**5. Organizational trust and organizational conflict: a framework of consequential relationship**

Based on the evidences gathered from empirical studies conducted by scholars on organizational conflict and its management revealed that there is a connection between organizational trust and organizational conflict. This connection can best be described as consequential. It is consequential because lack or low level of trust among employees and employer can stimulate mixed feelings or lack of cooperation in an organization which may result in organizational conflict. For example, it is widely assumed that relationship between two or more individuals is sustained based on trust. This assumption is equally applicable to workplace relationships. That is, when there is lack or low level of trust in an organization there is disagreement and conflict situation in the organization [7, 8]. This is so because when there is lack of trust, there is lack of corporation and when there is absence of cooperation between employees and management, there will be conflict in the organization. While on the other hand, when there is trust or high level of trust in an organization; employees are more likely to avoid conflict situation [7, 8] by ensuring that they give the counterpart the benefit of doubt on issues that may generate conflict rather than jumping to conclusions [8]. To further expatiate on the nexus between organizational trust and organizational conflict, the diagram below is presented (**Figure 2**).

addressing potential issues in order to resolve conflicts in the open before negative effects emerge [39]. Moreover, if employees and management trust one another, they would be more likely to accept open agreements and less likely to infer hidden agendas when conflict occur in the organization [58]. This condition will create conducive and favorable atmosphere for thrashing out differences and misunderstanding between the management and the employees. This assumption dramatically shows that when parties (management and employees) to a conflict do not have trust in one another, they are expose to interpreting uncertain behaviors and actions in others negatively and likely to infer that relationship conflict is a possible reason for the behaviors [59]. To this end, organizational trust is a critical factor in resolving conflict situation in work organization. Even when conflict arises between the employees and/or management, organizational trust will help the conflicting parties to know the level of trust existing between them (employees and management), the intention to manage the conflict productively and the willingness to keep agreement with good faith in order to achieve

Organizational Trust as a Conflict Management Tool in Contemporary Work Organizations

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.73092

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This chapter dwelled on analysis of organizational trust as a conflict management tool in contemporary work organizations from various perspectives. The introduction of the chapter was followed by discussions of substantive issues such as meaning of organizational conflict, organizational trust, importance of trust and factors responsible for the development of trust in organization. Some theories of trust were also examined. Moreover, the chapter also developed a framework for dealing with conflict in work organization. The issue addressed in this chapter suggests the role of trust in managing organizational conflict. Virtually all the situations which tend to spring up disagreement between employees and employers can be mitigated when there is positive organizational trust. As such, employees and management in various organizations must learn to cooperate with each other based on trust as a strategic approach to management of conflict for collective benefits of all. The presence of high level of trust and cooperation between employees and employers will encourage openness, transparency, and confidence, better understanding of workplace issues, friendliness, and risk taking which are very essential tools for achieving harmonious relationship in work organization. In conclusion, it is suggested that a study in the area of intra-group conflict management and its impact on organizational performance in medium and large organizations should be carried out by future researchers in order to enrich the body of knowledge on the management of

harmonious co-existence.

conflict in contemporary work organizations.

Address all correspondence to: solaja.mayowa777@yahoo.com

Department of Sociology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria

**6. Conclusion**

**Author details**

Oludele Mayowa Solaja

**Figure 2.** Framework on the nexus between organizational trust and organizational conflict management.

Furthermore, lack of cooperation will significantly lead to disagreement or misunderstanding over task performance which may result in inter-personality clashes or power struggle among the employees and management that may escalate to organizational conflict. However, one outstanding mechanism for neutralizing conflict in an organization is through organizational trust. This is essentially so because organizational trust produces cooperation, openness, transparency, accuracy, clarity of issues, avoidance of disputes, agreeableness and risk taking in an organization. To buttress this assertion, [57, 58] argued that organizational trust transmits to openness and accuracy in communication and employees who trust each other know that their colleagues will provide them accurate, reliable, and complete information. Consequently, employees who trust one another are more willing to incur the risk of addressing potential issues in order to resolve conflicts in the open before negative effects emerge [39]. Moreover, if employees and management trust one another, they would be more likely to accept open agreements and less likely to infer hidden agendas when conflict occur in the organization [58]. This condition will create conducive and favorable atmosphere for thrashing out differences and misunderstanding between the management and the employees. This assumption dramatically shows that when parties (management and employees) to a conflict do not have trust in one another, they are expose to interpreting uncertain behaviors and actions in others negatively and likely to infer that relationship conflict is a possible reason for the behaviors [59]. To this end, organizational trust is a critical factor in resolving conflict situation in work organization. Even when conflict arises between the employees and/or management, organizational trust will help the conflicting parties to know the level of trust existing between them (employees and management), the intention to manage the conflict productively and the willingness to keep agreement with good faith in order to achieve harmonious co-existence.
