Conflict Management Tool Research Articles

Territorial autonomy and ethnic conflict: the Baloch ethnic question post-18th Amendment

ABSTRACT This article critically assesses the effectiveness of territorial autonomy under the 18th Constitutional Amendment in managing ethnic conflict in Pakistan's Balochistan province. It argues that limitations in the design and implementation of the federal provisions of the 18th Amendment have hindered the sustainable resolution of the ethnic conflict in Balochistan. Design-wise, the Amendment inadequately addresses key institutional factors that have historically contributed to Balochistan's marginalised status within the federation, notably the Senate's limited powers, non-ethnic-based provincial boundaries, and Baloch under-representation in core state institutions. Design inadequacies are exacerbated by poor implementation of the core federal provisions, especially related to natural resource ownership, local government, and the Council of Common Interests (CCI). Notable implementation hurdles include a persistent ‘centralist’ mind set, particularly pronounced within the military, actively seeking the overturn of the 18th Amendment. The persistence of the de-facto power of the military has undermined the efficacy of territorial autonomy as a conflict management tool.

From ‘dirty word’ to ‘critical enabler’: the evolution of peacekeeping-intelligence

ABSTRACT The article provides a historical analysis of the evolution of ‘Peacekeeping-Intelligence’ (PKI) as a UN intelligence system and tool of conflict management. It examines the processes leading to the development of the PKI Policy by analyzing the analytical entities that cumulatively contextualized these developments. It also examines the institutional mechanisms at the UNHQ, the underlying logic, and the challenges surrounding these processes. The article first traces the various iterations of information and analysis structures within the UN since the early 1960s. It then focuses on intelligence developments in the 1990s and the new millennium, where the lack of intelligence capabilities, particularly at the mission level, was identified as an underlining factor for the operational problems faced by the UN. It concludes with an examination of the PKI policy as an evolutionary step in UN peacekeeping. The paper argues that PKI offers a new pathway to effective peacekeeping and provides a foundation for enhanced decision-making through situational awareness, the safety and security of peacekeepers, and the protection of civilians.

SUPPORTING INSTRUMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION FOR RESOLVING CONFLICTS WITHIN THE UNION

The European Union, a community consisting of 27 member states with completely different histories, cultures, economies and levels of development, needs certain clear rules of the game that will ensure peaceful coexistence and continuity of coexistence of states gathered under one integration roof. This article focuses on the principle of subsidiarity in the EU and its role in conflict management. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of how subsidiarity operates as a mechanism to reduce tensions and promote cooperation between EU member states. The analysis focuses on the historical application of this principle in different political contexts to identify patterns and general trends. The methodological approach of the article is based on a comprehensive analysis of political decision-making processes at the EU level, taking into account the principle of subsidiarity. By combining qualitative and quantitative research methods, the impact of this principle on conflict identification, prevention and resolution is systematically explored. It was confirmed that targeted and effective implementation of the principle of subsidiarity in the EU can make a significant contribution to conflict prevention and resolution. Principle of subsidiarity acts as the main tool for conflict management in the EU, plays a central role.

Social mediation as a tool of peace and consent at community level

This article is about social mediation and its applicability in Kazakhstanian socio-cultural setting. The author writes that the relevance of this study is determined by the need for scientific understanding of social mediation as a relatively new tool for conflict management and transformation. Social mediation as a new type of socio-communicative practice can contribute to the achievement of peace and harmony within and between communities. The author defines the term, further presents a brief history of its evolution, rooted in the history of the development of human relations, as well as the effectiveness of its application and the role of mediators in the settlement of social conflicts. The methodological basis of the article is the general scientific methods of cognition and the results of the research on the example of 11 conflicts of South Kazakhstan in the period 2006-2021. The article concludes with some conclusions and discussion. In addition, the practical significance of this article will allow to form a strategy of social mediation to prevent social conflicts.

MOTIVATION AS A CONFLICT MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR TEACHING STAFF

Staff motivation is a crucial aspect of a successful organization, which is determined by the extent to which the existing incentive system takes into account the employee motivation. Influence on working behavior through motivation, with which the value is determined by the fact that, relying on it, the manager gets the opportunity from subordinates to the goals of the 155 organization to get the appropriate behavior. This allows the manager to meet the needs of his employees to increase the level of satisfaction with their work. The motivation for each employee is individual. Employees have different requirements, different personal characteristics, skills, abilities, interests and inclinations. They have different expectations from their employers. However, with the dynamic work of the organization, it is not always possible to avoid a conflict situation that negatively affects the staff. The important components of the conflict situation are the desire of the parties, the strategy and tactics of their behavior, as well as the perception of the conflict situation. The organization can influence all these components with the help of various tools, including the motivation system. Improving the motivation system is one of the tools for increasing the effectiveness of conflict management in the organization. The article considers the effectiveness and features of motivation as a conflict management tool in the organization.

Yorùbá Proverbial Metaphor: A Rhetoric tool and Guiding Principle to Conflict Resolution

The Yorùbá are a set of unique ethnic group with peculiar traditions, values and culture. Their cultural practice, heritage is found on the epitome of their proverbial prowess which are formed within the context of their traditional “Yorùbá language and dialect,” and used as a tool for conflict management and resolution. Conflict by Yorùbá belief is inevitable, but not insurmountable as Yorùbá found conflict always positive. To amplify this belief, Yorùbá at different occasions incorporate some of the proverbs that are relevant and applicable to conflicting situations in their attempt to resolve conflicts. This essay examines some of the selected proverbs while synthesized them as a rhetoric tools and guiding principles to constructive conflict resolution in the Yorùbá traditional Society. Suggestions are raised that application of proverbial maxims with Yorùbá perception on conflict and conflict resolution could be useful for peaceful handling of contemporary conflicts that are rampaging the African nations.

Do Eyes in the Sky Ensure Peace on the Ground? The Uncertain Contributions of Remote Sensing to Ceasefire Compliance

Abstract In many conflicts, international ceasefire monitors are deployed to mitigate future violence. Increasingly, such monitors use satellite imagery, uncrewed aerial vehicles, and other camera-equipped assets to supplement, and sometimes substitute, human monitoring efforts to document ceasefire violations. To date, we know little about when and how such technology contributes to ceasefire compliance, with scholars offering diverging assessments of the effects. Integrating scholarship on the use of remote sensing in ceasefire monitoring with theories on the causal processes underlying ceasefire monitoring, this analytical essay offers a framework to assess the contribution of remote sensing to ceasefire compliance and illustrates the empirical application of this framework by examining the most technologically advanced ceasefire monitoring mission yet deployed, the Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. Focusing on the period prior to the Russian invasion of 2022, our research finds that while the mission’s observational power was expanded, remote sensing technologies ultimately had little effect on modifying conflict party behavior or compliance. While in this case remote sensing technology minimally increased compliance, the study contributes to debates on the use of technology as a conflict management tool, and provides an assessment framework for scholars and for policymakers considering adopting technology in other monitoring contexts.

Peacekeeping, Disarmament, and the New Agenda for Peace

Abstract This article examines briefly the changing nature of conflict from the end of the Cold War until the present “post-post Cold War” era. Against the backdrop of Secretary-General António Guterres’s forthcoming (June 2023) New Agenda for Peace in response to the changing nature of warfare, alongside waning demand for certain UN conflict management tools, the article offers concrete recommendations for advancing peacekeeping (a New Civilian Response Capability, investing in hybrid and partnership-oriented peacekeeping, and revisiting the idea of standing peacekeeping forces) and disarmament (enhanced Arms Trade Treaty transparency, aligning the interests of nuclear armed states and non–nuclear weapons states, and establishing global norms on the illegality of specific types of cyber behavior) through the world body. Reform proposals privilege the development of multilateral and local capacities for peace. The article concludes with some thoughts on the research agenda ahead for scholars and policy analysts dedicated to studying and pursuing peace through more effective approaches to global governance.

FEATURES OF MANAGING SOCIAL CONFLICTS BY PUBLIC AUTHORITIES

The article examines the peculiarities of managing social conflicts by public authorities. It is determined that the diversity of society can lead to conflicts due to the divergence of interests of different organizations and people. The state must intervene quickly to properly resolve disputes between the parties. In practice, the government that seems more prominent represents the state. Governments have all the power and perform all tasks on behalf of the state. According to most political definitions, the state is the only legitimate use of physical violence in society. So, by definition, it is almost involved when there is an armed conflict in society. However, violent control is not the only distinguishing feature. There are also financial, territorial, and ideological monopolies. The simultaneous implementation of these four monopolies ensures unity within the state and international independence. Various social conflicts that occur in society are a form of social catastrophe. These disasters were caused by human activity. Some of the drivers of social conflicts include gaps in economic differences, differences in political understanding between communities, discrimination, injustice, disobedience, neglect, and lack of understanding among a group of people. Proper treatment is to create peace in society. The role of local authorities is necessary to find appropriate forms of solutions. Early identification of problems and ways to solve them should be comprehensive. Identifying complex social problems is an attempt to increase sensitivity to emerging social problems. Sensitivity refers to the form of sensitivity when detecting a problem that includes frequency, prevalence, and trend. Social harmony programmes are designed as peaceful conflict resolution. Social harmony is a social condition that guarantees the creation of dynamic, harmonious and balanced relationships and social interactions between community members so that they can live peacefully side by side on the basis of equality, cohesion and true brotherhood. Maintaining peaceful conditions in a community is characterized by a harmonious social life (full tolerance and mutual support) to create social cohesion. Social conflict is a phenomenon that will continue to exist and cannot be separated in people’s lives, regardless of the positive and negative consequences that it causes. Local community culture, or often known in the community as local wisdom, can be a conflict management tool to create social harmony. The presence of local culture in the form of local wisdom, which has been agreed upon by mutual agreement, is another alternative and should be considered by the community, community leaders, the government and peace-supporting organizations as a means of resolving social conflicts.

Power-Sharing Models for Postwar Syria: Consociational vs. Centripetal Options

This article explores potential power-sharing models for post-conflict Syria. It surveys the literature on the need for power-sharing as a conflict management tool for deeply divided societies and explores its suitability for Syria. Two particular power-sharing models are explored: the consociational and centripetal. Both arrangements are examined through a comparative research that assesses the success and failures of the Lebanese and Iraqi power-sharing experiences. The findings suggest that reform toward post-conflict reconstruction requires a multi-step political agreement that may be initiated in an agreement toward a transitional consociational power-sharing arrangement followed by the gradual attainment of centripetal-based power structure.

A mediáció szabályozásának története

Aim: Conflict and conflict resolution are as old as humanity. At different ages, people try to remedy conflicts between individuals or groups in different ways. The sending of ambassadors or the court of the king's bench, as an institution of arbitration, or even the archaic form of mediation, can be found in thousands of years of historical sources. In this study, the focus is exploring the processes.Methodology: In this paper, we follow alternative dispute resolution methods from the ancient Greeks' conflict management tools to the development of modern mediation and the EU legal harmonization. Methodologically, we used the processing and comparison of contemporary sources.Findings: In both Hungarian and European cultures, there is a tradition of a type of mediation process. In several European cultures, this can still be felt.Value: This article highlights the fact that the third neutral party's presence in the interpersonal dispute resolution is an archaic human need. Its role is inevitable in everyday (alternative) dispute resolution.

Military ad hoc coalitions and functional differentiation in inter-organisational relations

AbstractThe emergence of military ad hoc coalitions (AHCs) in Africa as a tool for conflict management outside established institutional frameworks brings about a number of questions: are they undermining existing security structures such as the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) or are they contributing to further regime complexity? In order to answer these questions, the article applies the logic of functional differentiation as it is used in the literature on regime complexity and inter-organisational studies. Scope conditions are developed exploring when and how functional differentiation operates and what consequences it brings about for interacting institutions. Empirically the example of military ad hoc coalitions in the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel is at the centre of analysis. It will be argued that ad hoc coalitions are part of a functionally differentiated system response within the African Security Regime Complex and not in direct competition to the APSA.

The Paradigm Shift--from Traditional to Multidimensional Peacekeeping: Reflections on Achievements, Failures, Challenges, and Prospects in the 21st Century

The peacekeeping concept dates back to pre-League of Nations days, starting with mere inter-positioning of military personnel operations to what we have today as multidimensional operations, since the inception of the United Nations (UN). It is an undebatable fact that the conflict management technique of peacekeeping remains one of the most effective tools that the UN has deployed in terms of international conflict management. Undeniably though, its implementation across the globe in the past has come with mixed results—successes, failures, and challenges. This paper evaluates the challenges and prospects of the phenomenon in this new millennium, having, however, analyzed the impact the technique has so far brought to bear on the international conflict management role of the UN in particular and the international community at large. The study is a content analysis of the concept of peacekeeping, using secondary and tertiary sources. Amidst the successes, failures, and challenges, the potency of peacekeeping as a global conflict management tool in the 21 st Century is without a doubt. Nonetheless, what we need is efficient and effective reforms of the concept under the leadership of the United Nations system. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/13-4-04 Publication date: February 28 th 2023

Razumijevanje federalne institucionalne arhitekture i dinamike u Bosni i Hercegovini

Federalism has come to be seen as an important tool for conflict resolution and management providing a framework suitable to accommodate diversity, equal representation, and democracy. This article analyses the federal institutional architecture and dynamics in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The methodology used in this article is the one of a case study analysis. By applying single case analysis to our study, we will be able to examine the particularities of Bosnia and Herzegovina's federal system, we will look at distribution of competences , inter-governmental relations, and the impact of these structures on governance and internal dynamics. The goal of this article is to contribute to a broader understanding of federalism, especially to its role in post-conflict societies and multi-ethnic countries.

Home Economics Programme as a Tool for Marital Conflict Management

The study investigated Home Economics programme as a tool for marital conflict management. A descriptive survey was used for the study. The population consisted of all members of Home Economics Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (HETAN), Ondo State chapter. Sample of one hundred and sixty-three (163) respondents were drawn from the total population using simple random sampling technique. A self-developed structured and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using mean. Findings reveal among others lack of trust; parental interference; economic pressure and unrealistic expectation as part of the factors responsible for marital conflict. Findings also revealed mental health issue; inappropriate care for children; communication breakdown and economic instability as part of the implications of inappropriate handling of marital conflict in homes. Furthermore, decision-making process to attain family goals; principles of selection and utilization of family resources and homes and family in a changing world were revealed as part of the contents of Home Economics programme that could help in marital conflicts management. As people consider going for counselling in preparation for marriage, they should also consider taking at least a remedial course in Home Economics to further equip them for stable marital life.

FROM "CAPRICE MEDICINE" TO "EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY MEDICINE": TASKS, TECHNOLOGIES AND SPECIFICS OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PRIVATE CLINIC

The article substantiates the tasks of introducing a conflict management system into the work of a private sector medical organization, reducing the number of ethical and legal conflicts that arise during the provision of medical care. The analysis of the conceptual foundations, regulatory framework and specifics of the use of conflict management tools in the context of solving organizational and managerial tasks in a private multidisciplinary clinic is presented.

Mediation: Understanding a Constructive Conflict Management Tool in the Workplace

Mediation becomes relevant nowadays as a way to manage conflicts in the workplace in a nonjudicial way, preventing costly, extensive, and unsatisfying legal procedures. This study tries to systematize the more recent research about mediation, showing the main challenges, questions, and findings. Research suggests the importance of integrating the organizational and societal context in the study of mediation, the use of efficiency, equity, and voice objectives for evaluating mediation effectiveness, and taking into account a contingency approach in mediator strategies. There is an important gap between the large development of professional practice in mediation and the few systematic studies on this topic. This paper offers a model that considers current research and practice for mediation effectiveness. This model could be used to focus the orientation of scholars, practitioners, and governments in search of new developments in the design of mediation. Future research could explore specific combinations of these dimensions to analyze sectors, organizations, or cases of mediation.

A bibliometric review of research on interorganizational conflicts in the construction industry: 1989-2021

PurposeThe issue of conflict has been around for a long time. With the development of economic development and the diversification of industries, conflicts have shown a trend of complex development. By reviewing interorganizational conflict in construction, this study aims to identify the formation, development and evolution of conflict and to assist organizational managers in using scientific conflict management tools to deal with and resolve conflict.Design/methodology/approachThis paper considers the following questions: “What is the overall research status of the interorganizational conflict in construction projects?” and “What are the trendy issues in interorganizational conflicts in construction projects?” This study uses R software's Biblioshiny program to describe the overall conflict between organizations to answer question 1. This study uses Netminer – a social network analysis (SNA) software and text mining to explore research trends and answer question 2.FindingsInterorganizational conflict has been one of the most important topics in recent years when it comes to conflict issues. This paper intends to examine interorganizational conflict in construction in an attempt to shed light on four main topics regarding the conflict: the application of conflict theory; factors that induce conflict; the effect of conflict on performance; and methods of conflict management.Research limitations/implicationsThrough a comprehensive analysis of interorganizational conflict, this study helps to increase the understanding of scholars in the field of conflict research. This study suggests future research directions and provides references for managers to improve their conflict management, decision-making and performance.Originality/valueThis study combines bibliometrics, SNA and text mining research methods. Multidimensional and multiperspectival assessments are performed based on the status of the research, its evolution and trends. The results of this study can be used to guide the resolution of conflict in other industries. This study also enriches the scientific theory related to the interorganizational conflict.

Silence as a Tool for Managing Conflict in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus

This paper explores the significance of silence in a conflict-charged situation as represented in Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. It emanates from a hiatus perceived from existing scholarship on a specific function of silence in the novel. While a few critical assessments of the role of silence in Purple Hibiscus exist, none examines that form of human behaviour from the point of view of conflict management. This study, therefore, aims at demonstrating that conflict, which is an intrinsic part of human experience manifesting in multiple ways among individuals, groups and societies, represents a genuine and potent tool for conflict management. Using a descriptive and analytical approach with insight from Deirdre Wilson and Dan Sperber’s relevance theory of silence and Richard L. Johannesen’s “typical potential meanings” of silence, this paper stresses that silence is a language, one of the ways humans respond to conflict. And how this is portrayed in terms of a refusal to react could improve, deteriorate or keep a conflict situation tensed or calm. The silence that this paper explores is the one which emanates from a woman, particularly Beatrice, the wife of Eugene. The paper argues that though silence in a marital situation may be associated with submissiveness, passivity, docility and powerlessness, Adichie deploys it as a feminine strategy for conflict management. This resonates with the idea of women stooping to conquer within the marital space, especially that characterized by male abuse.

Is this workplace bullying? How ideas about conflict shape conflict management strategies

AbstractThe adoption of specific conflict management strategies has usually been linked to various factors, such as litigation avoidance, union substitution and the pursuit of strategic benefits. This study advances the hypothesis that actors’ different frames of reference impact how workplace conflicts are interpreted and managed by unions and employers. Drawing on original data from the Brazilian banking sector, this article shows that companies and unions have different interpretations of workplace bullying. Unions understand workplace bullying as an organizational or sectoral problem inherent to labour relations in the banking sector. In contrast, employers see workplace bullying as a problem caused by individual managers. These different understandings of the same type of conflict are shaped by each actor's frame of reference and influence their responses to workplace bullying. With a pluralist or critical frame of reference, unions favour conflict management tools that try to promote structural changes in the sector. With a unitarist frame of reference, employers try to transform individual behaviour or simply remove individual managers from the workplace. Therefore, organizations with a unitarist frame interpret and respond to conflicts in notably different ways from organizations holding a pluralist or critical frame of reference.