Causes of Conflict and Management Strategies of Conflict used by Faculty Administration from Assistant Teaching Staff PerspectiveComparative study

Abstract

Background:Academic setting is an environment that strongly values free thought and critical thinking, and can lead to debating differing philosophical stands on issues. However, conflict presently continues to be a factor in academic life. Aim of the study: The present study aimed to determine conflict causes among assistants teaching staff and conflict management strategies that used by faculty administrationfrom assistant teaching staff perspective. Subjects& methods: Research design: Descriptive comparative design was used. Setting:The study was conducted at Faculty of Nursing of two Egyptian universities. Subjects included 74 from Ain Shams and 44 from El Fayoum Universities. Tool of data collection: Self-administered questionnaire sheet was intended to assess the causes of conflict and management strategies. Result: 68.6 % of structure factors, personal factors were 62.7 % and followed by communication factors were 58.5 %. Meanwhile the highly conflict management strategy is competing 60.2 % followed by avoiding were 50.8 %. Conclusion: The highest causes of conflict among assistant teaching staff in two setting were structural followed by personal and finally communication factors. As well as the majority of assistant teaching staff agrees upon their administration use the various strategies to deal with conflict. While the competing strategy ranked as highest conflict management strategies and lowest strategy were accommodating used by faculty administration. Recommendations: Conducting of training courses for administrators on the strategies of conflict management and encourage them to involve their subordinates. Key words: Management Strategies, conflict, assistant teaching staff, faculty administration