Organizational Misbehavior: Bullying
Managing Organizations
Individual Assignment
05/2013
Organizational Misbehavior (OMB)
Bullying
Organizational misbehavior (OMB) is a common phenomenon in workplaces. The definition is as follows: “intentional workplace behavior which defies and violates shared organizational norms and expectations, and/or core societal values, mores and standards of proper conduct” (Lecture 6). A form of OMB is workplace bullying. Defining the term is rather difficult, however some researchers managed to do it. A common definition according to Wikipedia: “workplace bullying is the tendency of individuals or groups to use persistent aggressive or unreasonable behavior against a co-worker or subordinate. Workplace bullying can include such tactics as verbal, nonverbal, psychological, physical abuse and humiliation.”
In an effort to provide a more all-encompassing definition, and catch the attention of employers, Catherine Mattice and Karen Garman define workplace bullying as "systematic aggressive communication, manipulation of work, and acts aimed at humiliating or degrading one or more individual that create an unhealthy and unprofessional power imbalance between bully and target(s), result in psychological consequences for targets and co-workers, and cost enormous monetary damage to an organization’s bottom line."
Because it can occur in a variety of contexts and forms, it is also useful to define workplace bullying by the key features that these behaviors possess. Bullying is characterized by (Einarsen, 1999; Keashly & Harvey 2004; Lutgen-Sandvik, 2006): * Repetition (occurs regularly) * Duration (is enduring) * Escalation (increasing aggression) * Power disparity (the target lacks the power to successfully defend himself) * Attributed intent
A crucial element in the study of OMB is the motivation/personality traits underlying the individual’s behavior. Another important factor is the impact of this behavior on his victim(s), the environment
Individual Assignment
05/2013
Organizational Misbehavior (OMB)
Bullying
Organizational misbehavior (OMB) is a common phenomenon in workplaces. The definition is as follows: “intentional workplace behavior which defies and violates shared organizational norms and expectations, and/or core societal values, mores and standards of proper conduct” (Lecture 6). A form of OMB is workplace bullying. Defining the term is rather difficult, however some researchers managed to do it. A common definition according to Wikipedia: “workplace bullying is the tendency of individuals or groups to use persistent aggressive or unreasonable behavior against a co-worker or subordinate. Workplace bullying can include such tactics as verbal, nonverbal, psychological, physical abuse and humiliation.”
In an effort to provide a more all-encompassing definition, and catch the attention of employers, Catherine Mattice and Karen Garman define workplace bullying as "systematic aggressive communication, manipulation of work, and acts aimed at humiliating or degrading one or more individual that create an unhealthy and unprofessional power imbalance between bully and target(s), result in psychological consequences for targets and co-workers, and cost enormous monetary damage to an organization’s bottom line."
Because it can occur in a variety of contexts and forms, it is also useful to define workplace bullying by the key features that these behaviors possess. Bullying is characterized by (Einarsen, 1999; Keashly & Harvey 2004; Lutgen-Sandvik, 2006): * Repetition (occurs regularly) * Duration (is enduring) * Escalation (increasing aggression) * Power disparity (the target lacks the power to successfully defend himself) * Attributed intent
A crucial element in the study of OMB is the motivation/personality traits underlying the individual’s behavior. Another important factor is the impact of this behavior on his victim(s), the environment
References: 1. Einarsen, Stale, Helge Hoel, Dieter Zapf, and Cary L. Cooper, eds. Bullying and Emotional Abuse in the Workplace. New York: Taylor&Francis, 2003. Print. 2. Irby, Linda. Leadership Voices, Neutralizing Bullies, Determinedly Difficult People and Predator at Work, 2006. Print. 3. "Workplace Bullying." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 05 Sept. 2013. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_bullying> 4. "The Top 5 Reasons Why People Bully Others." Why Do Bullies Bully? Web. < http://urbandojo.com/2010/06/16/bullying-reasons-why-do-people-bully-others-why-do-bullies-bully/> 5. "Modern Work and Bullying Are Not “Human Nature”." Workplace Bullying Institute RSS. Web. 15 February 2012. <http://www.workplacebullying.org/2012/02/15/work-design/> 6. Love, Dylan. "16 Examples Of Steve Jobs Being A Huge Jerk." Business Insider. Web. 15 May 2013. <http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-jerk-2011-10?op=1>