The Relationship of Communication Skills and Negotiation Styles with Conflict in Physical Education Experts of Azad University

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship of communication skills and negotiation styles with the conflict in the experts in physical education departments of the Islamic Azad Universities of the northwest region of Iran. The statistical population included all the experts in physical education departments of the Islamic Azad Universities of the northwest region of Iran (n=49). Because of the limited number of population, all the members of the population were selected as the sample. Data were collected using Breton Communication Skills Questionnaire (1990), Pierre's Organizational Negotiation Styles (1989), Dubern's Job Conflict (1985) and personal characteristics questionnaire. To analyze the data, the methods of determining mean‚ standard deviation‚ frequency and table drawing in the descriptive statistics were used. Also, Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used in the inferential statistics. The results showed a significant positive relationship between communication skills and conflict, but there was no significant relationship between negotiation styles and conflict. There was also a significant positive relationship between communication skills and negotiation styles. Considering the significant relationship between communication skills and conflict, and also a significant relationship between communication skills and negotiation styles, it is suggested that high-ranking authorities of the organization should decrease conflict in the organization by providing training and enhancing communication skills and negotiation styles.