CHAPTER ONEINTRODUCTION
1.O BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Conflict is an inevitable element of any labour – management relationship. In work situation people are bound to have different interests and aspirations which may tend to conflict with each other. Also in every organization where people to different background have to interact in the collective efforts towards achieving a common goal, conflict is bound to ensure. This is because in addition to the common workplace his own personal ambition which he earnestly desires to achieve alongside the organizational goal. This individual goal or interest may not necessarily be compatible with that of other members. Thus, there is clash of interest.
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For example, management is often committed to pursuing a goal of profit maximization through rationalization of economic decision and other cost maximization policies. The workers, through their union want higher wages are lucrative welfare package which tend to result in higher costs of doing business to the management. Union wants effective participation in most factory shop decision even at tl1e expense of encroaching on areas that fall exclusively within the confinement of management prerogatives. Management cannot, but resist these unwholesome moves. In the process conflict will ensure, therefore, it is obvious that conflict is inherent in every organization irrespective of size, mission or age. To this end organization (be it private or public) are perceived to always assumethat conflicts necessarily damage the relationship that exist within the work places. It is based on the fore goings that a research study on measurement of conflicts effectiveness and efficiency became a subject of interest.
1.2HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY (LASU)
The Lagos state university was established on April 22nd 1983 via the statute of 1983. with the major objective of being the apex of the educational system of the state, providing access to higher education for citizens, providing innovative educational programmes of high standard, conducting research and disseminating their findings,. It was also established to become intellectual pursuit and serves the factory of ideas by the then government a Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande.