Conflict and its causes in educational organizations: An examination of school administrators' conflict management strategies

This study aims to identify secondary school administrators' perceptions of conflict, the causes and consequences of conflicts between administrators and teachers, as well as between teachers themselves, and the strategies used to manage such conflicts. The research was conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year with 15 school administrators working in secondary schools in Erzincan, Türkiye. The study employed a qualitative research design based on phenomenology. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and data were collected via semi-structured interviews. School administrators define conflict as disagreement, incompatibility, opposition, and lack of communication. Conflicts between administrators and teachers often stem from negligence of duties, incomplete or delayed work, and demands for special treatment. Conflicts among teachers are mainly attributed to differences in educational approaches, individual characteristics, and political views. When administrators are directly involved in conflicts, they initially observe and try to understand the situation before applying resolution strategies such as reconciliation or rule-based decision-making. In conflicts between teachers, depending on the impact, administrators may use avoidance, mediation, or regulation-based intervention strategies. Conflicts may negatively affect the school climate, reduce productivity, and create tension. However, they may also contribute positively by introducing new perspectives, identifying problems, and fostering institutional development. For effective conflict management, it is recommended that school administrators adopt a fair, communicative, and solution-oriented approach. Keywords: Conflict, Administrator, Educational Organizations, Conflict Management, Conflict Management Strategies