Journal of Applied Psychological Research

Presenting a Model for Organizational Bullying in Educational and Therapeutic Centers: A Grounded Theory Approach

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Humanities, Tabriz Branchو Islamic Azad University, , Tabriz, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.

3 Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Humanities, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.

Abstract

 The objective of the current study was to establish a model of organizational bullying in healthcare and educational facilities. The study was conducted in accordance with its objective and employed an inductive grounded theory approach. The research field encompassed specialists and management experts who were acquainted with organizational bullying, as well as physicians, nurses, and staff members employed in educational and healthcare centers in Tabriz in 2022. The snowball sampling method was employed to select a total of 21 participants (13 men and 8 women). The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview. The grounded theory analysis method by Corbin and Strauss was implemented for data analysis. The findings suggested that the causal conditions of organizational bullying consisted of three fundamental codes: unilateral power exertion, discrimination, and ineffective management. Organizational bullying was influenced by four core codes: personality weaknesses, fear creation, unprofessional behavior, and organizational immorality. The intervening conditions influencing organizational bullying included four fundamental codes: weak law enforcement, poor supervision, imposed management, and weak human resource management. The strategies for exercising organizational bullying included three core codes: abuse of job position, imposition of additional workload, and lack of response due to management weaknesses. Physical-psychological damage, client dissatisfaction, weakened work morale, poor professional advancement, fragile professional identity, fragile organizational identity, administrative chaos, and loss of competitive advantage were all consequences of organizational bullying. The results of this study have the potential to be beneficial in the development of programs and the formulation of policies to address the issue of abuse in educational and healthcare organizations.

Keywords

منابع
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Journal of Applied Psychological Research
Volume 16, Issue 3
October 2025
Pages 251-273
  • Receive Date: 22 February 2023
  • Revise Date: 06 June 2023
  • Accept Date: 11 July 2023
  • First Publish Date: 03 June 2025
  • Publish Date: 23 September 2025