Human Resource Management As A Tool For Minimizing Industrial Conflict
[A STUDY OF NIGERIA PORT AUTHORITY CALABAR]

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Human relations be it between children and parents, husband and wife, master and servant or employers and employees, no matter how cordial sometimes produce conflict. Even conflict can occur within oneself. The relations between employers and employees sometimes produce grievance and disputes which can be called industrial conflicts. This is the type of conflict that interest most scholars and it is what this research works seeks.

Conflict is an essential aspect of human life. Employers need employees and vice-versa yet they conflict. This encompasses conflict between individuals, groups and departments between staff and line and between different plant within the same company and between different companies. For managers, conflict may be a problem to be solved and a consultant might be paid to find a solution, for the researcher conflict may appear to be the natural state of organization and it may be more interesting to study why peace has broken.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In  a business organization, there are a number of factor that contribute to the success of any organization these factors are capital, equipment, human resource, etc all these factor are important but the most significant factors is the human factors. Since this is the factor that will put the other factors to work. It should be viewed by management as such by giving it due attention in order to achieve its organizational goals and objectives and eliminate industrial, conflict in and around the organization.

Human resource planning is aimed at ensuring that the right person is available for the right job to ensure that the necessary human effort to make it possible for the survival and growth of the organization. It becomes imperative for management to plan properly in order to have a human resource based that is devoid of conflict. The term management encompasses an array of different functions undertaken to accomplish a task successfully, today the importance of management from an organization’s point of view has increased multifold. It is only through effective management that firms are developing and executing their profits and provide the best of products and services. Management combines creative business, organizational analytical and other skills to produce effective goal oriented results. Some of the key function are organizing, communication, clearly controlling situations, motivating employees, adapting  to change constantly innovating and thinking of new ideas building a good team and delivering  result which are not just figure bound but results that also focus on overall growth and development.

Human Resources Management (HRM) is the management of an organizations workforce or human resources, assessment and rewarding of employees, while also overseeing organizational leadership and culture and ensuring compliance with employment and labour laws (Drucker, 1993). HR is a product of the human relations movement of the early 20th century, when researcher began documenting ways of creating business value through the strategic management of the workforce. The function was initially dominated by transactional work, such as payroll and benefits administration but die to globalization company consolidation, technological advancement and further research, HRM now focuses on strategic initiative like mergers and acquisitions, talent management succession planning, industrial and labour relations, industrial conflict resolution and diversity and inclusion.

According to Harbison F. H.(2006), human being constitutes the ultimate basis of a nation’s wealth. This proposition applies to the organization which implies that with daily increase and complexities in the organizational activities and the problem of managing industrial conflict. Thus, the primary role of human resource management is to manage the human resource processes fairly, firmly and objectively such that there is a continual value addition to this organization. In doing this the HRM must bear in mind the need to comply with companies’ policies and procedures, nation’s labour laws and the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions.