IMPACTS OF EFFECTIVE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ENGINEERS: A CASE STUDY OF ENGINEERING FIRMS IN ENUGU

Abstract

The study seeks to investigated the impact of effective conflict management on the performance of engineers using three engineering firms in Enugu Nigeria as a case study. In view of this, this study specifically sought to know the degree to which effective conflict management enhances the productivity of engineers in engineering firms in Enugu East Local government of Enugu state, Nigeria. To what degree does effective conflict management enhance the effectiveness of engineers in engineering firms in Enugu East Local government of Enugu state, Nigeria? To what degree does effective conflict management enhances the learning ability and improvement of engineers in engineering firms in Enugu East Local government of Enugu state, Nigeria? The answers to these questions were gotten through a descriptive survey with the aid of well-structured questionnaire that was administered to the case study firms which include: Franto Enterprises (Tissue paper factory), Emene, Enugu, Robost Fabricators, Emene Enugu, and Difa Construction, Trans Ekulu Enugu; all in Enugu East Local government Area of Enugu state. The sample size of this study was the whole population under study which comprises 11 workers from Franto Enterprises, 8 workers from Robust Fabricators, and 9 workers from Difa Contraction. This amounts to a total population of 31 workers made up of 3 engineering managers and 28 engineers from the three case study engineering firms. The null hypothesis was tested using the Z-test. The data generated through the questionnaire was analyzed by means of statistical evaluation and the results show that effective conflict management enhances to a high degree the performance of engineers in the studied engineering firms in terms of improved productivity, effectiveness and ability to learn and improve themselves. Also, it can be concluded in this study that there is no significant difference in the average response of engineering managers and engineers of the three case study engineering firms. It is therefore recommend that the managers of engineering firms take the issue of conflict management and resolution more seriously by improving their capacity to resolve conflicts bearing in mind that it has significant impact on the performance of their firms, and human development in general.