Conflict Change and Stability: A Reciprocal Interaction in Schools

Intra-organizational conflict is conceptualized as a function of school size, the degree of work specialization, and the centralization of decision-making authority. Conflict is divided into two types, intra-and inter-hierarchical, according to its location within the formal organizational structure. A simultaneous-equations model is postulated which relates the exogenous variables to the two forms of organizational conflict. The model is estimated separately for elementary and secondary schools. Data used in the analysis come from 38 elementary and 15 secondary schools in 5 large school districts. The model fits the secondary school data satisfactorily, although it does not seem to be wholly realistic when applied at the elementary level. Some suggestions for future research and model modification are offered.