A constructive Approach to Managing Faculty Conflict: An Action Research Study

Faculty and Administrator Interviews. After the researcher collected information from the Office of Human Resources, the next step involved selecting faculty and administrators for an individual interview to collect qualitative data. In order to select participants for the exploratory pilot study, the researcher used purposeful sampling as an instrument to, “intentionally select a small number of “information rich” participants who have knowledge or experience with the studied phenomenon; the focus is on generating in-depth information and understanding of individual experiences (Creswell, 2012; Davies, 2010; Patton, 2002; Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009; as cited by Ivankova, 2015).
Based on the context of the identified problem and the criteria of purposeful sampling, five individuals were selected as “information rich” key informants with prior knowledge of conflict between faculty and administrators. These individuals additionally had experience dealing with situations of conflict as either participants or

observers. The potential participants selected consisted of full-time assistant professors, associate professors, full professors, and administrators who collectively have worked at Morehead State University between five to twenty plus years and have served at the institution in various leadership roles. The potential participants represented both males and females of either Caucasian or African-American descent and represented those who are currently moving through the tenure-track process or are established tenured professors.

Upon selecting the potential participants of faculty and administrators, the researcher sent an email invitation (see Appendix S) seeking their voluntary participation in the exploratory pilot study. The researcher received interest from all five selected individuals. Before the researcher could officially engage them in the pilot study as participants, an informed consent form was sent to them for review (see Appendix Q).
The individuals had to sign the consent form that stated they agreed to participate in the pilot study voluntarily and were willing to be interviewed. The informed consent form provided information regarding their rights as participants and the purpose of their role in participating in the pilot study; which was to supply the researcher with relevant information regarding conflict between faculty and administrators on the campus of Morehead State University. Once the forms were reviewed and consent to participate provided, the researcher scheduled individual interviews with the five pilot study participants which were held in the privacy of the researcher’s office or another privately secured location on campus where confidentiality and security of the information obtained could be upheld.