PERCEIVED ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES AS PREDICTORS OF JOB PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN PAKISTAN

Umer Zaman; Muhammad Iqbal Saif

Umer Zaman The Foundation University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Muhammad Iqbal Saif The Foundation University, Islamabad, Pakistan

Keywords: Public officials, Accountability, Conflict management, Job performance

Abstract

The paradigm of quantifying and managing performance is a critical component of public service organizations at the federal and provincial level in Pakistan. In this context, the current study examines the effects of perceived accountability and conflict handling techniques on job performance of public officials in Pakistan. Study data was gathered from the four Provincial Capitals including Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar and the Federal Capital i.e. Islamabad. Correlational analysis determined the relationships of the independent variables with the dependent variable. Study results confirmed that perceived accountability (r=.512, p<.01) has a significant positive relationship with job performance. Integrating style (r=.664, p<.01), compromising style (r=.508, p<.01) and obliging style (r=.501, p<.01) of conflict management were also found to have a positively significant relationship with job performance. Additionally, dominating style (r=-.372, p<.01) and avoiding style (r=-.297, p<.01) showed negative association to job performance. The overall study outcomes revealed that perceived accountability and conflict management styles could affect the behaviors in job performances of public officials in government organizations.