The influence of conflict management and its implication on educational administration in senior high schools in the Sagnarigu District

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the impact of conflict and its management on the performance of teachers in Senior High Schools in the Sagnarigu District of the Northern Region of Ghana. The objective of the study were to establish the types and causes of conflicts, find out the perceived effects of conflicts on the performance of teachers and to determine the conflict resolution strategies employed to resolve conflicts in Senior High Schools in the Sagnarigu District. A descriptive survey design was employed with questionnaire to collect data for the study. The target population of the study was 328 comprising 16 headmasters and assistant headmasters and 312 teachers. Simple random sampling was used to select 50% of the population of 328 as justified by Sekaran (1992), making a sample of 164 for the study. The study found that competition for limited resources, task interdependence, and competition for positions was causes of conflict. Also conflict helps to improve the decision making process and improve future communications. Decrease in productivity, violent behavior and damage to property and theft were negative effect of conflict. Collaboration, competition, accommodation, compromising and avoidance are conflict resolution strategies. Based on the findings and conclusions, it is recommended that heads of educational institutions should find the causes of the conflicts to prevent if not to minimize their reappearance and also to resolve conflict amicably to improve performance.