PLURALIST MANAGERIAL ORIENTATION, CONFLICT INTENSITY, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLE AND WORKERS PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Would a particular conflict management style lead to a predictable performance outcome despite managerial orientation? This study explored this question with a descriptive survey research design to investigate the moderating effect of pluralist managerial orientation and conflict intensity on the relationship between conflict management style and workers’ performance in the haulage industry of the South Western States of Nigeria. A convenient sampling technique was used to select 780 employees from the three deports of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the South Western State of Nigeria. Data for the study were obtained through the administration of a structured questionnaire on the respondents. A regression statistical technique was used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. The analysis shows that not only is there a significant positive relationship between conflict management style and workers’ performance, but more importantly, managerial orientation and conflict intensity moderate the extent to which this is so. This suggests that the choice and effectiveness of the conflict management approach are dependent on the complementary orientation of the managers using it and the intensity of the conflict. It was therefore recommended that organizations should encourage managers to adopt managerial orientation which is consistent with their conflict management approach as well as avoid the escalation of conflict through timely, proactive, and scientific diagnoses and responses to grievance and conflict manifestations.