CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Diversity is an increasingly important factor in organizations. Jackson, May, & Whitney (2012), as noted in Shaw & Barrett-Power (2009), define diversity as “the presence of differences among members of a social unit”. Jones and George (2014) defined organizational conflict as “the discord that arises when the goals, interests or values of different individuals or groups are incompatible and those individuals or scatter or thwart one another’s pursuit to achieve their objectives”. Green, Lopez, Whysocki and Kenper, 2008 stated that acknowledging, understanding, accepting valuing and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability race, sexual orientation, spiritual practice and public assistance status is what diversity is all about. The differences that make people unique are also sources of potential conflict among them. Diversity in race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, and other personal qualities can lead to divisive and costly conflict in the workplace. A workplace rich with diversity has the potential of exceptional creativity and productivity in organization and success and competitive advantage. It is quite impossible for individuals with diverse background skills and norms to work together, make decisions, and try to meet project goals and objectives without conflict. Conflict among staffs in an organization is unavoidable. If it manages properly, it will bring catalyst for change and can have a positive impact on employee satisfaction and performance of the organization. Conversely, lack of effective management of conflict negatively impacts both employee satisfaction and job performance. When organizational leaders overlook conflict at workplace, they pass a message that unsatisfactory job performance and inappropriate behavior are acceptable. According to Awan and Anjum (2015) eectively managed conflict enhances open communication, collaborative decision making, regular feedback, and timely resolution of conflict. Open communication and collaboration enhance the flow of new ideas and strengthen work relationship, which can have a positive effect on employee morale. Regular feedback and timely resolution of conflict has the potential of improving employee satisfaction and job performance. Awan and Anjum (2015) argue that a negative work environment that does not promote conflict resolution can result in poor employee behavior and job performance