Arab Educational Information Network

This study aimed at investigating the degree practicing by the heads of academic departments to organizational conflict management strategies in Palestinian universities in Gaza governorates, and its relation to the level of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) from their point of view, as well as, to reveal significant differences in average estimates of the sample for the degree of organizational conflict management strategies in the light of the study variables (educational institution, academic college, academic rank and years’ service). To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher used the descriptive analytical method, and the sample of the study consisted of all the heads of academic departments in Palestinian universities in Gaza governorates (Islamic university, Al-Azhar university, and Al-Aqsa university) whose number reached (91). The researcher designed two questionnaire as a tool to the study, the first one was to measure the degree practicing by the heads of academic departments to organizational conflict management. While the second questionnaire was to measure the level of (EQ) for the heads of academic departments in Palestinian universities. While, The data was analyzed by using statistical package for social science (SPSS) Programme. The study reached the following noteworthy findings: 1) The degree practicing by the heads of academic departments to organizational conflict management strategies in Palestinian universities in Gaza governorates from their point of view was high (68.98%), and The arrangement of the fields of organizational conflict management was as follows: (Cooperation strategy (88.68%), Accommodation strategy (78.65%), Compromising strategy (77.01%), Avoiding strategy (52.05%) and Forcing strategy (51.84%). 2) There were no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (α≤0.05) between the average estimates of the sample for the degree practicing by the heads of academic departments at Palestinian universities to organizational conflict management strategies due to the following variables: (educational institution and academic college). 3) There were no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (α≤0.05) between the average estimates of the sample for the degree practicing by the heads of academic departments in Palestinian universities to organizational conflict management strategies due to the variable of academic rank, except Accommodation strategy practice, where there found statistically significant differences between the lecturer assistant professor, and associate professor in favour of lecturer. 4) There were no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (α≤0.05) between the average estimates of the sample for degree practicing of the heads of academic departments at Palestinian universities due to the variable of years’ service in the administrative work, except forcing strategy practice, where there found statistically significant differences between the service period from 5-10 years and service period from 10 and over years in favour of service period from 5-10 years. 5) The level of (EQ) for the heads of academic departments in Palestinian universities from their point of view was very high (84.50%). 6) There was a positive correlation statistically significant at the level of significance (α≤0.01) between the level of (EQ) of the heads of academic departments at Palestinian universities and Cooperation strategy practice, and there was a negative correlation statistically significant between the level of (EQ) and the degree of practicing Avoiding and Forcing strategies. While, there were no correlation statistically significant between the level of (EQ) and the degree of practicing Accommodation and Compromising strategies. (Author's abstract)