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ISSN 2224-607X (Paper) ISSN 2225-0565 (Online)
Vol.5, No.21, 2015

Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution Strategies in Business

Organizations in Rivers State
Dr. Joy Amesi Prof. W.A. Amaewhule
Both of Business Education Department, Faculty of Technical & Science Education, Rivers State University of
Science & Technology, P.M.B. 5080 Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract
The study examined crisis management and conflict resolution strategies in business organizations in Rivers State.
Two research questions were posed to guide the study and one hypothesis was formulated and tested at 0.05 level
of significance. The entire population of 7,610 was not studied by the researchers and so sample/sampling
techniques was considered necessary. Data for this study were collected by means of questionnaire developed by
the researchers and titled “Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution Strategy in Business Organizations in
Rivers State (CMACRSBORS)”. Sample for the study was 50 percent of the total population, given a total of 3,805
as sample size. A total of 3,200 academic and non-academic staff who returned their instrument amounting to 84
percent return rate were studied. The questionnaire adopted a modified four point Likert scale of strongly agreed
to strongly disagree. Validity was done by 25 academic and non-academic staff, other than those used for the
study and a reliability co-efficient of 0.78 was obtained. Mean rating and standard deviation was used to analyse
the research questions while Z-test was used to test the hypothesis. Findings revealed that crisis and conflict affects
business organizations in Rivers State as compromise, dominance and suppression, mobilization of members,
restructuring the organization and so on are solutions to crisis management and conflict resolution strategies in
business organizations. Recommendations made amongst others were that managers and administrators should
try as not to be autocratic but should be neutral in handling crisis or conflict issues in business organizations and
university administrators should be able to handle issues that arise in business organizations constructively and
objectively as the consequences of crisis or conflict in business organizations may be very severe.
Keywords: Crisis, Management, Conflict, Resolution, Strategies, Business Organizations, Rivers State,

Introduction
Crisis in business organizations results to the arousal of two or more strong motives that cannot be solved together.
This type of situation is termed an approach-avoidance crisis. Organizationally, crisis exists when the reduction
of one motivating incentive involves an increase in another, so that a new adjustment is demanded. According to
Amesi (Forthcoming), crisis are not all equally severe. Crisis are often unconscious, in the sense that the person
cannot clearly identify the source of his or her distress. The common saying on daily affairs is all about one issue
or the other, some may say, is this what life is all about, others how can we avoid this, some other life is all about
nothing? This statement as we know reflects crisis or conflict as long as one has dealings with individuals in
organization. Organizational crisis is a disagreement between two or more organizational members or groups
arising from the fact that they must share resources or work activities and or from the fact that they have different
status, goals, values, or perceptions. Organizational members or subunits in disagreement attempt to have their
own cause or point of view prevail over that of others (Akpomi, 2011).
The word crisis could be seen as an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change
is impending especially one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome. Crisis could also be seen
as a situation that has reached a critical phase (the environmental juncture). Crisis is also regarded as a critical
moment or turning point in the life of an individual, administrators (management), deans, and head of departments
or even life history of a person in which a decisive change is most expedient to avert an impending doom. The
functionality of an organizational members is dependent on its ability to manage crisis. The strength of an
organizational management is determinant by its ability to manage employees’ crisis effectively. Crisis
management and conflict resolution is a major tool that clearly measures the extent an individual has grown in
experience, knowledge and understanding. The resultant effect of ill-managed crisis can be very disastrous as it
directly affects human emotions. Mismanagement of crisis always cause calamity, as it is often said that when
crisis is mismanaged, calamity sets in (Amesi, 2014).
Management
Management can be defined from diverse perspectives example process, organization theory, administration,
leadership, entrepreneurial, planning and so on. Management is defined here on the basis of leadership perspective.
Management as it relate to leadership, is the process of achieving the objective of organizations by organising the
activities of organizational members. Here a manager is a leader. Leadership is the process of organizing group
activities towards goal-setting and goal attainment. Leaders work through people in order to accomplish objectives.
In managerial leadership, the motivation of group members is taken very serious. According to Onwuchekwa
(2009), the leader manager plays an implementation role in an organization and this role puts a premium on the

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ability to communicate with effective skill, to identify the potentials in people and to motivate them to exercise
this potential to the fullest. So, management from a leadership perspective is defined as getting things done through
people.
Business Organizations
Business organizations is seen from diverse perspective example as rational systems, natural systems and as open
systems which to some stand for organization. According to Onwuchekwa, (2009b), when business organizations
are visualized as open systems, it means that they are subjected to the influence of the environment. When business
organizations are subject to the influence of the environment, it means that the organization responds to the unit
of action toward the demand of the environment. Also, the structural components as the department are subject to
the influence of the environment. When business organizations are visualize as a system, it means that the parts
of the organization are interrelated and the situation in organizations are temporary, because when the environment
of an organization changes, the structural arrangement also change (Amesi, 2010). By environment it means those
institutions, governmental agencies, individuals, credit institutions, independent press and so on, which in one way
or the other perform functional services for a particular organization but are not subject to the control of the
organization (Amesi & Akpomi, 2014). A system is a set of elements that are interrelated and are working toward
common objective. A system can be closed or open. However, no system is completely closed. An open system
is the one that is exchanging resources with the environment of the system. A closed system is one that doesn’t
exchange resources with the environment. From the researchers’ perspective, business organization as a system
is a coalition of shifted interest groups that develop goals by negotiation, the structure of the coalition, its activities
and its outcomes are strongly influenced by environmental factors.
Conflict in Business Organizations
According to Onwuchekwa (2009) and Amesi (2014b), there are two major views about conflict in business
organizations. One is the traditional view about conflict and the interactionlist view on organizational conflict.
The traditional view is that conflict that proves that things are not working well within the organization. Conflict
is a negative sign, managers or administrators must try to eliminate conflict when they emerge as traditional
conflicts are viewed as unnecessary and harmful to business organizations. The interactionalist conflict is that
conflict that is inevitable in business organizations. A conflict is a disagreement among individuals as a result of
differences in their perceptions, positions, status, authority, scarce economic resource which they will share among
themselves and so on. Organization is the associations of two or more individual who are working together towards
a common purpose. Within organizations there are both positions and jobs. People occupying these positions and
jobs do not see things the same way nor do they communicate effectively and so cannot understand themselves
very well. So in organizations there are conflict which have both positive and negative impact. This is why it is
necessary to manage organizational conflict so that it must be kept at a level where it will not result in disorganizing
the activities of an organization thereby resulting in not allowing effective attainment of organizational objectives
(Okwuanaso & Nwazor, 2000).
Types of Conflict in Business Organizations
According to Onwuchekwa (2009b) and Amesi (2014b), there are five types of conflict within organizations.
These are:
Conflict within the Individual: Most individuals working in business organizations are not normal due to diverse
individual problems within themselves and these personal problems can lead to individual conflict which can
hinder these employees or organizational members from carrying out their normal responsibilities within their
respective organizations. It is necessary for a good manager or supervisor to identify some of these individuals
and advise them to seek the help of guidance and counselling unit.
Conflict between Individuals within an Organization: This situation is rampant within the academic institutions
system and are caused by falsehood among departmental heads/deans, nepotism, differences in perceptions,
programme co-ordinators, sectionalism, alliances among staff, role conflict and so on. Conflict among individuals
have serious negative impact on the commitment to organizational objectives and general performance of a focal
organization.
Conflict between Individual and Groups: This type of situation can be found in various unions within an
organizational system, example academic staff union, non-academic staff union, students unions, political parties
and their respective committee. Some members of these groups do not meet group norms and the level of expected
solidarity. This normally result in group trying to impose some sanctions on their opposed members. This situation
usually affects the organization negatively as conflict emerge.
Conflict between Groups in the Same Organization: When groups within an organization are in a situation of
conflict example, Academic Staff Union and Non-Academic Staff Union, Academic Staff Union and the
Administration (Management), this situation affects the social structure of the organization and the consequences
may be severe if management fails to handle it constructively and objectively. This is the typical conflict situation
that interest the researchers and it is the focus of this article.
Conflict between Organizations: This is an inter-organizational conflict which results from competitive

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relationships, social responsibility issues and so on, this type of conflict can have functional and dysfunctional
effects for the market segment or scarcity where the organizations are located.
Causes or Sources of Conflict in Business Organizations
According to Onwuchekwa (2009) the causes or sources of organizational conflict are diverse and many. However
the following causes of organizational conflict are identified:
Interdependence Nature of Work Activities: In business organizations, there are interdependencies of work
activities example, there are some departments or units in organization that others cannot do without them and as
such depend on these departments or units. Example of such departments or units in academic organizations are
the personnel, registry, bursary, admissions, examination and record unit and so on, they have the organizations
wide responsibilities in terms of their organizational functions, so there is high level of work interdependence in
business organization. These interdependence are sources of organizational conflict irrespective of the fact that
policies about operational behaviour may be defined.
Erratic Individuals (Behaviour of Some Employers): The erratic behaviour of some employers (managers and
administrators) can lead to conflict in an organization. Some managers are not well trained on how to manage
interpersonal relationships, so their manner of response to others may be erratic and this situation can result to
conflict among employees in business organizations.
Ambiguous Definition of Work Activities (Organizational Ambiguities): There are certain ambiguities that
are created in organizational functioning which are difficult for employees to understand and clarify their
respective positions. In academic organizations (institutions), the relationship between the academic staff and
non-academic staff unions are not well understood. The non-academic staff has two labour organizations for both
senior and junior employees so, when they go on strike serious ambiguities are created.
Scarce Resources to be Shared: This as a source of conflict in organization result when there are unlimited
scarce resources to be shared within the organization. Organizational resources are not enough and as such must
be shared among the units and departments in the organization.
Ambiguities in Organizational Communication: Ambiguities in communication create serious problems and
misunderstanding and these situations can lead to serious organizational conflict.
Differences in Goals: Organizations have common objectives and every person in the organization is expected
to be working towards one objective. This is not true in Nigeria especially in government owned organizations
example academic institutions, workers do not come to work at same time and do not start working at same time.
This is as a result of divergent goals which they pursue irrespective of the demands of their employment contract.
When employees, administrators, leaders, and so on, pursue their private goals it may be the source of
organizational conflict in business organizations.
Differences in Values and Perception: Goals are finalistic in nature and they are influenced by values. What
one values influence ones goal attainment behaviour, this is because our values influence our attitudes and
behaviour toward the pursuit for goal attainment. The multiplicity of values and perceptions of organizational
employees can lead to conflict within organization.
Consequences of Conflict in Business Organization
According to Amesi (2014) and Onwuchekwa (2009), the following are the consequences of conflict in business
organizations
Rise of Leaders: This occurs when new leaders emerge to help their members to win in the conflict. The new
leaders here are the ones that are ready to resist the opposing group, they are also seen as ones that have the
resources and are knowledgeable about the crisis and they also assumed as those who are fearless.
Distorted Perception: This occurs when people do not reason properly or perceive things clearly during group
conflict or crisis. This is as a result of group cohesion or solidarity. Most people who are honest, straightforward,
outspoken or objective may distort their perception. Distortion in perception tends to keep the two group far away
from settlement and hypocrisy is usually the dominant behaviour.
Increased Cohesion: This occurs when two groups are in conflict, the members of each of the group may be
forced to forget their internal differences and reconcile to face a common enemy. This can be observed in faculties
and various departments as the case may be.
Selection of Strong Representations: This occurs when groups in conflict are to find ways of settling their
differences or the conflict either through a mediator or arbitration, group members select strong representatives or
hard-liners. These are strong representative who will be unyielding. This kind of situation may create statement
in settlement.
Development of ‘Blind Spot’: When groups develop blind spot, about the areas of mutual benefits or interest,
they deliberately ignore them and do not see their blind spots. In business organizations, people may decide to be
separate instead of uniting together to fight a common goal, after many issues or years, they may decide to build
a new organization as a basis for their blind spot which they ignored.
Increase in Negative Stereotypes: Stereotyping occurs when we generalize either positively or negatively about
a group because of a single fact we know about the group. In conflict situation, every positive things about a group

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are usually forgotten and everything about the group becomes negative. The groups in conflict continue to see
each other negatively continuously and not positively.
Managing Organizational Conflicts
There are several ways to manage organizational crisis and conflict but notable among them according to
Onwuchekwa (2009), are conflict stimulation method and conflict reduction method.
Conflict Stimulation Methods: This method is used in business organizations where the level of conflict for
improvement of performance is lacking. Such organizations lack innovative skills, creativity and low standard of
competition and performance among staff. In these type of organizations conflict can be stimulated at the level
where it can improve performance. Conflict stimulation methods includes:
Bringing in Outsiders: This is a way to stimulate conflict in a group or in business organizations. A non-staff
who may not be used to the way an organization is functioning may be brought in as to discover faults,
opportunities and aim at innovation which may change the existing climate and this situation may stimulate conflict.
It is necessary to state that a non-staff in an organization may be there to either stimulate conflict or manage conflict
it all lies on the management staff of the organization to be guided appropriately as to insure that the non-staff
brought in to the organization does not cause more harm than good in the organization.
Encouraging Competition: When organizational members are in a competitive relation by writing literature for
lectures, teaching outreach programmes for more economic incentives, getting more paid courses for special
programmes like sandwich programme, conflict is always stimulated because of scarce resources which they must
share among themselves. Differences in status, authority and goals play important role in the stimulation of
conflict among organizational members.
Restructuring the Organization: Organizational design is a process of restructuring the organizational structure
to suit strategies, environment, technologies, people and so on. When an organization is restructured the positions
may change and people may not like their new positions and this situation can lead to crisis and conflict within the
organization.
Selecting Appropriate Managers: In order to select appropriate managers who can stimulate conflict, we must
aim at selecting skilled, knowledgeable and innovative managers who will be objective in their responsibilities
where the selected managers (Vice Chancellor, Deans, Directors and Heads of Department) are authoritative and
hard-liners, conflict may escalate to unmanageable levels. This situation may affect organization performance.
Conflict Reduction Methods: This method aim at reducing the conflict but not eliminating the conflict within the
organization. Researchers like Onwuchekwa proved that the only way to reduce conflict in an organization is to
set super-ordinate goals for members in the organization and to unite the members among common enemy.
Strategies (Methods) of Conflict Resolution in Business Organizations
The word resolution connotes different meaning from different opinions and views. Resolution here is seen as a
formal expression of opinion, will, or intent voted by an official body or assemble or group. Strategy can be seen
as a careful plan or method or the art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward achieving a goal or
success (Amesi & Akpomi 2013). Conflict resolution strategy or methods deal directly with the individual in a
conflict. According to Onwuchekwa (2009); Amesi (2010) and Akpomi & Amesi (2013) there are three major
strategies or methods of conflict resolution. These includes:
Compromise: This is one way of resolving conflicts in business organizations. In compromise, the management
tries to find a middle position that is acceptable to the two parties in conflict. In compromise, it is necessary to
state that all are not given to one party rather you win some and loose some. The parties in conflict may not be
frustrated after settlement by compromise. In business organizations, conflict may not be to the interest of the
management, since it may affect the extent of the attainment of organizational objectives. To the authors, the
following are strategies for compromise- separation, arbitration, settlement by chance, resort to rules and bribing
(this is by making one party to accept some compensation as exchange for ending the conflict). It is necessary to
state that in compromise the matter or conflict is usually resolved, but the conflicting groups may not be satisfied.
Integrative Problem Solving: In this strategy, inter group are converted into a joint problem-solving situation
that can be dealt with through problem solving techniques. The major issue here is that the groups in conflict
working in the same organization try to exchange ideas and information and find an integrative solution among
themselves hence, they are working towards same purpose in the same organization. The following are strategies
for integrative problem solving- mutual agreement (consensus), confrontation and use of super-ordinate goals.
Dominance and Suppression: This strategy is often used by autocratic managers (administrators or managers)
or by people in higher positions on people in lower position. They take total control of the conflict and decide
how it will be resolved irrespective of the feelings of the people or employees in conflict. Dominance and
suppression have two things in common whereby they repress conflict rather than settle it by forcing it underground
and they create win or lose situation in which the looser is forced to give away to higher authority or greater power
usually winds up disappointed and hostile nature set in. According to Akpomi & Amesi (2013), the strategies for
dominance and suppression are- avoidance, forcing, smoothing and majority rule. In majority rule, the conflict
can be settled by voting and if the majority wins, the conflict is settled. However, the two parties must accept

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voting as a means of settling their conflict. In smoothing, the managers/administrators/management is a peace

maker, a diplomat and talks to the offended to forget about the case for his or her own sake. He does not want the
matter to continue for the interest of the organization. The offended may accept the situation out of difficulty if
the matter is suppressed or repressed. It is important to state that these conflict resolution strategies offer better
solutions to managing business organizations conflict since they are good at eliminating them.
Other conflict resolution strategies are restructuring the organization which will affect the positions of
those in conflict or a special grievance committee set-up to handle the conflict. Others are special groups within
the organization like committee, liaison, and individuals and so on, can be setup purely to deal with conflict
situations. It is in this regard that this paper focused on crisis management and conflict resolution strategies in
business organizations.
Purpose
The aim of this study is to:
1. Ascertain how crisis management and conflict affects business organizations and
2. Determine the solution to crisis management and conflict in business organisations.
Research Questions
Two basic questions were answered here
1. How does crisis management and conflict affects business organizations in Rivers State?
2. How can the solutions to crisis management and conflict Resolution in business organizations be
determined?
Hypothesis
Only one hypothesis is used for testing of hypothesis
1. There is no significant difference in the mean rating of the respondents on crisis management and conflict
resolution and its solutions as it affects business organizations.
Method
The study area was in Rivers State of Nigeria. According to Amesi, Akpomi & Okwuanaso (2014) and Koko
(2015), business organizations includes all organisations that are into business and those for academic purposes
(academic institutions). To this, the researchers decided to concentrate on few academic institutions in Rivers
State namely University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State University of Education, Rivers State University of Science
and Technology, College of Arts & Science, Rivers State Polytechnic and Federal College of Education (Technical)
Omoku. The study used an inferential statistics with survey research design. The population of the study was
9,127 made up of academic and non-academic staff of the institutions above. Details of the population is shown
in the table below. The entire population was not studied by the researchers and sample/sampling techniques was
considered necessary. The sample for the study was 50 percent of the total population, given a total of 3,805 as
sample size. Data for this study were collected by means of questionnaire developed by the researchers and titled
“Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution Strategy in Business Organizations in Rivers State”
(CMACRSBORS). The CMACRSBORS has two parts “A” and “B”. Part A sought information on the selected
personal background of the respondents, and it contained four items. Part B sought information on the view of
academic and non-academic staff regarding the topic of study and was broken into two as each contained seven
question items. The questionnaire adopted a four point scale which was as follows: High Extent (HE = 4 points);
Moderate Extent (ME = 3 points); Low Extent (LE = 2 points) and No Extent (NE = 1 point). The researchers and
three research assistants trained by the researchers personally distributed 3,805 copies of the questionnaire to the
respondents, with accompanying letters of appeal. In all, 3,200 copies of the instrument sent out were retrieved,
which amounts to 84 percent return rate. The initial copy of the questionnaire was face and content validity,
validated by 25 academic and non-academic staff other than those used for the study. Test-retest method was used
to test the reliability of the items and a reliability coefficient of 0.78 was obtained. Mean and standard deviation
was used to analyse the research questions while Z-test was used to test the hypothesis.
Table 1: Population Distribution
S/N Academic Organizations Academic Non-Academic Total
Staff Staff
1 University of Port Harcourt 1443 1,501 2,944
2 Rivers State University of Sci. & Technology 636 731 1,361
3 Rivers State University of Education 516 731 1,247
4 College of Arts & Science 307 335 642
5 Rivers State Polytechnic 331 490 821
6 Federal College of Education (Tech.) Omoku 280 315 595
Total = 3,513 4,097 7,610
Source: Field Survey, 2015.

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Results
The results obtained from the respondents is shown below:
Research Question 1: How does crisis management and conflict affects business organizations in Rivers State?
Table 2: How Crisis Management and Conflict Affects Business Organizations in Rivers State.
N = 3,200
S/n Items on Crisis Mgt. & Conflict SA A DA SDA Mean S.D Remarks
1. Disagreement among individuals as a result 800 750 1000 650 2.53 1.07 Agreed
of differences in perception
2. Not allowing effective attainment of 900 1000 850 450 2.73 1.02 Agreed
organizational objectives
3. Hinders employees or organizational 1200 900 600 500 2.88 1.08 Agreed
responsibilities within the organization
4. Negative impact on commitment to 950 800 1000 450 2.70 1.04 Agreed
organisational objectives and performance
5. Imposing sanctions on the opposed 1600 1000 400 200 3.25 0.90 Agreed
members
6. Social structure of the organization is 1200 1100 400 500 2.94 1.06 Agreed
affected and consequences are very severe.
7. Functional and dysfunctional effects on the 750 1300 1000 150 2.83 0.84 Agreed
market segment or scarcity where the
organization is located.
Total Mean/S.D = 19.86 7.01
Grand Mean/S.D = 2.84 1.00
Source: Field Survey, 2015.
Table 2 which is for research question one shows that the respondents considered all the items in the table
as ways crisis management and conflict affects business organizations in Rivers State. This was based on the
responses from the respondents as all the items in the e table were all accepted as agreed by their mean responses.
Item five in the table gave the highest mean of 3.25 with standard deviation of 0.90, this was followed by items
six, three and seven with mean of 2.94. 2.88 and 2.83 and standard deviation of 1.06. 1.08 and 0.84 respectively.
Item two and four in the table gave a mean of 2.73 and 2.70 with standard deviation of 1.02 and 1.04. The last but
not the least in the table was item one with 2.53 as mean and standard deviation of 1.07. A critical analysis of the
responses of the respondents shows that crisis management and conflict affects business organizations in Rivers
State as all items in the table were all agreed with grand mean and standard deviation of 2.84 and 1.00.
Research Question 2: How can the solutions to crisis management and conflict resolution in business
organizations be determined?
Table 3: Solutions to Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution in Business Organizations
N = 3,200
S/n Items on Solutions to Crisis Mgt. & SA A DA SDA Mean S.D Remarks
Conflict Resolution in Bus. Organs.
1. Compromise 1500 1200 300 200 3.25 0.87 Agreed
2. Integrative problem solving 900 1000 800 500 2.72 1.04 Agreed
3. Dominance and suppression 1200 1100 700 200 3.03 0.92 Agreed
4. Restructuring the organization 1000 1200 600 400 2.88 0.99 Agreed
5. Setting up special grievance committee 800 1400 700 300 2.84 0.91 Agreed
6. Mobilization of members 1100 1300 300 500 2.94 1.03 Agreed
7. Individuals working as liaison officers 700 1200 800 500 2.66 0.99 Agreed
Total Mean/S.D = 20.32 6.75
Grand Mean/S.D = 2.90 0.96
Source: Field Survey, 2015.
Table 3 which is for research question 2, proved that the respondents agreed that all the items in the table
are solutions to crisis management and conflict resolution in business organizations in Rivers State. This was as
a result of the responses of the respondents as item one in the table gave the highest mean of 3.25 and standard
deviation of 0.87, this was followed by item three with mean of 3.03 and standard deviation of 0.92, followed by
item six with mean of 2.94 and standard deviation of 1.03. Items four, five, two and seven gave mean of 2.88,
2.84, 2.72 and 2.66 and standard deviation of 0.99, 0.91, 1.04 and 0.99 respectively. Analysis in the table revealed
that compromise, dominance and suppression, mobilization of members, restructuring the organization and so on
are solutions to crisis management and conflict resolution in business organizations. The grand mean of 2.90 and
standard deviation of 0.96 attested to the analysis.

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Table 4: Z-test of Difference between academic and non-academic staff on Crisis Management and Conflict
resolution and its Solutions as it affects Business Organizations
N = 3,200
Respondents Mean S.D Num. Df Std. Error Z-Cal Z-Crit. Decision
19.86 7.01
3200 3198 0.24 1.92 1.645 Accepted
20.32 6.75

Source: Field Survey, 2015.

Table 4 which is for Z-test proved that the calculated Z-ratio is 1.645 while the Z-critical or table value
is 1.92. Since the calculated Z-value exceeds the Z-ratio, the researchers accept the null hypothesis in favour of
the alternative hypothesis at 3,198 degree of freedom and 0.05 level of significance. Based on the above decision,
the researchers concludes that there is no significant difference in the mean rating of the respondents on crisis
management and conflict resolution and its solutions as it affects business organizations in Rivers State.

Discussion
The discussion is done according to the findings from each research question. Findings for research question one
proved that crisis and conflict affects business organizations in Rivers State. This finding is in agreement with the
view of Onwuchekwa (2009) who viewed that crisis and conflict must be kept at levels where they will not result
in disorganizing the activities of business organizations. In line with Onwuchekwa’s view, Amesi (2014)
portrayed that crisis and conflict is a major tool that clearly measures the extent an individual has grown in
experience, knowledge and understanding. The researchers build on the views of Onwuchekwa and Amesi that
crisis and conflict are very destructive and affects the structure of business organizations and as such, should be
eliminated.
Findings from research question 2 revealed that the solutions to crisis management and conflict resolution
comes from compromise, dominance and suppression, restructuring the organizations, mobilization of members,
setting up grievance committee and so on. In agreement to this finding, Okwuanaso & Nwazor (2004);
Onwuchekwa (2009), Amesi (2010) and Akpomi & Amesi (2013) viewed that the methods or strategies for conflict
resolution in business organizations includes compromise, integrative problem solving, dominance and
suppression, restructuring the organizations and setting up committee members to deal with the crisis and conflict
situations. The researchers build on the view of the authors that compromise- separation, arbitration, settlement
by chance, resort to rules and restructuring of organizational members are major tools for crisis and conflict
resolution in the sense that they are the only way that individuals, managers (Deans, Directors and Heads of
Department) and administrators (Vice Chancellors) will use to avert crisis and conflict in business organizations.
It is necessary to state that crisis and conflict exist so long as organizational members exist in every organization
but one major thing is that the strength of an organizational member is dependent on his or her ability to manage
crisis and conflict effectively as conflict can only be reduced in an organization by setting super-ordinate goals for
the members and by uniting the members among common enemy.

Conclusion
Crisis and conflict exist in business organizations through or between group, which may either be management
team, union groups, work group or even within the department or faculty as the case may be. One fundamental
issue of intergroup conflict or conflict between groups in the same organization is that they are very destructive
and affects the social structure of the organization. The existence of crisis and conflict between groups in the same
organization could lead to several negative consequences. This is because crisis or conflict as a phenomenon
cannot be eliminated completely as it is said to be endemic in all human organizations.

Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study and conclusion, the following recommendations were put forward by the
researchers:
1. Managers and administrators should try as not to suppress conflicts but should manage them and keep
them at levels where they can be functional for organizational performance. This is because some aspects
of conflict are functional for organizational performance through creativity and innovation.
2. University administrators should be able to handle issues that arise in business organizations
constructively and objectively. This is because the consequences of crisis or conflict in business
organizations may be very severe.
3. Managers of business organizations at all levels need to identify appropriate conflict resolution strategy
at work to enable them reduce crisis and conflict to a manageable proportion.
4. Managers and administrators should try as not to be autocratic but should be neutral in handling crisis or

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Developing Country Studies www.iiste.org
ISSN 2224-607X (Paper) ISSN 2225-0565 (Online)
Vol.5, No.21, 2015

conflict issues in business organizations.

Acknowledgements
Thanks to the following people for offering comments on the draft guideline: Prof. W.A. Amaewhule and Mr.
Bupo O. Godwin for their detailed advice, correction and amendments, including all male and female authors cited
in this article. Special thanks to all the Academic and Non-Academic staff in business organizations in Rivers
State, who were used as respondents for their painstaking in filling the questionnaire and responding to it at
appropriate time.
This publication would not have been possible without the financial support of the researchers and the
editorial board of International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE) for their corrections and
instruction.

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