Document Type : Exploratory

Authors

• Fatemeh Bagheri ¹
• Adel Zahed Babolan ²
• hosein Taqavi ³
• Ali Khaleghkhah ⁴

¹ Ph.D candidate of Educational Management, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.

² Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Ira

³ Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.

⁴ Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.

Abstract

Organizational toxicity, manifested through power-centered relationships, distrust, and persistent conflict, poses a serious threat to school effectiveness and organizational health. Although research on toxic leadership and destructive workplace behaviors has expanded, comprehensive frameworks for managing this phenomenon in educational contexts remain limited. The present study aimed to develop a conceptual model for managing organizational toxicity in secondary schools. This applied qualitative research employed a meta-synthesis approach based on Sandelowski and Barroso’s seven-step framework and PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search of national and international databases identified 564 records published between 2010 and 2024. After removing duplicates, screening titles and abstracts, and assessing methodological quality using the CASP checklist, 34 studies were included in the final analysis. Data were analyzed through network thematic analysis across basic, organizing, and global themes, with a test–retest reliability coefficient of 82.2%. The findings yielded 37 refined codes grouped into eight subcategories and two overarching dimensions: intra-organizational interventions and macro or strategic interventions. Results indicate that managing toxicity in schools is a multi-level process requiring integrated individual, interpersonal, structural, and strategic actions. The proposed model provides a conceptual and practical framework for policymakers and school leaders to identify, prevent, and sustainably manage toxic organizational dynamics while offering a foundation for future empirical research in educational management.

Keywords

• Toxic Organization Management
• Secondary Schools
• Intra-organizational Interventions
• Strategic Interventions
• Meta-synthesis

Main Subjects

• Conceptualization