In what situation is intra-organizational conflict most likely to arise?

Intra-organizational conflict typically arises from interpersonal issues among staff because these conflicts are rooted in personal interactions and relationships within an organization. When individuals work closely together, various dynamics can come into play, such as differing personalities, communication styles, and individual values. These interpersonal issues can lead to misunderstandings, competition, and tension among staff members, which are all forms of conflict.

While factors like merging organizations or differing corporate cultures can indeed create discord, they often manifest into broader organizational challenges rather than directly causing conflict between individual staff members. Collaboration with external partners, on the other hand, generally involves interactions outside the organization that might lead to conflicts related to expectations or objectives but are not classified as intra-organizational conflict. Thus, interpersonal issues clearly stand out as a direct catalyst for intra-organizational conflict.