Document Type : Research Article
Authors
1
Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2
PhD Candidate, Department of Public Administration, Birjand Branch, Islamic Azad University, Birjand, Iran
3
MSc Department of Public Administration, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
10.22059/jomc.2026.403787.1008899
Abstract
In today’s complex organizational environments, conflict is an inevitable yet dual-faceted phenomenon that, if managed effectively, can foster creativity and enhance performance; otherwise, it may lead to reduced productivity and organizational cohesion. This study, adopting a positivist paradigm and a quantitative approach, investigates the effects of mental–psychological and linguistic–conversational barriers on organizational conflicts among managers and employees of the General Directorate and local offices of the South Khorasan Gas Company in 2025. The statistical population included all employees, and based on Morgan’s table, 175 participants were randomly selected. Data were collected using two standardized questionnaires derived from Robbins’ conflict model and Kazemi et al. (2023), and analyzed through SPSS 26 and SMART PLS 3 software. The findings revealed that both types of barriers exerted a positive and significant effect on organizational conflicts, particularly in non-constructive dimensions such as lack of cooperation, competitive control, and avoidance responses. All main and sub-hypotheses were confirmed at the 95% confidence level, indicating a satisfactory fit of the conceptual model. The results suggest that the roots of many intra-organizational conflicts lie not in formal structures or physical resources, but rather in individuals’ perceptions, beliefs, and communication patterns. Therefore, organizations that focus on addressing mental barriers, enhancing psychological well-being, and developing employees’ conversational skills can effectively reduce non-constructive conflicts. The study provides both theoretical and practical implications for human resource managers in formulating effective conflict management strategies.
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