A Sociological Analysis of the Role of Group Norms in Managing Organizational Decision-Making Conflicts
Keywords:
Group norms; Organizational conflict; Decision-making; Sociological analysis; Conflict resolution; Organizational behavior; Normative integration.Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyze the sociological role of group norms in managing organizational decision-making conflicts, focusing on the structural, communicative, and emotional mechanisms through which norms influence conflict resolution processes. This research employed a mixed-method design combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the first phase, a qualitative content analysis was conducted through an extensive literature review of sociological, psychological, and organizational studies, using NVivo 14 software for open, axial, and selective coding until theoretical saturation was reached. Nine main themes and their subcomponents were extracted to represent the sociological structure of group norms in organizational contexts. In the second phase, a quantitative ranking analysis was carried out with 150 participants selected from organizations in Roudbar, Iran. A structured questionnaire based on the qualitative results was used to evaluate the relative significance of each theme. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26, applying descriptive and inferential statistics to prioritize factors influencing decision-making conflict management. The results revealed nine core themes, among which Normative Integration, Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, and Decision-Making Legitimacy achieved the highest mean ranks. These themes emphasize the importance of shared values, reconciliation norms, and perceived procedural fairness in regulating conflict behavior. Communication Patterns and Trust and Reciprocity occupied moderate rankings, indicating their essential but supportive roles in maintaining transparency and cooperation. Lower-ranked factors such as Power Dynamics, Adaptive Norm Evolution, and Cultural Symbolism were also found to indirectly sustain organizational harmony through symbolic and evolutionary mechanisms. The findings underscore that group norms serve as sociological regulators of behavior, ensuring both emotional balance and procedural justice in conflict-laden decision-making environments. Strengthening normative coherence can thus enhance organizational resilience, cooperation, and legitimacy.
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