Exploring Experiences of Employer-Employee Conflict on Job Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty in the Backyard Enterprises of Zimbabwe

Author: Khupe Pauleen, Nyanga Takupiwa, Muchakubvura Dzidzai, Mthombeni Admire, MacDonald Kanyangale, and Cecile Proches Gerwel

Received: September 6, 2025 | Revised: March 10, 2026 | Accepted: March 28, 2026

Abstract

The objective of this qualitative study was to establish the severity of workplace conflict in backyard enterprises, investigate how employer-employee conflicts arise in backyard business settings, and establish the effects of employer-employee conflict on job satisfaction and customer loyalty. The study was informed by the Social Exchange Theory (SET) and Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation. Seven backyard business enterprises and 38 managerial and non-managerial employees who participated in the study were selected purposively. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were used to collect data from participants. Data collection stopped after data saturation. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study established that conflict in backyard enterprises often arises from insufficient resources, poorly defined roles and responsibilities, poor communication, employee diversity, personality differences, varying cultural or religious backgrounds, goal incompatibility, and delays or non-payment of salaries. The study also found that conflict in backyard enterprises adversely affects job satisfaction and customer loyalty. The study recommends that the government, through its labor regulation agencies, ensure that workers and employers adhere to the provisions of the Labor Act, the Constitution of Zimbabwe, and relevant collective bargaining agreements to minimize workplace conflicts. This study is crucial as it offers valuable insights for scholars, human resource practitioners, and policymakers who aim to improve workplace harmony and organizational performance in developing countries.

Keywords: employer-employee conflict, job satisfaction, customer loyalty, backyard enterprises

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Cite this article as:

Pauleen, K., Takupiwa, N., Dzidzai, M., Admire, M., Kanyangale, M., & Gerwel, P.C. (2020). Exploring Experiences of Employer-Employee Conflict on Job Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty in the Backyard Enterprises of Zimbabwe. Review of Socio-Economic Research and Development Studies, 10(1), 26–54.