Analyzing the consequences of toxic leadership in tourism organizations with a qualitative approach

The actions of a toxic leader can have a negative domino effect on the overall performance of the organization. The purpose of this research is to analyze the negative consequences of toxic leadership in tourism organizations. In terms of purpose, the current research is applied and belongs to the category of qualitative research. Data collection tool was semi-structured in-depth interview and purposeful sampling method with snowball technique was used. Twenty scientific experts, including prominent university professors with a scientific background in tourism and experimental experts, including general managers and managers of the tourism development department of tourism organizations at the provincial level and heads of tourism organizations at the level of the cities in the northern region of the country, were considered as a sample community. The consequences of toxic leadership were identified under the two main headings of intra-organizational consequences and extra-organizational consequences. Intra-organizational consequences were divided into individual consequences and group-organizational consequences. Individual consequences were identified in two categories: physiological-psychological and attitudinal consequences and deviant-uncivil behaviors. The group-organizational consequences were also analyzed with two categories of communication and organizational climate and internal backwardness. Also, the extra-organizational consequences were investigated in the form of the host and tourist communities. In the host society, three social-cultural consequences, ecological-environmental consequences and economic consequences were investigated. In the form of a tourist with a behavioral-attitudinal background, the negative attitude of the smart tourism market was also investigated.