Towards the Development of an Intergenerational Conflict Management Model for School Heads in a Culture of Inclusion

Intergenerational conflicts naturally arise as multigenerational teachers interact in their workplace. While these conflicts can drive innovation, they may also hinder a school’s success if not effectively managed. This necessitates a structured model to guide school heads. This phenomenological study explored  intergenerational conflicts experienced by 20 purposively selected multigenerational teachers and the experiences of 11 school heads in handling these conflicts using semi-structured interviews. Results indicate that perceived generational differences lead to status, value, process, and relationship conflicts. These conflicts were intensified by the persistence of a seniority culture that underlies differing expectations about authority, expertise, work values, and interpersonal behaviors. School heads manage these conflicts through inclusive leadership practices that promote belongingness and uniqueness, anchored on Filipino values pakikipagkapwa-tao (regard for others), pakikisama (maintaining smooth interpersonal relationships), pagkamakatarungan (fairness and equity), malasakit (concern for others), paggalang (respect), and bayanihan (cooperative responsibility). Despite these initiatives, challenges such as resistance to change, communication barriers, personality differences, and generational differences in values persist. Based on these findings, a model for managing intergenerational conflict is proposed. In conclusion, intergenerational conflicts in schools are an inherent, multidimensional, culturally embedded phenomenon that requires school heads to adopt inclusive, relational, and context-responsive leadership approaches, for which the proposed BEACON Intergenerational Conflict Management Model in a Culture of Inclusion offers a guiding framework. Nonetheless, it is presented as a hypothesis rather than a fully developed theory. Hence, it is recommended that the model be used as a preliminary guide and further validated by quantitative field-based research.