Establish conflict causes

1. Assessment tools for both primary and secondary data sources

Sources of data are where you get information in regards to a specific subject e.g. establishing causes of conflicts. Primary data is where you get information that is first hand e.g. one on one interviews, questionnaires etc. while secondary data is the one you source from an archive e.g. journals, newspapers, textbooks, internet etc. The assessment tools in data sources are methods and apparatus for conducting conflict management (Clark, Baker, Rhosel 2006). The assessment tools in conflict management are developed in the following way:
i. Analysing the underlying cause of conflict: This by assessing the origin and underlying causes of conflict, highlights the linkages between the factors that lead to conflict arising.
ii. Analysing issues that give rise to conflict: It adds to the activities that help identify underlying causes of conflict by providing an additional level of analysis as it identifies boundaries and key issues.
iii. Analysing stake holders‟ rights, responsibilities returns and relationships.
These tools are important in conflict management because:
 They help the management team to understand the causes of the conflicts
 Offer mediation as one of the conflict resolving method that helps to bring the conflicting parties together and wave a one on one conversation
 In community conflict, use of interviews and mediation helps the parties to understand how to end the problem.
 The assessment tools enable the management team to keep record of what was the cause of conflict and the agreement that was reached to solve the problem
Conflicts can be caused by different things in the community. They include:
 Political difference: Is the cause of conflict where people have different opinions towards the kind of leadership in place and the leadership in style. Having different ideas and opinions causes some community members get interest to hold different positions in the community.
 Economical difference: In a community people have different sources of income and lifestyle. This causes conflict because people are after being on the higher level than they can manage leading to corruption and behavioural misconduct.
 Social status: Having different categories of individuals with different social status in education, career, leadership positions causes some people to look down on others and that creates conflict.
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 Technology: It is a growing and ever changing state in the community. While some members of the community are well informed, others are still using the out dated means of communication. This causes conflict because of some members not being updated with information or delayed communication.
 Ethical issues: People have different beliefs, cultural practices and ways of doing things. These differences at times causes conflict among community members.
 Legal: The process of solving issues. Communities have different levels of legal services while others are still using barazas and others go to court. Some cases may need more professional persons to manage the conflict where professionalism is absent, decisions arrived at may be biased

1.1. Characteristics of conflict in the community

 It is a universal process found in every society
 The result of deliberate and conscious efforts of individual of groups
 Conflict is a brief duration, temporary and intermittent
 Conflict is inevitable. It is everywhere it develops because we are dealing with people‟s lives, jobs, children, pride etc.
 Perception is conflict. We all have different perceptions and views. What we perceive and think affects our behaviours, attitudes and communication
 Interdependence and interaction. Without interdependence there are no interaction conflict occurs when there is some kind of interaction that takes place

Types of assessment tools
a) Questionnaires. These are written questions that are given to the conflicting parties in relation to the conflict at hand.
b) Interview. It‟s a one on one question and answer session that helps the conflict manager get information.
c) Sampling method. Cluster sampling is collecting data in groups of people who are in the same religion.
d) Observation. Where the conflict manager get to listen and observe the character and attitude of the parties in conflict and comes up with a decision based on the observation made.

1.2. Ways of administering assessment tools

i. Introduction: This is where the assessors prepare open-ended interview questions designed to obtain information about the conflict.

ii. Information gathering: The assessors can now study the background of the conflict through research and personal interviews with the stakeholders. This helps the assessors understand the different viewpoints of stakeholders, the key issues in the conflict, different parties' interests, negotiable and non-negotiable points, issues for future discussion, possible avenues towards settlement or resolution, reactions to the proposed process, and barriers to intervention.

iii. Analysis: The assessors then summarize findings, mapping areas of agreement and disagreement. iv. Process design: If requested, assessors may suggest a suitable conflict resolution process, describing goals, agendas, possible structures, and time frame. v. Report writing: The assessor will write a report which is reviewed by the parties. This maybe then decided to follow the process recommendations of the assessment report, or pursue the conflict in a different way. vi. Graphical "conflict mapping": Used in complex conflicts, it is often useful to diagram or graphically "map" all the different conflict elements. Such graphical depictions of the conflict process often illustrate positive feedback loops that are causing conflict escalation, as well as conflict limiting dynamics that might be accentuated to lead to conflict management or transformation.

1.3. Importance of administering assessment tools

 Helps one understand the root causes of conflict in the community
 Helps one to understand the attitude, religious affiliation, ethnicity and cultural practices and beliefs of a community.
 Helps to increase mitigation approaches to become more innovative and interdisciplinary (Dickman, 2010).
 Administration of assessment tools enable the community members even understand themselves better. They get to appreciate each other‟s opinion, beliefs and cultural practices.
 Administration of the assessment tools brings the different levels of community together that is the political, spiritual and village elders come together to get to understand better what are the causes conflict in their community.
 Inclusivity: When a conflict arises in a community and all people are involved in the process of solving the problems, it increases level of trust, unity and participation in the development of the community.

2. Findings are documented as per organization policy

It is important to focus on translating research and theory into brief, engaging programs for community families to improve conflict and emotional security.
The evaluation based on multi-domain and multi-method assessment of the community. In regards to the findings, evidence is presented at the post test for improvement in community conflict with consideration of relative benefits for different community groups and preliminary support for theoretical bases for program outcome.
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Documenting of the findings are as follows:
a) Clearing and creating space for documentation either by having a bigger room for filling or flash disc for the soft copy.
b) Labelling and naming the documents clearly.
c) Sorting and filtering the documents systematically and clearly.
d) Arranging the documents systematically either alphabetically or region wise.
The importance of documenting findings as per the organization policy
 They can be used for future reference
 They help to guide on prevention measures in conflict to the community
 Documenting findings helps to ensure there is consent and expectations of the conflicting parties
 Helps to tell the narrative of the decisions that have been made and how the conflicting parties responded to different situations
 Documenting of findings helps to support the proper treatment plan and the reasoning for such services
There are several types of doing documentation
 System documentation
Records information about systems design specification e.g. its internal workings and its functions. Having the information in soft copy e.g. flash disks, google drive.
 Internal documentation
Includes having information in a manual way it is the outcome of all structured techniques e.g. files, magazines, journals.
 User documentation
This covers the manuals that are mainly prepared for end-users of the document. Bulletins, brochures.

3. findings analyses

Findings are the information gathered after collecting data and reviewing it.

Findings in conflict management in the community may be:-
 Poor leadership is the main cause of conflict hence there should be change in leaders
 Unemployment in the society has led to increased insecurity cases hence call for job creation/opportunities to avoid insecurity
 Ethical guidelines. Lack of clear guidelines for community beliefs and culture has led to increased murder cases because people tend to be breach others code of conduct
 Political interest leading to conflict of interest among community members and poor leadership

Importance of findings analyses
 Helps to clarify and prioritize the range of issues that needs to be addressed.
 Helps to identify the impact of conflict in the community.
 Helps to determine the stakeholders motivations incentives through understanding their interest‟
 Helps to assess the nature of relationship among stakeholders.
 Helps to build rapport and understanding among relevant stakeholders where possible.

4. preparing a conflict report

Report in causes of conflict is the information that has been gathered and put together to be shared in a document form.
Conflict may be examined for a particular publication by clicking on the title in the expanded view.

Important of preparing a conflict report
 It enables the organization or community in making decisions.
 It‟s used as a means of communication within the organization or community.
 Provides information to stake holders.
 Helps in updating information about development and future plans.
 Used as reference point in the future.

Steps of preparing causes of conflict report
i. Define the source of conflict. One should have enough information about the cause of the problem. Understand the situation in depth as well as demonstrate your impartiality.
ii. Look beyond the incident. Mostly it is about the point of view of the situation that causes anger. Here when parties are in anger probing questions may be of help.
iii. Request solutions. With your assistance as conflict manager, ask the parties to solicit their ideas.
iv. Identify solutions. Both disputant can support point out the merits of various ideas not only from each other‟s perspective but in terms of the benefits.
v. Agreement. The mediator needs to get the parties to shake hands and accept one of the alternatives identified. (Staft, 2019).

5. Information dissemination

Information dissemination is the distribution of information to the conflicting parties or community or organization.

According to the organization policy information can be distributed through:
 Barazas: These are meetings that are held in the village by the government to pass information and get updated on issues concerning the community.
 In writing: Written information can either be through email, text, social media, website etc. where an organization uses to pass information.
 Meetings: The conflict manager can call for a meeting to address issues that are facing the organization. Dissemination of information is of great meaning/importance to an organization.
 Be updated: It helps the involved parties to be updated with what is going on or the progress of process of solving issues.
 Reduces conflict: Sharing of information in an organization reduces the chances of conflict arising since the employees are informed on what to do, when, where and how to handle matters when they arise.
 Decision making: Disseminating information enables one to make a better decision based on opinion received from others.
 Creates good rapport: When the parties in conflict are well informed like the stakeholders they get to understand one another and have a better and stronger rapport among them.