Managers in the firing line: Contributing factors to workplace bullying by staff – an interview study

Journal of Management and Organization - Tập 13 Số 3 - Trang 264-281 - 2007
Sara Branch1, Sheryl Gai Ramsay1, Michelle Barker1
1Centre for Work, Leisure and Community Research, Griffith Business School – Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane QLD, Australia

Tóm tắt

Abstract

Workplace bullying is a phenomenon that is attracting increasing interest from researchers throughout the Western world. To date, most of the research into workplace bullying has focused on managers and colleagues as the perpetrators of bullying in the workplace. By contrast, little is known about ‘upwards bullying’, where managers are the targets. We argue that in order to more fully understand workplace bullying as a whole, the phenomenon of upwards bullying requires research attention. In the present study, upwards bullying was explored in interviews conducted with 24 managers from public and private organizations, with the data coded and arranged thematically. Results indicate that potential contributing factors towards upwards bullying include the current work environment, change within organizations and power issues. We recommend that organizations identify the occurrence and processes of upwards bullying as important steps in developing comprehensive workplace bullying policies.

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