Asymmetric intergroup bullying: the enactment and maintenance of societal inequality at work

What does inequality mean for dysfunctional organizational behaviours, such as workplace bullying? This article argues that workplace bullying can be understood as a manifestation of intergroup dynamics originating beyond the organization. We introduce the construct of asymmetric intergroup bullying: the disproportionate mistreatment of members of low status groups, with the intended effect of enhancing the subordination of that group in society at large. Analysis of data from 38 interviews with public and private sector workers in Turkey depicts a pattern of asymmetric intergroup bullying, undertaken to achieve organizational and broader sociopolitical goals. Respondents reported bullying acts used to get rid of unwanted personnel, with the goal of avoiding severance pay, or of removing supporters of the former government from positions of political and economic influence. Bullying was also described as working towards the dominance of the sociocultural worldview of one political group over another. We discuss asymmetric intergroup bullying as one mechanism through which acute intergroup hierarchy in the broader society corrupts management practice and employee interactions, in turn exacerbating economic inequality along group lines

Workplace bullying in Turkey : a social psychological perspective

Workplace bullying is an issue of practical importance and theoretical interest. Not only is workplace bullying of increasing concern to employers and employees, it is also the focus of empirical research and analysis. However, there are few studies which examine workplace bullying in Turkey. This study aims to investigate the nature of bullying in Turkish workplaces and to examine the association of bullying with paternalistic leadership and various work-related attitudes. The study uses both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Twenty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with Turkish employees to explore in depth the nature of workplace bullying, with a thematic analysis indicating that polarisation at work and institutionalised bullying were major problems in Turkish organisations. In the second phase of the study, a questionnaire focusing on the nature of bullying and its potential determinants was completed by employees in both the public and private sectors in Turkey (n=142). Findings from both the interview study and an exploratory factor analysis of the questionnaire data were used to adapt the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R) for use in Turkey. In the final stage, the adapted questionnaire was completed by a sample of public and private sector employees in Turkey (n=708). Confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the components of bullying and their relation with dimensions of paternalistic leadership. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that loyalty-seeking paternalism is positively related to the experience of bullying, whereas familial paternalism is negatively related to the experience of bullying. In addition, negative associations were observed between organisation-based selfesteem and all the components of bullying, except for experience of non-work related criticism. Finally, intention to leave was found to be positively associated with experience of task pressures and work related criticism. This study contributes to the bullying literature by exploring the nature of workplace bullying in Turkey using complementary methods.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Creating a family or loyalty-based framework: the effects of paternalistic leadership on workplace bullying

Prior research has demonstrated that issues in leadership problems can lead to both negative organisational outcomes and unethical practices at work, such as bullying and counterproductive behaviours. This study investigates the association of bullying with paternalistic leadership dimensions (i. e. creating family atmosphere at work, maintaining individualised relationships, non-work involvement, loyalty seeking and maintaining authority). Seven hundred and fifteen questionnaires were collected from employees in Turkish workplaces. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the bullying phenomenon and paternalistic leadership with respect to their dimensions. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that 'expecting loyalty in exchange for nurture at work' relates positively with the experience of bullying. In contrast, findings indicated a negative association between leadership involving 'behaving like a senior family member at work' and bullying. Plausible explanations of the findings were discussed by referring to relevant ethical climate literature