According to Rahim (1986), conflicts arise when interests collide usually as a result of divergence in organisational goals, personal ambition, group loyalties, demands on scarce resources and so forth. In many educational institutions, conflicts originate from multitude of sources found at personal and organisational levels. Sadomba and Hlatwayo (2012) define these levels as ‘within and between informal organisational levels’; ‘within or between formal organisational levels’; and ‘between formal and informal organisational levels’. It is the essence of this deliberation to discuss the various causes of conflict at a school as an organisation. Furthermore, the paper will suggest solutions to the management and transformation of conflict in the school. The terms ‘conflict’ and ‘organisation’ are identified as some of the key terms and are therefore defined before the discussion unfolds.
DEFINITION OF KEYS TERM
Conflict
According to www.wordweb.info, conflict is an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals). It is further defined as opposition between two simultaneous but incompatible feelings. This concurs with www.googlesearch.org where it is said that conflict is an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scare resources, and interference from others in achieving their goals. However, according to Sadomba and Hlatwayo (2012), conflict is natural and necessary part of our lives which is an inherent part of our lives which can have negative and positive impacts. The definitions agree that conflict is friction or opposition resulting from actual or perceived differences or incompatibilities between and among the teachers and the administration at a school.
Organisation
According to www.wordweb.info, an organisation is the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something. A social unit of people that is structured and
References: Johnson, W. and Johnson, R. T. (1996) Review of Educational Research Vol. 66, No. 4, American Educational Research Association Kahn, W., Wotle, Q. M. and Rosenthal (1964) Psycney.apa.org/journals. Rahim, M. B. (1986) Managing Conflicts in Organisations New York: Prager Publishers Sadomba, F. C. and Hlatwayo, L. (2012), “Conflict Management and Transformation in Education” Harare: Zimbabwe Open University. http://www.wordweb.info https://www.google.co.zw/webhp?source=search_app#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=definition+of+conflict&oq=definition+of+conflict&gs_l=hp.3..0l10.3144.6768.1.9809.22.12.0.0.0.0.2566.13465.7-3j1j3.7.0...0.0...1c.1.8.hp.VWMtB1F391k&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.44697112,d.Yms&fp=9cf295b026475558&biw=1034&bih=691 http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/organization.html