Philippine E-Journals

Faculty Conflict Management Styles and Their Impact on Professional Relationships

Usop M. Kasan

Discipline: Education, Management

 

Abstract:

A university, basically teeming with people of diversified ideas, is like any other organization where conflict cannot be avoided. Conflict is defined as any situation in which two or more parties feel themselves in opposition. A study to determine the conflict management styles of members of the academic community was conducted. Using the descriptive correlation and comparative research, data were gathered from 46 faculty members of Lyceum of the Philippines – Laguna using a partly modified questionnaire adopted from Thomas-Kilman Conflict Mode Instrument. The correlation between frequency usage of conflict management styles of the faculty members of LPU-Laguna and the manifestations of their professional relationships towards school personnel was established using the Goodman and Kruskal’s Gamma Correlation. Results show the preference on avoidant and compromising styles. The competing and collaborating style are less likely to be observed while the accommodating style is the least choice. The conflict management styles have little influence on their observance of professional relationship. The faculty members tend to use different styles depending on the situation they are in conflict with others. Among the indicators of sources of conflict only “wants and needs” is more likely to occur. In general, conflicts among the faculty members rarely occur.