CONFLICT TYPES AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS

Abstract

Objective: To determine the conflict management styles and the relationship of conflict types and management from both the public and private hospitals.
Study Design: Cross-sectional research design.
Place and Duration of study: Data were collected from public and private hospitals in Lahore from June 2014 to January 2015.
Methodology: The sample comprised of 160 doctors working in private (n=64) and public (n=96) sector hospitals, with Mean age=30.03 (SD=5.63). Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory–II and Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory–III were used.
Results: Results revealed that the two sectors differed in the use of conflict management styles after controlling for the conflict types. Obliging, integrating, compromising and avoiding conflict management style were used more by doctors in public sector hospitals than those in private hospitals. However, none of the conflict types predicted conflict management styles and the pattern of prediction was similar for doctors working in private and public sector hospitals.
Conclusion: Affecting, transforming and substantive conflict types were more experienced in private sector and obliging, integrating, avoiding and compromising conflict management styles were used more by public sector hospitals conflict.