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The Nature and Prevalence of Workplace Bullying in the Western Cape – a South African Study

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The Nature and Prevalence of Workplace Bullying in the Western Cape – a South African Study THE NATURE AND PREVALENCE OF WORKPLACE BULLYING IN THE WESTERN CAPE – A SOUTH AFRICAN STUDY by Donovan Jaco Kalamdien THESIS PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTERS OF COMMERCE (INDUSTRIAL PSYCHOLOGY) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STELLENBOSCH Supervisor: Ms Marietha De Wet Faculty of Economic and Management Science Department of Industrial Psychology December 2013 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za i DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my lovely wife (Samantha Anthea Kalamdien) and beautiful daughter (Donuh Kalamdien) for their love and tireless understanding, support, and encouragement of my studies. It is my hope that they never become the target or perpetrator of bullying in their interaction with others. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za ii DECLARATION I, Donovan Jaco Kalamdien, hereby declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (unless to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Signature: November 2013 Copyright . 2013 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank our Heavenly Father for the strength, determination, and dedication, and for making it possible for me to complete this study despite much adversity. I am grateful to the following people for their immense contribution for this achievement: My wife (Samantha), daughter (Donuh), mothers (Emily & Amanda), fathers (Jacobus & Anthony), sister (Wendy), brothers (Steven, Ettiene & Anthony), family, friends and colleagues for their continued support and believe in me. My supervisor, Ms Marietha De Wet, for her time, guidance, patience, support, encouragement, and enthusiasm during this study. Prof M Kidd, Stellenbosch University, for his assistance and guidance with the statistical analysis of this study. The two participating organisations (South African National Defence Force & Power Group) for granting me access to your workplace and your willingness to participate in the study. To every single respondent in this study for their willingness to participate, and honesty with which they completed the research questionnaire. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za iv ABSTRACT Workplace bullying as a serious psychosocial workplace problem have been a subject of immense discussion in foreign literature since the mid-1980s. In a nutshell, workplace bullying refers to instances where an employee is systematically and continually being subjected to mistreatment and victimisation in the workplace by another or several others through recurring negative harmful acts. The negative effects of workplace bullying on the victim, bystander and organisation is well documented in research literature. However, in South Africa inquiry into the phenomenon is not nearly as extensive as in the global community. As a result, the purpose of the present study was to partially address the deficiency that exists in South African workplace bullying literature. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate the nature and prevalence of workplace bullying in two distinct workplaces, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and Power Group, in the Western Cape, South Africa. A quantitative non-experimental ex-post facto design is employed in the investigation. Data from both the SANDF (n=105) and Power Group (n=73) are presented (N- 178). Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations (SD), and percentages) are used to describe the total sample and the response data on different factors. The Chi-Square and F test were computed in order to test several differences between numerous variables for the total sample, SANDF, and Power Group. The results of the present study show that workplace bullying is a widespread problem in both the SANDF and Power Group. Between 30% and 50% of respondents had been bullied in their respective workplaces. The SANDF were found to have a higher reported prevalence of workplace bullying than Power Group. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za v Victims are frequently subjected to work-related bullying on either a weekly or monthly basis for a period ranging between twelve months and two years. Significantly more men than women were reported as the perpetrator of workplace bullying. Those in leadership positions were more often reported as perpetrators of workplace bullying than colleagues/peers, subordinates, or clients. The results of the present study show no significant difference in the reported victimisation for gender, age, ethnicity, and level of responsibility. Those with a certificate or lower level of education were found to be at a higher risk of being bullied in the workplace than those with a diploma or higher level of education. In the case of Power Group, significant differences were found in the reported victimisation for levels of responsibility and levels of education. Workplace bullying is addressed more frequently at Power Group than in the SANDF, despite it being reported in both work environments. he present study found that neither the SANDF nor Power Group had a workplace bullying policy in the organisation. Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Dedication i Declaration ii Acknowledgements iii Abstract iv Table of contents vi List of tables xii List of figures xiii CHAPTER 1: THE PROBLEM AND SETTING 1 1.1 Introduction and background to the study 1 1.2 Context of the study 3 1.3 Aim of the study 7 1.4 Objectives 8 1.5 Significance of the study 9 1.6 Outline of chapters 11 1.7 Chapter conclusion 13 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 14 2.1 Background discussion and introduction 14 2.2 Conceptualisation and definition of workplace bullying 17 2.2.1 Descriptive features of workplace bullying 22 2.3 Understanding of workplace bullying within South Africa 27 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za vii 2.4 Theoretical models of workplace bullying 29 2.4.1 The Heinz Leymann model of workplace bullying 30 2.4.2. Salin’s model of workplace bullying 33 2.4.3 The Moayed, Daraiseh, Shell and Salem model of workplace bullying 34 2.4.4 Johnson’s ecological model of workplace bullying 35 2.5 Prevalence of workplace bullying 37 2.5.1 Frequency and duration 42 2.5.2 Witnessing workplace bullying 45 2.5.3 The gender and status of the perpetrator(s) 46 2.5.4 Risk groups 48 2.6 Workplace bullying behaviours 51 2.7 Types of workplace bullying 55 2.7.1 Keryl Egan’s classification of bullies 56 2.7.2 Gary and Ruth Namie’s classification of bullies 57 2.8 Role players in workplace bullying 58 2.9 Contributing factors of workplace bullying 60 2.9.1 Characteristics of the victim and perpetrator 61 2.9.2 Contributing factors of the workplace 64 2.10 Consequences of workplace bullying 69 2.10.1 Effects on the victim 70 2.10.2 Witnesses experience of workplace bullying 72 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za viii 2.10.3 Consequences for the organisation 72 2.11 Chapter conclusion 74 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 75 3.1 Introduction 75 3.2 Research design 75 3.3 Sampling design 77 3.3.1 The SANDF 78 3.3.2 Power Group 79 3.4 Procedure for data collection 80 3.4.1 The SANDF 80 3.4.2 Power Group 81 3.5 Ethical deliberation 82 3.6 The research instrument 83 3.6.1 Biographical information 83 3.6.2 Workplace bullying definition linked questions 84 3.6.3 Negative Acts Questionnaire 85 3.6.4 Work Harassment Scale 86 3.7 Data analysis 87 3.8 Chapter conclusion 87 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za ix CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION OF RESULTS 88 4.1 Introduction 88 4.2 Descriptive statistics for the total sample 88 4.2.1 Descriptive statistics for the SANDF 90 4.2.2 Descriptive statistics for Power Group 91 4.3 Reported prevalence of workplace bullying for the total sample 93 4.3.1 Prevalence of workplace bullying based on witness accounts 94 4.3.2 Prevalence of workplace bullying based on the NAQ 95 4.3.3 Prevalence of workplace bullying based on the WHS 98 4.3.4 Prevalence of workplace bullying in the SANDF 100 4.3.5 Prevalence of workplace bullying at Power Group 104 4.4 Frequency and duration of workplace bullying 108 4.5 The reported gender and status of the perpetrators 112 4.5.1 The reported gender and status of the perpetrator in the SANDF 114 4.5.2 The reported gender and status of the perpetrator at Power Group 115 4.6 Risk groups in the total sample 116 4.6.1 Risk groups in the SANDF 117 4.6.2 Risk groups at Power Group 118 4.7 Responses to episodes of workplace bullying 119 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za x 4.7.1 Responses to episodes of workplace bullying in the SANDF 121 4.7.2 Responses to episodes of workplace bullying at Power Group 123 4.8 Organisational workplace bullying policies 124 4.9 Chapter conclusion 125 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH RESULTS 126 5.1 Introduction 126 5.1.1 Overview of research aim and questions 126 5.1.2 Chapter overview 127 5.2 Prevalence of workplace bullying 128 5.3 The most frequent experienced negative acts and degrading and oppressing behaviours 138 5.4 Frequency and duration of workplace bullying 141 5.5 Gender and status of the perpetrator 144 5.6 Risk groups 147 5.6.1 Gender and workplace bullying 147 5.6.2 Age and workplace bullying 148 5.6.3 Ethnicity and workplace bullying 148 5.6.4 Level of responsibility and workplace bullying 149 5.6.5 Education and workplace bullying 149 5.7 Organisational and individual responses to workplace bullying 150 5.8 Organisational workplace bullying policies 152 5.9 Chapter conclusion 153 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za xi CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH 154 6.1 Conclusion 154 6.2 Limitations of the present study 156 6.3 Recommendations 157 REFERENCES 160 APPENDIX 178 Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za xii LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Interchangeably used terms 18 Table 2 Terms and definitions used to describe workplace bullying by various researchers.
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