aims, and values, and who see the other party as potentially interfering with the realization of
these goals”. Conflict also represents a synthesis of prior definitions, arguing that “conflict is a
process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected
by another party”.

Conflict represents an indivisible part of life. Each of us possesses our own opinions, ideas and
sets of beliefs. We have our own ways of looking at things and we act according to what we
think is proper. Some people may view conflict as a negative, unfavorable situation, which must
be avoided. At the other hand, some people may see it as a fact, which must involve

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management. Others think about conflict as an opportunity for personal growth. Since conflicts
arise at all levels of the organization, in recent decades, their study has become a subject of
interest to many practitioners and theorists. Because conflict is seemingly inevitable, evidently it
is an imperative for managers to be able to recognize the source of the conflict, to view it’s
constructive as well as destructive potential, to learn how to manage conflict and to apply
conflict resolution technique in a practical way. Until the ’90s of the 19th century, the literature
viewed conflict as counterproductive phenomenon.

Theorists have proposed that organizational conflict can be constructive, under certain
circumstances. However, empirical studies have not confirmed the view of theorists. Over time,
organizations have become less centralized and the workers were connected and dependent on
the work of each other. Since then, the conflict in the workplace has become increasingly visible
in organizations. As the organization became more decentralized structured, workers become
dependent, and is responsibility for decision making increase. These changes contributed to the
emergence of new types of conflicts that can arise between different groups of workers. The
workforce is also becoming more diverse. Among the employees in organizations, more were
women, foreigners, ethnic minorities, people who come from different educational and cultural
backgrounds. This diversity has inevitably led to the emergence of different types of conflicts in
the workplace in relation to the period in which the organization had largely homogeneous
workforce.

In business, personalities or worldviews collide and arguments inevitably ensue. Usually,

business owners can manage these interpersonal conflicts with informal mediation or by
reassigning personnel to different areas of the business. At times, though, the conflict centers on
the business itself. This kind of organizational conflict can either hinder the business or offer a
chance for improvement. A basic definition of organizational conflict is disagreement by
individuals or groups within the organization, which can center on factors ranging from resource
allocation and divisions of responsibility to the overall direction of the organization. A common
example of organizational conflict occurs when workers advocate for higher pay and the
business owner or management wants pay levels to remain the same.

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In one view, organizational conflict produces negative outcomes. Conflicts cause stress, which
reduces worker satisfaction. This diminished satisfaction can lead to increases in absenteeism
and turnover. Conflict can also diminish trust in supervisors and fellow employees, which can
slow or stop progress on projects. The pileup of internal negative consequences, such as lost trust
and slowed progress, can generate a negative impact on customer satisfaction due to missed
deadlines and reduced work quality. In a different view, organizational conflict represents an
opportunity for productive change. The use of effective communication lies at the heart of this
view. Organizational conflicts develop for a reason. By acknowledging the existence of the
conflict and divining the source of it, the business leadership opens the door for creative
solutions. The simple act of acknowledging and seeking solutions to organizational conflicts can
defuse them and draw employees into a stronger relationship with the business. It can also
encourage an adaptable organization that copes efficiently with the rapid changes faced by
modern businesses.

Empirical evidence shows that conflict is connected with emotions and these emotions define an
individual’s interpretation and reaction to the conflict situation. Therefore, conflict leads to an
emotional reaction, which, in turn, drives an individual’s perceptions, attitude and behaviour,
particularly the individual’s perception of trust. In some cases, no agreeable resolution for all
parties involved in a workplace conflict exists. If, for example, business co-owners see the
business developing in two fundamentally different directions, no solution will satisfy both
parties. Solving organizational conflicts that involve different visions for the business usually
requires one of parties to leave. Every business faces limited resources and demands that exceed
them. At a certain point, business owners must simply deny requests for more money. An
explanation can soften the blow and provide acknowledgement, but the conflict may linger in
spite of any attempt to resolve it.

The essential aspect is that each conflict, like most culturally based things, must be recognized,
acknowledged and be managed. Resolving conflicts is beneficial to the company and makes a
major contribution to a more positive environment at work, which significantly improves the

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employees’ motivation and loyalty and the company’s market position. In addition, a conflict
can provide an opportunity to form and express people’ needs, opinions and positions and
expectation as well as to create trust between people. The conflict as a research tool allows us to
see the status of organisations in general, as well as the problems, which occur as a result of
rapid development and variance between the people. According to a widespread opinion, all
conflicts are bad and people dislike them because of their negative consequences. But avoiding
and suppressing conflict is sometimes a mistake and not always in the best interests of the
individuals and groups concerned.

Types Of Conflict In An Organization

In the literature there are many definitions of conflict and none of them unique. Generally,
conflict represents a perceived disagreement of interest between individuals or groups.
According to (Coser, 1956) conflict is a struggle over values and claims to scarce status, power
and resources in which the aims of the opponents are to neutralize, insure or eliminate the rivals.
Also, it is defined from communication perspective as an expressed struggle between at least two
interdependent parties who perceive opposed goals, scarce rewards and interference from other
parties in achieving their goals. On the basis of involvement, conflict can be classified into the
following four types:

Interpersonal conflict occurs within an individual. The experience takes place in the person’s
mind. Hence, it is a type of conflict that is psychological involving the individual’s thoughts,
values, principles and emotions. Interpersonal conflict may come in different scales, from the
simpler mundane ones like deciding whether or not to go organic for lunch to ones that can affect
major decisions such as choosing a career path. Furthermore, this type of conflict can be quite
difficult to handle if a person find it hard to decipher their inner struggles. It leads to restlessness
and uneasiness, or can even cause depression. In such occasions, it would be best to seek a way
to let go of the anxiety through communicating with other people. Eventually, when a person
finds themselves out of the situation, they can become more empowered as a person. Thus, the
experience evoked a positive change which will help them in their own personal growth. This is

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also what has been described as “man against man” in the micro sense. This type of conflict may
be direct opposition, as in exchange of blows, a gunfight or a robbery, or it may be a more subtle
conflict between the desires of two or more persons (Nikolajeva, 2005). Analogically, a boxing
or wrestling match is a kind of game, but the act on the mat depicts conflict. Conflict in this
sense is a fight between people. However, conflict does not always translate to physical
exchange of blows. Malice or ‘cold attitude’ to each other already underscores conflict. Conflict
thus also means implicit hostility. It may not be obvious to the third party, but the disagreeing or
unfriendly parties already understand that there is a state of discontent between them. According
to some researchers, interpersonal conflict can consist of three different components:

The behavioral component of conflict involves someone interfering with the objectives of
another person. For example, a co-worker and you may be competing in a sales contest, and he
constantly bugs you during your sales calls to trip up your sales pitch. He also throws away
message slips from your potential customers that the receptionist leaves when you're away from
your desk.

The cognitive component involves a disagreement between the parties that illustrates the
differences between the interests and objectives of the conflicting parties. For example, as the
vice president of research and development, you may have a disagreement with the vice
president of production over the allocation of company resources because you each have
different goals and objectives that relate to your particular division.

The affective component relates to the negative emotional states of the conflicting parties. For
example, conflict with a co-worker may make you feel anger, stressed, and frustrated.

Intrapersonal conflict involves two or more individuals rather than one individual. Two
managers competing for the same promotion, two executives maneuvering for a larger share of
corporate capital examples of conflict between individuals are legion and quite familiar. This
occurs typically due to how people are different from one another. Varied personalities has been
compared which usually results to incompatible choices and opinions. Apparently, it is a natural

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occurrence which can eventually help in personal growth or developing your relationships with
others. In addition, coming up with adjustments is necessary for managing this type of conflict.
However, when interpersonal conflict gets too destructive, calling in a mediator would help so as
to have it resolved. Intrapersonal conflict occurs within an individual. The experience takes
place in the person’s mind. Hence, it is a type of conflict that is psychological involving the
individual’s thoughts, values, principles and emotions. Interpersonal conflict may come in
different scales, from the simpler monotonous ones like deciding whether or not to go organic for
lunch to ones that can affect major decisions such as choosing a career path. Furthermore, this
type of conflict can be quite difficult to handle if a person finds it hard to work out their inner
struggles. It leads to restlessness and uneasiness, or can even cause depression. In such
occasions, it would be best to seek a way to let go of the anxiety through communicating with
other people.

Intragroup conflict is a type of conflict that happens among individuals within a team. The
incompatibilities and misunderstandings among these individuals lead to an intragroup conflict.
It is arises from interpersonal disagreements (e.g. team members have different personalities
which may lead to tension) or differences in views and ideas (e.g. in a presentation, members of
the team might find the notions presented by the one presiding to be erroneous due to their
differences in opinion). Within a team, conflict can be helpful in coming up with decisions
which will eventually allow them to reach their objectives as a team. However, if the degree of
conflict disrupts harmony among the members, then some serious guidance from a different
party will be needed for it to be settled. The two main forms of intragroup conflict are
relationship conflict and task conflict. In an intragroup relationship conflict, members of the
group struggle with interpersonal relationships regardless of the task or objects of the group. For
example, two members of a marketing team may experience conflict because one member
applies a diplomatic approach to communication, while another prefers straightforward and
aggressive communication. If a group is experiencing a task conflict, members of the group
disagree about the best practices for achieving an objective or struggle to agree on an appropriate
objective. For instance, a marketing team may struggle because some members support
traditional direct marketing while other members want to experiment with a viral marketing

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campaign. Like the causes of war between countries, upsets can trigger intergroup conflict in
organizations. For starters, workplace disputes or confrontations between groups might stem
from misconception, disagreements, intercultural differences, poor negotiations, poor social
exchange, a perception of unfairness or various other circumstances or negative types of
interaction. And we all know what happens when one person perceives a conflict – real or not.
Others often see the conflict as well and then feel pressured or obligated to join forces. Or,
they become empowered and eager to fight the imagined, or actual, injustice. The gender
factor can play a role at work, such as when men or women flock together out of a feeling of
superiority. On the other hand, each gender group might band together if harassment is a
hidden or overlooked problem in the organization. It isn't always about disagreements or
injustices. Sometimes people form groups naturally, due to circumstances, preferences or
differences, such as culture, gender or personality. But with separation, conflict often follows.
Competitiveness can cause healthy or unhealthy conflict between opposing focus groups. And
what about a merger or other major changes within an organization? When two companies
unite, the employees of each original company may stick together, harboring mixed feelings
about "the other side" rather than blending seamlessly as a unified group. Similar indifference
might occur when you hire a new manager; existing staff may have strong viewpoints about
the change of leadership, while employees hired after the managerial change wouldn't.

Intergroup conflict is an intergroup relations between two or more groups and their respective
members are often necessary to complete the work required to operate a business. Many times,
groups inter-relate to accomplish the organization's goals and objectives, and conflict can occur.
Some conflict, called functional conflict, is considered positive, because it enhances performance
and identifies weaknesses. Dysfunctional conflict, however, is confrontation or interaction
between groups that harms the organization or hinders attainment of goals or objectives. One of
the most prominent reasons for intergroup conflict is simply the nature of the group. Other
reasons may be work interdependence, goal variances, differences in perceptions, and the
increased demand for specialists. Also, individual members of a group often play a role in the
initiation of group conflict. Any given group embodies various qualities, values, or unique traits
that are created, followed, and even defended. These clans can then distinguish "us" from

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"them." Members who violate important aspects of the group, and especially outsiders, who
offend these ideals in some way, normally receive some type of corrective or defensive response.
Relationships between groups often reflect the opinions they hold of each other's characteristics.
When groups share some interests and their directions seem parallel, each group may view the
other positively; however, if the activities and goals of groups differ, they may view each other
in a negative manner. When trying to prevent or correct intergroup conflict, it is important to
consider the history of relations between the groups in conflict. History will repeat itself if left to
its own devices. Limited resources and reward structures can foster intergroup conflict by
making the differences in group goals more apparent. Differences in perceptions among groups
regarding time and status, when coupled with different group goals, can also create conflict.
Reorganization of the workplace and integration of services and facilities can be stressful to
some and create negative conflict. Some individuals within the group have inherent traits or
social histories that impact intergroup conflict, but problems within intergroup relations are not
usually caused by the deviate behavior of a few individuals.

Relationship Between Independent Variable and Dependent Variable

Variable are given a special name that only applies to experimental investigations. One is called
the dependent variable and the other the independent variable. The independent variable is the
variable the experimenter changes or controls and is assumed to have a direct effect on the
dependent variable. The dependent variable is the variable being tested and measured in an
experiment, and is 'dependent' on the independent variable. In an experiment, the researcher is
looking for the possible effect on the dependent variable that might be caused by changing the
independent variable. In this research, the organization conflict is the dependent whereby the (1)
employees’ conflict management, (2) consequences of conflict on employees performance and
(3) methods and strategies used to manage and resolve conflict would be the independent
variable.

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CHAPTER THREE

Research Methodology

In this chapter, the methodology used to collect the relevant data to test the hypotheses will be
highlighted. It will be used as a guideline to further answer the research questions. This chapter
will also include the research design, research methods, and instruments and construct
measurement used for data collection and data measurement. It will further explain on how the
data will be processed and analyzed

Research Framework

The research framework for this study will deals with description of the research method
employed for collection of data that will be analyzed to arrive at a conclusion in this project.
will also explain the procedures that will be followed and the instrument used in collecting
relevant data. In gathering information much survey work, the research will help the researcher
to determine a particular condition from the reaction of the objectives that the study is concerned
with. Participants in this study will include approximately two hundred employees who is
working in various organizations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

All the participants will be recruited from my personal network and will be chosen to represent
diverse regions, business types, gender, age, and education level in various organizations.
Participants were informed regarding criteria to be eligible to participate in the study: (1)
participants must be at least 18 years of age; (2) participants should feel comfortable answering
questionnaires in English; (3) participants should be a grass-roots staff or low-level manager in
the current organization. All participants were assured confidentiality regarding their responses
and were informed that results would only be used for research purposes and would not be
released to their employer. Participants were not compensated for their participation in the
study. After that, each of the interviewees was asked to describe a concrete incident when they
had disagreement or other kind of conflict with their coworker from another department and it
affected their role performing or their well-being.
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Questionnaires will be distributed by hand to participants who will be well informed about the
research topic. The interviewees were required to indicate their degree of agreement with each
statement using 5-point Likert scales according to the recalled incidents, where 1 = strongly
disagree and 5 = strongly agree. Depending on the interview settings and logistical factors, some
participants were given the option of filling out questionnaires at a later date and returning
completed surveys. Upon completion of the survey, participants were given the option to be
debriefed verbally or in written form.

Definition Of Variables

The independent variables of the study are the (1) employees’ conflict management, (2)
consequences of conflict on employees performance and (3) methods and strategies used to
manage and resolve conflict. All these independent variables would affect the dependent
variables which is the causes that bring to the organizational conflict. The relationship between
the dependent variables and the independent variables will be discussed in depth.

Hypotheses

The first research question for this research is to what extend that this research will be able to
examine and highlight the types of organizational conflicts and its effects towards the overall
employees performance and productivity?

The second research questions for this research is what methods and strategic strategies that
human resource professionals would require in order to manage and resolve conflicts within the
organization?

The third question is what are the impact and consequences of organizational's conflict towards
the overall employees and organization performance as a whole?

The hypotheses are to generate data based on the questions above, which would be used to
analyze how far the external causes drive as the main cause of the conflict in an organization.
The result of the survey may vary depending on the employee’s perception and it would be used

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by any organization to study the cause of workplace conflict and find better ways to handle the
conflict effectively. The development of the hypotheses are as follow:

H1 : There is a positive relationship between employees’ conflict management and

organizational conflict.

H2 : There is a positive relationship between consequences of conflict on employees

performance and organizational conflict.

H3 : There is a positive relationship between methods and strategies used to manage and resolve
conflict and organizational conflict.

Research Design

The specific single region (i.e. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) in which the research took place could
limit the generalization of the research conclusions. Although the participants in this study are
working in different organizations, due to different regional culture characteristics, the findings
may not be applicable in other Malaysia states or other Asian countries, such as Japan, China and
more. Future research should examine the conceptuality and potential cross-cultural differences
to enhance external validity of the study.

Unit Of Analysis

Primary data collected through questionnaires would be very much reliable because the
information has not been filtered or interpreted by anyone else. This questionnaire survey also
would provide standardization as all respondents would be answering the same questions and are
exposed to the same response options for each question. This would also facilitate the
administration process as well as reporting the finding and the analysis at the end of the study.

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Sampling Design

The target population for sampling design would comprise of respondents from various
organizations in Kuala Lumpur. The study would explore the external factors that lead to
conflicts at workplace. Therefore the study would understand the respondent’s response towards
the reasons that would create organizational conflict. The participants will be recruited from my
personal network and will be chosen to represent diverse regions, business types, gender, age,
and education level in various organizations. Participants were informed regarding criteria to be
eligible to participate in the study: (1) participants must be at least 18 years of age; (2)
participants should feel comfortable answering questionnaires in English; (3) participants should
be a grass-roots staff or low-level manager in the current organization. According to (Wimmer
and Dominick, 2003), a sample is a subset of the population that is representative of the entire
population. Therefore if the samples are selected correctly, it will represent the entire population
correctly. (Gliner and Morgan, 2000) stated that using samples in research is more cost and time
efficient because researchers could avoid interviews or observations that are expensive and take
lesser time to study the participants compared to using the whole population.

Data Collection Method

Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest, in
an established systematic fashion that enables one to answer stated research questions, test
hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes. The data collection component of research is common to all
fields of study including physical and social sciences, humanities, business, etc. While methods
vary by discipline, the emphasis on ensuring accurate and honest collection remains the same.
The goal for all data collection is to capture quality evidence that then translates to rich data
analysis and allows the building of a convincing and credible answer to questions that have been
posed. Regardless of the field of study or preference for defining data (quantitative, qualitative),
accurate data collection is essential to maintaining the integrity of research. Both the selection
of appropriate data collection instruments (existing, modified, or newly developed) and
clearly delineated instructions for their correct use reduce the likelihood of errors occurring.

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The questionnaire will be distributed to 150 respondents from my personal network across Kuala
Lumpur. This non-probability sample is chosen for convenience and for time- and cost-
effectiveness for the researchers. Participants are given time to fill in the questionnaires, and
then the questionnaires are collected. A cover note is also given together with each questionnaire
to explain the general purpose of the study, and to assure confidentiality of responses. The
collected data will be analyzed as to what extend the external factors would cause organizational
conflict. The data will be analyzed using statistical methods and software to ensure the relevant
issued are examined in a comprehensive and cost-effective manner. Both simple and advanced
statistical techniques will be used where appropriate.

Data Analysis Method

It is all too easy to busy oneself with the questionnaire design and data collection and not give
any thought to the analysis stage. However it is actually crucial to think about the analysis very
early on. It is important to establish early on the exact data type of the main outcome measures,
e.g. nominal, ordinal, or interval. The data type in turn determines which type of statistical test is
most appropriate, and this in turn has implications for the required sample size. Once the data
has been assigned a numerical code as discussed earlier, it needs to be entered into the computer
software for data analysis.

Summary

The workforce of the 21st century is dealing with rapid changes and increased competition
across industries. Such changes place stress on management and workers, increasing the
possibility for workplace conflict and deviant behaviors at work. Conflict is an inevitable
component of human activity. Organizations are faced with external and internal sources of
conflict. Within organizations, conflict may vary from small daily divergence at the work to
large union clashes. Unproductive conflict strategies can result in high stress, high turnover
rates, that can lastly sabotage the overall health of the organization.

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References

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