CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND THE FUTURE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined conflict management and the future of human resource management in Nigeria. The study was guided by four research questions and four null hypotheses. A correlational survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 1,250 employees and human resource personnel drawn from selected public and private organizations in Nigeria, while a sample size of 385 respondents was selected using Taro Yamane’s formula. Stratified random sampling and simple random sampling techniques were employed in selecting the respondents. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled “Conflict Management and Future of Human Resource Management Questionnaire (CMFHRMQ).” The instrument was validated by experts in Human Resource Management and Organizational Behaviour, while Cronbach Alpha reliability method yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.84. Out of the 385 copies of the questionnaire administered, 372 copies were properly completed and returned, representing a 96.6% response rate. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while simple linear regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that conflict management strategies had significant effects on employee productivity, job satisfaction, organizational harmony, and the future effectiveness of human resource management in Nigeria. The study concluded that effective conflict management is essential for enhancing organizational effectiveness and sustainable human resource management in modern organizations. The study recommended, among others, that organizations should establish effective conflict management policies and provide regular training for human resource managers on modern conflict resolution strategies.