A qualitative study to evaluate the relationship between managers' conflict resolution styles and organizational commitment in maritime businesses: A content analysis study

When organizational conflicts are managed correctly, creative ideas can emerge and encourage individuals in the business to do better. It is known that organizational commitment positively affects job performance and product or service quality, and reduces negative situations such as coming to work late, absenteeism and leaving the job. There are many studies in the literature that evaluate the relationship between the two concepts in different sectors. However, studies conducted on people operating in sub- sectors of the maritime sector are limited. In this study, interviews were conducted with 8 people operating in port operations, a sub-sector of the maritime sector. The data obtained from the interviews aimed to determine the conflicts, conflict management styles and organizational commitment types that occur with the qualitative research method technique of content analysis and also to evaluate how conflict management styles affect organizational commitment. According to the participants' statements; they frequently emphasized that conflicts that occur in port operations mostly stem from the fact that the work is time-based, work procedures and work safety, and that lack of proper communication and information also causes conflicts. Participants often emphasized that managers often take the views of both parties, speak openly to the parties and follow a path for solution. For this reason, it can be said that port managers act with an integrative approach in conflicts that occur. The fact that the company is a corporate company, its size, the opportunity to develop itself, and the company valuing its employees were frequently emphasized in the commitment of employees to the company. All participants stated that dominating and avoiding conflict management styles would not be solution- oriented, would further increase work stress, and ignoring conflicts would also reveal the idea that there is a problem in management. Therefore, it can be said that dominating and avoiding conflict management styles would negatively affect the commitment of people operating in port businesses to the company.