Browsing by Subject "Workplace bullying"

Bullying at work is a shocking, frightening and at times crushing experience for both those targeted and bystanders. Bullying at work is hostile interaction, constant offensive and discriminatory treatment that occurs physically, psychologically or virtually in the workplace. The majority of research into bullying at work has focused on analyzing conflicts and crises between people, i.e. interpersonal bullying at work. This study also presents another form of bullying, depersonalized or structural bullying at work. Structural bullying refers to the subjugation of employees from the structures of an organisation. Bullying elements exist in structures, context and processes. Managers whose task is to ensure the competitive advantage of the organisation become intermediaries in their efforts to meet the company's performance requirements. The research data contains 102 stories about fear and intimidation at work. A narrative research approach is used to interpret the stories. This means that the stories are used as a tool of understanding to targets experiences. By analyzing each storys plot : the beginning, the turning point, the solution, and also the victims agency in conflict situations, one can not only understand bullying on an individual level, but also form a basic story of bullying. The stories contain both personalized and structural features of bullying at work. The study also aims to find different types of agency in bullying stories. Traditionally the bullied has been described as a passive victim, and momentarily bullying eliminates or reduces employees ability to act. In order to further cope with a bullying situation, the target can change their agency to either tolerate the situation, quit working or resist bullying by careful means.