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| Water smoothing stones : subordinate resistance to workplace bullying | |||
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| Author | Lutgen-Sandvik, Pamela | ||
| ISBN/ISSN | 0542107678 | ||
| Broad Subject |
Language and linguistics Management | ||
| Summary | Adult bullying at work is a shocking, unbelievable, and, at times, shattering experience both for those targeted and for witnessing colleagues. Although extant literature characterizes bullying targets as unable to defend themselves, this depiction is limited, simplistic,and one-dimensional. This study examines the narratives of 30 workers,some of whom where targeted and all of whom saw others bullied by persons with more organizational authority. Their responses paint a complex picture of power in bullying situations---picture that reframes the "power-deficient target" into agents who galvanize a variety of resources on their own or others' behalf. In some cases, employees took stock of the situation, decided they would be no part of the abusive workgroup, and resigned. Others initially protested but eventually washed their hands of the situation and took their talents elsewhere. On the other hand, there were cases where bullies were fired, transferred, quit, or failed to secure a coveted promotion due,in part, to employee resistance. When workers protested collectively, they were less likely to be fired and bullies more likely to be negatively sanctioned. Employees accessed a multiplicity of resistance strategies including exodus, collective voice, reverse discourses, subversive (dis)obedience, and direct confrontation. Most opposition occurred in hidden peer transcripts and only on rare occasions emerged into the public transcript. A liminal space for resistance, connecting hidden and public spaces, emerged in their stories. In this liminal, threshold transcript, employees gathered resources and support, bolstered arguments, and firmed up expert (legal, medical, professional) discourses for their defense. These employees wanted organizational decision makers to take action and stop the bullying. In some cases, subordinate resistance did move decision makers to action. Bottom-up change was protracted and corrosive in nature---a pattern only discernable over time through multiple follow-up contacts. The eroding nature of change provided the basis for a conceptual model of bottom-up bully removal starting with individual action and progressing to upper-management interventions. The study suggests a number of implications for theory, methods, and practice. The narratives also open up new avenues for future U.S. bullying research. | ||
| Language | English | ||
| Warning: Use of the files is restricted to purposes of research and education only. Other uses and excessive downloading are strictly prohibited. Violators will lose library privileges, face disciplinary actions and may be prosecuted. | |||
| Available at : | |||
| Click to access the dissertation via PQDT | |||
| Authorized remote access from |
Current HKU staff and students (HKUVPN access) Current HKU staff and students (EZproxy access) Circle of Friends HKU SPACE | ||
| Format | E-theses | ||
| Location | Web Mounted | ||