Conflict between the cooperative and its members inevitably occurs in housing reconstruction businesses. Conflict should not be considered as having dysfunctional consequences because it is ubiquitous in any interdependent relationships, and the succe...
Conflict between the cooperative and its members inevitably occurs in housing reconstruction businesses. Conflict should not be considered as having dysfunctional consequences because it is ubiquitous in any interdependent relationships, and the success of a housing reconstruction business depends on how it is managed.
Even a trivial conflict that started from the goal incongruities and the perceptual differences between the parties concerned and the lack of reasonable rules and regulations governing the relationships may induce misunderstandings and distrust between the parties, and could bring down deep hostility and severe confrontation that deteriorate the situation. An escalated conflictual situation may end up with a dispute or a lawsuit that hampers reconstruction business and may result in great financial losses due to the unresolved conflict for a long time.
The purpose of this study is to find the sources of conflict and to suggest appropriate conflict resolution methods in housing reconstruction businesses. For this, the present study developed a research model based on a thorough archival review of the extant conflict-related socio-psychological approaches in behavioral sciences which emphasize the personal needs, motivations and social interactions, and the legal and institutional approaches which emphasize the rules and regulations related to housing reconstruction businesses. Our research model was tested empirically through an typological analysis of lawsuit cases and a questionnaire survey of cooperative members.
The analysis of lawsuit cases includes the systematic classification of conflicts on the basis of such criteria as the frequencies of law suits, the types of conflict issues, the time of litigation in reconstruction phases, the periods of lawsuits, and the judicial decisions. And the analysis of survey data includes an empirical test of causal relationships between each of the conflict resolution mechanisms and its antecedents and consequences.
The key findings of the analysis of lawsuit cases are as follows;
Firstly, it was found that is shown that the parties involved in the lawsuits were mostly within the cooperatives. The result indicates that conflict between the cooperative and its members is prevalent and implies that it is very meaningful to study this subject.
Secondly, it was found that frequent lawsuits took place at the beginning or in the middle of doing businesses. This intimates that reconstruction businesses start without clear understandings and mutual agreements among the cooperative members about the goal and plan of the business.
Thirdly, it was shown that the issues under dispute were mostly related with the management and settlement plan of the reconstruction business. The management and settlement plan is the key process of the entire project, and the fact that there are many lawsuits related with this process indicates that the cooperative members are more likely involved in disputes if the issues are important and the stakes of the parties are high.
Fourthly, it was shown that the term of the lawsuit is long. This implies that the costs of reconstruction occurred by the delay of the business increase to the extent that the members hardly bear. A lawsuit filed by few members the cooperative may lead to the significant financial loss of the entire members.
Fifthly, in reviewing judgements by court it was shown that the cooperative as the plaintiff usually won the cases, while the members as the plaintiffs lose the cases. This suggests that the cooperative members have less knowledge in legal affairs and the capability of the cooperative to deal with legal matters is much better than that of the members.
The key findings of the analysis of questionnaire survey data are as follows:
Firstly, developing relational norms (I.e., information exchange, flexibility, and mutuality) is of much importance in order to build the trust between the cooperative and its members.
Secondly, high levels of distributional and procedural fairness are also important to build the trust between the cooperative and its members.
Thirdly, the higher the transaction-specific investment endeavored by the cooperative, the higher the members' trust in the cooperative, while the higher the transaction-specific investment endeavored by the members, the higher the members' dependence on the cooperative.
Fourthly, it is important to build trust and dependence of the members in order to facilitate the use of cooperation as a conflict resolution method.
Fifthly, the more uncertain the environment, the more chance of using either cooperation strategy or competition strategy.
Sixthly, the members' satisfaction increases with their trust in the cooperative and the use of either cooperation strategy or competition strategy and decreases with the use of avoidance strategy as the conflict resolution method.
Lastly the suggestions of the present study for handling conflicts in reconstruction businesses are as follows :
Firstly, it is desirable to use intensively cooperation strategies such as problem-solving, compromising, and accommodation as conflict resolution methods. Inducing intensive communications between the cooperative and its members is highly recommended for bringing members to participate in the process of negotiation and for persuading and coordinating reasonably the interests of the parties.
Secondly, fairness or equity in the distribution of costs and benefits unfairness should be provided and mutual adjustments of the interests should be made through compromises and concessions.
Thirdly, when the parties failed to reach an agreement, mediation or arbitration might be used to resolve the conflict. The use of reliable third parties such as local agencies and the dispute mediation organizations is recommended to prevent a reconstruction business from the costly lawsuit.
Fourthly, it is necessary for the cooperative members to be well informed of the concepts, procedures, legal effect, and other major contents of the reconstruction business via ongoing education.
Fifthly, it is necessary to install an organization to open or publicize the news or information concerned. Also it is necessary to install a formal and representative organization for handling the complaints of the cooperative members.
Sixthly, it is necessary to develop a conflict management program in advance. This program, as an operating manual for handling conflicts more specifically, would help the cooperative to find out the sources of conflict and to solve conflicts instantly and rationally. Also, it is necessary to stipulate punishments or penalties on the defaulters of the agreements made.