Interpersonal conflict, conflict management styles and employee turnover intentions in Nile Breweries Limited

Abstract

Interpersonal conflict exists in all organizations. However, if it arises, it needs to be managed through conflict management styles lest it leads to turn over intentions. High turnover intentions can bring about the low productivity and in the long run the downfall of the organization. The purpose of the study was to investigate the moderating role of conflict management styles in the relationship between interpersonal conflict and employee turnover intentions. The study was carried out using a correlational study design. Data was collected from a sample size of 147 employees from Nile Breweries Limited in Njeru-Buyukwe district using a quota sampling technique. The researcher analyzed the data using a computer data analysis package known as Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS).The findings indicated that interpersonal conflict and turnover intentions are significantly related (r=.13**, p>0.01). The results also show that conflict management styles and turnover intentions are partially significantly related. Avoiding and accommodating and collaborating styles are significantly related (r=-.23**, p>.05, r=.32**, p>.05 and r=.22**, p<.05) respectively, whereas, compromising, and competing are not significantly related (r=.-9, p>.05, r=.13, p>.05 and) respectively. The results further indicated that, conflict management styles are partially not significantly related to turnover intentions. This is because competing, collaborating, and compromising are not significantly related to turnover (r=.9, p>.05, r=.10, p>.05, and r=-.04, p<.05) respectively while avoiding and accommodating styles are significantly related ( r-.17**, p<.05, and r=.18**, p<.05). There was also no moderating effect of conflict management styles on the relationship between interpersonal conflict and turnover intentions that is; competing style (B=-.20, p=.781), collaborating (B=.20, p=.086), compromising style (B=.14, p=.174), avoiding style (B=.10,p=.354) and accommodating style (B=-08, p=.460). After the investigations, the researcher realized it’s important that other ways of dealing with interpersonal conflict are applied since conflict management styles do not moderate the two variables.