The application of organisational conflict management: a mixed method exploration of conflict training and perceptions of NHS managers

This thesis took a multilevel approach in investigating the subject of workplace conflict within an NHS organisation. The various levels investigated within the hierarchy were nursing ward managers, senior nurses and the executives. Overlaid on the conceptual multilevel model devised initially by De Dreu and Gelfand (2007) were placed the sources and consequences of conflict which were identified within this study. A mixed method explorative design was taken to frame the evaluation, which utilised two methods; a survey of thirty-six ward managers who participated in a single training day on conflict management and eight semi-structured interviews. The training was designed and delivered in-house within a large NHS organisation in Wales. The staff population of this NHS organisation is around 14,500 and a sample of thirty-six ward managers participated in the single training day and received a pre-questionnaire on the day. They also completed a Thomas and Kilmann (1974) conflict management style questionnaire. Four weeks after the training day, the same group were asked to complete a post-questionnaire, which was returned by thirty of the participants. Pre and post analyses were undertaken of the likert scale indicators reporting participant confidence in managing conflict. The Wilcoxon signed rank test revealed some significant differences in confidence levels within the group. Four members of the group were then interviewed using a semi-structured approach; subsequently, two senior nurses who line-manage the ward managers within this organisation and two executives were also interviewed. Results were themed and comparisons were drawn out and theorised. This study adds to the existing literature as it identifies that ward managers need to have support in the workplace and ‘sign-posting’ to resources that can help them manage workplace conflict. ‘Time’ was also a consideration noted within this study as managers talked about the need to identify a ‘good time’ to have potential conflict and not being rushed in having to resolve it. The outcome of the research generated a systematic approach to understanding workplace conflict: this was called the Conflict Application Tool (CAT) and has been implemented in the organisation where the research took plac