Emotional Intelligence and Team Productivity: A Qualitative Study of Conflict Management in Kosovo
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Shqiponja NALLBANI- BERISHA College AAB, Department Marketing and Business, Faculty of Economy, Prishtina, Kosovo
In the context of globalization and increasingly complex teamwork structures, interpersonal competencies have become important determinants of organizational effectiveness. This study explores emotional intelligence (EI) as a non-cognitive capability influencing workplace conflict management and team productivity. Using a qualitative, exploratory, and inductive design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with 12 professionals from education, healthcare, business, and public administration in Kosovo, analysed through thematic analysis.
The findings identify four interconnected mechanisms, emotional regulation, empathy, communication, and constructive conflict resolution, that foster constructive interaction, strengthen trust and coordination, and reduce conflict-related interpersonal friction. From an applied organizational economics perspective, these mechanisms may limit inefficiencies arising from miscommunication, delays, repeated coordination efforts, and managerial intervention, thereby supporting team productivity and organizational efficiency. Integrating Human Capital Theory and Transaction Cost Economics, the study conceptualizes EI as non-cognitive human capital that may generate organizational value by strengthening workforce capabilities and internal coordination.
Given the qualitative design and small sample, the findings are exploratory rather than statistically generalizable or causal. The study provides a foundation for further research on the organizational and economic implications of EI and offers practical insights for human resource development, leadership, and conflict management.
Copyright© 2026 The Author(s). This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article's History: Received 29th of May, 2026; Revised 9th of July, 2026; Accepted 25th of July, 2026; Available online: 30th of September, 2026. Published as research article in the Volume XXI, Fall, Issue 4(94), 2026.
Zhuja, D.A., & Nallbani- Berisha, S. (2026). Emotional Intelligence and Team Productivity: A Qualitative Study of Conflict Management in Kosovo. Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Volume XXI, Fall, 4(94), 1439 – 1455. https://doi.org/10.57017/jaes.v21.4(94).17
CRediT Authorship Contribution Statement: Zhuja, D. I.: Conceptualization; Methodology; Investigation; Formal analysis; Writing – original draft; Writing – review & editing. Nallbani-Berisha, S.: Conceptualization; Methodology; Investigation; Formal analysis; Writing – original draft; Writing – review & editing.
Acknowledgments/Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this research and declare no external financial support. The authors acknowledge the voluntary participation of the professionals who contributed to the study through the interviews.
Conflict of Interest Statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to the research, authorship, or publication of this article.
Data Availability Statement: The qualitative data generated during this study are not publicly available due to confidentiality and participant privacy considerations. Anonymized data may be made available by the corresponding author upon reasonable request, subject to ethical and confidentiality restrictions.
Ethical Approval Statement: All participants were informed about the purpose of the study and provided voluntary consent prior to participation. Confidentiality and anonymity were maintained throughout the research process, and identifying information was removed from the data.
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