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

Article


Soylu, S. and Sheehy-Skeffington, J. 2015. Asymmetric intergroup bullying: the enactment and maintenance of societal inequality at work. Human Relations. 68 (7), pp. 1099-1129. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726714552001
TypeArticle
TitleAsymmetric intergroup bullying: the enactment and maintenance of societal inequality at work
AuthorsSoylu, S. and Sheehy-Skeffington, J.
Abstract

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.

Keywordsbullying, inequality, intergroup relations, management, qualitative, social dominance theory, Turkey, workplace
PublisherSAGE Publications
JournalHuman Relations
ISSN0018-7267
Electronic1741-282X
Publication dates
Print01 Jul 2015
Online21 Jan 2015
Publication process dates
Deposited28 Apr 2015
Output statusPublished
Publisher's version
License
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright Statement

Soylu, S., & Sheehy-Skeffington, J. (2015). Asymmetric intergroup bullying: The enactment and maintenance of societal inequality at work. Human Relations, 68(7), 1099–1129. Copyright © The Author(s) 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726714552001

Additional information

Published online before print January 21, 2015

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726714552001
LanguageEnglish
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