Abstract:
This study examines the role of conflict management strategies in enhancing
organizational effectiveness within the context of ethical leadership inspired by
the legacy of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. Focusing on public and private sector
institutions in Chake Chake-Pemba, Zanzibar, the research explores how
selected conflict resolution approaches, namely competing, collaborating,
compromising, avoiding, and accommodating, align with ethical governance
principles and influence institutional performance. Employing a cross-sectional
survey design, data were collected from 160 purposively selected employees
using structured questionnaires. Analysis was conducted through descriptive
statistics and multiple linear regression, facilitated by SPSS. The findings reveal
that competing and collaborating strategies significantly improve organizational
outcomes, reflecting Nyerere’s emphasis on principled dialogue, accountability,
and
shared
leadership.
Conversely,
compromising,
avoiding,
and
accommodating approaches showed limited or weak influence on
organizational effectiveness, suggesting the need for more proactive and
ethical engagement in resolving disputes. Correlation analysis further confirmed
strong positive associations for competing and collaborating strategies, while
avoiding and accommodating displayed minimal relational strength. Grounded
in Nyerere’s ethical framework, the study recommends the institutionalization
of participatory decision-making processes, team collaboration, and formal
conflict mediation training to build leadership capacities that foster sustainable
organizational development. These strategies, reflective of Nyerere’s vision for
harmonious and people-centred governance, are essential for cultivating
conflict-resilient organizations in Zanzibar and beyond.
