Upward Dissent Research Articles

The relationship between management vs nonmanagement status and women employees’ dissent expression in US organizations

Purpose This study aims to test whether a) differences existed in dissent expression between women in management and nonmanagement positions and b) the differences varied between white women and women of color. Design/methodology/approach Responses from 1,011 employed women in the US were analyzed for the study. Findings Results revealed that in management vs nonmanagement status, women employees were more likely to express upward dissent and employ dissent strategies that signified both influence and lack of influence in organizations. However, race-based differences existed in the expressions of some forms of dissent. Originality/value Research has shown that employees in management vs nonmanagement status express more upward dissent and employ dissent strategies that signify influence in organizations. However, can this be the case for women employees? Although previous research has explored dissent expression extensively in US organizations, women employees' dissent expression has not received much attention in social-scientific studies. In these studies, gender and race were treated as mere demographic variables to describe sample compositions despite these variables being influential factors in organizational life. Through an intersectional approach to identities, this study’s findings call upon organizations to address iniquities that limit dissent expression based on identity hierarchies.

The Upward Ethical Dissent Scale: development and validation

ABSTRACT Ethical problems in organizations tend to be some of the most public and devastating for members, organizations, and society. Meanwhile, upward dissent is a key mechanism through which wrongdoing can be detected and corrected. However, a confluence of forces suppresses and displaces ethical dissent in organizations. Research identified many of these influential dynamics through limited method approaches. Indeed, additional methodological tools are needed to advance this important line of research. Thus, we modified an established measure of general upward dissent to focus on ethical dissent specifically then validated it. We labeled the modified measure the Upward Ethical Dissent (UED) Scale. As expected, results supported a four-factor structure for the UED Scale. Moreover, construct validity was supported through high positive correlations between UED and upward dissent subscales and moderate negative correlations with acquiescent silence. Additionally, low to moderate correlations are found between competent forms of UED and moral identity variables. Theoretical implications and future directions are discussed.

Structurational Divergence, Implicit Orientations to Active Followership, and Employees’ Selection of Upward Dissent Strategies and Silence

This study investigated dissent strategy selection as a product of structurational divergence (SD) and individuals’ lay theories of leader and follower roles. A survey of working adults ( N = 338) revealed that employees who reported experiencing structurational divergence in their workplace were more likely to engage in circumvention, threatening resignation, and defensive silence. Analysis also indicated that employees with an active followership mindset were more likely to report engaging in prosocial and repetition dissent strategies. Meanwhile, they were less likely to report engaging in circumvention, threatening resignation, and defensive silence. Importantly, perceptions of SD were negatively associated with members’ implicit belief that a good follower is an active follower. Implications for structurational divergence theory, implicit theories of followership, and organizational dissent conclude the paper.

Manager-Employee Communication: The Influence of Temperament and Leader-Member Exchange Quality on Employees’ Use of Upward Dissent Strategies

This study examined how the combination of innate temperament and leader-member exchange affects employees’ use of upward dissent strategies (prosocial strategies, circumvention, repetition, and threatening resignation). Data were collected through an online survey. The findings revealed that higher-quality LMX relationships meant participants were more likely to use prosocial strategies. In contrast, temperament had no relationship with the tendency to use prosocial strategies. Extroversion and neuroticism related positively to threatening resignation, LMX related negatively to threatening resignation. Neither neuroticism nor LMX was related to circumvention, but extroversion was positively related to both circumvention and repetition. This relationship was qualified by an interaction indicating that when a stronger LMX relationship was in place, extroverts were more likely to use circumvention and repetition strategies. Implications are discussed.

Developing Mindful Organizing in Teams: A Participation Climate is not Enough, Teams Need to Feel Safe to Challenge their Leaders

Mindful organizing (also known as collective mindfulness) is a collective capability that allows teams to anticipate and swiftly recover from unexpected events. This collective capability is especially relevant in high-risk environments where reliability in performance is of utmost importance. In this paper, we build on current mindful organizing theory by showing how two front-line communication and participatory conditions (perceived safety for upward dissent and climate for employee engagement) interact to predict mindful organizing. We shed light on the controversy around mindful organizing’s effect on team’s subjective experience at work by showing that it leads to greater team job satisfaction and thus lowers individual turnover intentions. These relationships were tested using a time-lagged design with two data-collection points using a sample of 47 teams within the nuclear power industry.

Exploring the Impacts of Leader Integrity and Ethics on Upward Dissent and Whistleblowing Intentions

This study examined internal dissent and external whistleblowing, two constructs examined extensively as individual concepts but not in tandem. Participants were given one of four scenarios based on a 2 (high unethical case vs. low unethical case) × 2 (high leader integrity vs. low leader integrity) experimental design to test their whistleblowing and dissent intentions. Results indicated leader integrity influenced an employee’s level of dissent intentions with ethics having a significant effect on whistleblowing intentions when controlling for managerial position and organizational tenure. Future research should continue exploring whistleblowing and dissent tendencies in organizational settings.

Ortaokul Öğretmenlerinin Örgütsel Muhalefet Davranışlarına İlişkin Algılarının Çeşitli Değişkenler Açısından İncelenmesi

This research investigates the perceptions of teachers regarding their organizational dissent behaviors in secondary schools in central Buca, İzmir. It is a descriptive survey administered to 347 middle school teachers to determine whether their perceptions change depending on their gender, educational status, being a union member and using social media. A subscale named “Dissident Behaviors” of “Organizational Dissent Scale” developed by Özdemir (2010) was used. Data was analyzed via SPSS 15 for arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA and LSD test. The participants “sometimes” dissented, and “frequently” employed upward dissent, and “sometimes” used lateral dissent and whistle blowing. Results show that teachers’ gender and social media usage does not create a meaningful difference in their upward dissent, lateral dissent and whistleblowing behaviors. Teachers’ educational status does not create a meaningful difference in terms of their upward dissent and whistleblowing; however, creates a meaningful difference in lateral dissent. Teachers’ who are union members show similar dissident behaviors in terms of upward and lateral dissent, however their dissident behaviors differ meaningfully in terms of whistleblowing.

Does organizational justice increase or decrease organizational dissent

Purpose - This study aims to examine the effect of organizational justice on organizational dissent. Methodology- A quantitative research is conducted on white and blue color employees of large scale and medium sized firms operating in automotive industry in Bursa-Turkey. 105 employees, thorough face-to-face survey administration, filled out questionnaire forms. Convenience sampling method is used. Data obtained from those 105 questionnaires were analyzed through the SPSS statistical packet program. Findings - Research findings revealed the positive effects of procedural and distributive justice on upward organizational dissent, whilst the non-significant relation between interactional justice and upward organizational dissent. Analyses results also indicated the non-significant relations of procedural, distributive and interactional justice to latent organizational dissent. Conclusion - The finding of positive effect of procedural justice and distributive justice on dissent behavior, is consistent with the literature, which indicates that justice perceptions of managerial employees increased upward dissent behaviors. However, the finding of this research implying a non-significant effect of interactional justice on organizational justice is inconsistent with the literature, which indicates employees getting better relationship with their managers are more prone to upward dissent. In scope of this survey, employees’ dissent behaviors are influenced by fairness of formal rules and procedures, and acquisitions rather than the fairness of managerial relationships. This distinctive result of this survey may stem from employees’ distrust in relationship with their managers and their prioritization of formal procedures and concrete acquisitions rather than abstract relationships while evaluating the possible retaliations and results of their dissent.

Encouraging Upward Ethical Dissent in Organizations: The Role of Deference to Embodied Expertise

This article demonstrates that when supervisors encourage subordinates to defer to their embodied expertise, subordinates are more likely to voice explicitly moralized upward dissent to an unethical business request. Working adults ( N = 312) were randomly assigned to respond to an unethical business request from their boss in one of three scenarios that varied by how much the supervisor was known for encouraging deference to (a) embodied knowing, (b) intellectual reasoning, or (c) neither (i.e., a baseline control condition). Analyses revealed that participants were more than twice as likely to voice their private moral concerns explicitly with their boss when the supervisor was known for valuing subordinates’ embodied expertise (e.g., “going with your gut feelings”). In addition, participants also reported feeling significantly less communication anxiety in that same condition. Implications for leading organizational ethics conclude the article.

Örgütsel Güç Oyunları ve Örgütsel Muhalefet Arasındaki İlişki (İlkokul ve Ortaokullarda Görev Yapan Öğretmen Görüşleri Bağlamında)

The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between political games and organizational dissent based on teacher views. The aim of the research is to examine the relationship between organizational power games and organizational opposition in the direction of the teachers' views. Quantitative research management was used in the study. The research was designed in a correlational survey method. In the study, “Political Games Perception Scale” and “Organizational Dissent Scale” were applied to teachers with the aim of defining teachers’ perceptions about political games and organizational dissent. Thus, the data were collected with the purpose of examining the relationship between political games and organizational dissent. The levels of teachers’ perceptions and the relationship between these concepts were investigated using the collected data. Therefore, the correlational research design was utilized in the present study. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson analysis were used for the analysis of the data Analysis of the teachers’ perceptions on political games demonstrated that the dimensions of “Alliance-Building Game”, “Strategic-Candidates Game” and “Empire-Building Game” were observed the most, while “Insurgency Game”, “Whistle-Blowing Game” and “Young Turks Game” were observed the least. On organizational dissent, “Upward Dissent” was perceived more when compared to “Lateral Dissent”. Based on the gender variable, the results of political games favored the males in the dimensions of “Insurgency Game”, “Counter-Insurgency Game”, “Sponsorship Game”, “Empire-Building Game”, “Lording Game”, “Rival Camps Game”, “Whistle-Blowing Game” and “Young Turks Game”. At the end of the study, a positive and low correlation was identified between political games and organizational dissent. In conclusion, a relationship between political games and organizational dissent was determined in organizations. The said correlation was positive and low-level. It was also observed that political games and organizational dissent were interrelated concepts.

Family Communication Patterns as Predictors of Organizational Dissent: A Replication Study

This study replicated a previous research project addressing connections between family-of-origin communication and organizational dissent expression. We predicted that family communication patterns (FCPs), specifically conversation and conformity orientations, would predict upward, lateral, and displaced dissent. As in the original study, significant findings emerged for upward dissent and conformity orientation. This replication study indicated family type as an inconsistent predictor of expressed dissent. Contrary to the original study, we found no evidence to support a connection between pluralistic family types and upward dissent. Finally, as an extension of the original study we analyzed effects of FCPs on displaced dissent, finding an inverse association with conversation orientation. Implications for future research are discussed.

Actively Coping with Violation: Exploring Upward Dissent Patterns in Functional, Dysfunctional, and Deserted Psychological Contract End States.

Recently, scholars have emphasized the importance of examining how employees cope with psychological contract violation and how the coping process contributes to psychological contract violation resolution and post-violation psychological contracts. Recent work points to the important role of problem-focused coping. Yet, to date, problem-focused coping strategies have not been conceptualized on a continuum from constructive to destructive strategies. Consequently, potential differences in the use of specific types of problem-focused coping strategies and the role these different strategies play in the violation resolution process has not been explored. In this study, we stress the importance of focusing on different types of problem-focused coping strategies. We explore how employee upward dissent strategies, conceptualized as different forms of problem-focused coping, contribute to violation resolution and post-violation psychological contracts. Two sources of data were used. In-depth interviews with supervisors of a Dutch car lease company provided 23 case descriptions of employee-supervisor interactions after a psychological contract violation. Moreover, a database with descriptions of Dutch court sentences provided eight case descriptions of employee-organization interactions following a perceived violation. Based on these data sources, we explored the pattern of upward dissent strategies employees used over time following a perceived violation. We distinguished between functional (thriving and reactivation), dysfunctional (impairment and dissolution) and deserted psychological contract end states and explored whether different dissent patterns over time differentially contributed to the dissent outcome (i.e., psychological contract end state). The results of our study showed that the use of problem-focused coping is not as straightforward as suggested by the post-violation model. While the post-violation model suggests that problem-focused coping will most likely contribute positively to violation resolution, we found that this also depends on the type of problem-focused coping strategy used. That is, more threatening forms of problem-focused coping (i.e., threatening resignation as a way to trigger one’s manager/organization to resolve the violation) mainly contributed to dysfunctional and deserted PC end states. Yet, in some instances the use of these types of active coping strategies also contributed to functional violation resolution. These findings have important implications for the literature on upward dissent strategies and psychological contract violation repair.

High School Athletes’ Relationships With Head Coaches and Teammates as Predictors of Their Expressions of Upward and Lateral Dissent

Athletes’ expressions of dissent are largely unrecognized, which limits coaches’ abilities to manage their teams and athletes’ abilities to voice themselves effectively. This study considers athletes’ roles on their teams, sport type, and relationships with coaches and teammates as predictors of upward and lateral expressions of dissent. Results gathered from 273 former high school athletes revealed a complex pattern of social interaction, whereby starting status and relationships with teammates directly predicted upward dissent and athlete–coach relationships indirectly predicted upward dissent. In contrast, only athletes’ relationships with coaches predicted their expressions of lateral dissent. These findings suggest that in order to promote functional patterns of athlete dissent coaches must build quality relationships with athletes, as well as climates that facilitate cohesion among athletes.

Sunday democracies: a mixed methods analysis of members’ perceptions of church authority and organizational dissent

ABSTRACTPrevious research has emphasized differences between churches and other types of organizations including the potential for leaders’ authority to be based on unassailable interpretations of Scripture and on divine callings. The present study examined members’ perceptions of church authority and the degree to which those perceptions affected their willingness to express dissenting opinions, a key feature of organizational democracy. Focus group participants described a fluid process as they negotiated how their voices would be heard in decision-making while simultaneously entrusting some decision-making to ordained leaders. That process sometimes involved seeing members’ voices as one expression of divine authority or compartmentalizing pastoral leadership to spiritual matters and democratic leadership to practical matters. Focus groups also emphasized the importance of church committees and transparency as integral practices for members’ voice in church decision-making. Surveys of a wider group of church members demonstrated that perceptions of democracy and divine authority influenced members’ willingness to express upward dissent, and to a lesser extent, lateral dissent. Results revealed how church members conceptualize their roles in decision-making, highlighting potential areas of conflict when leaders deviate from members’ expectations.

How Superior–Subordinate Relationship Quality and Conflict Management Styles Influence an Employee's Use of Upward Dissent Tactics

AbstractThis study examined employees’ use of upward dissent tactics to express disagreement with organizational policies or practices to their supervisors. Employees (N = 242) from three organizations completed a survey instrument in which they reported the types of upward dissent tactics and types of conflict management styles they used with their supervisors as well as their perceptions of the quality of those relationships. The integrating conflict management style was positively correlated with the prosocial dissent tactic and negatively correlated with the threatening resignation dissent tactic. The dominating conflict management style was positively correlated with threatening resignation, circumvention, and repetition dissent tactics. When looking at relationships between the use of upward dissent tactics, superior–subordinate relationship quality, and conflict management styles, we found that conflict management styles were a stronger predictor of the use of upward dissent tactics than superior–subordinate relationship quality. Implications for employee voice are discussed.

Manager Responses to Employee Dissent About Psychological Contract Breach

Communication scholars have made significant headway toward understanding the upward dissent process, conceptualizing different types of upward dissent strategies and investigating the use of these strategies. However, scholars have hardly considered the dyadic process associated with upward dissent strategies and manager responses to these strategies, or how the nature of dissent may influence the dissent process. We describe the dissent process in relation to personal-advantage dissent. We focus on a specific trigger—psychological contract breach (PCB)— because this negative workplace event is regularly experienced among employees and employees are likely to express their dissatisfaction about PCB to their managers. We present a dyadic process model that explains how employee–manager interactions following an employee’s initial dissent about PCB evolve over time.

Supervisor Moral Talk Contagion and Trust-in-Supervisor

This message-production experiment demonstrates that supervisors can mitigate the workplace moral mum effect and encourage upward ethical dissent by talking about ethics with subordinates (i.e., moral talk contagion). Working adults ( N = 324) were randomly assigned to respond to an unethical request by their supervisor in one of five scenarios that varied by supervisor talk type and trust-in-supervisor or a baseline-control condition. Content and contingency table analyses revealed participants were twice as likely to invoke explicitly moralized upward dissent to an unethical business request from a supervisor when the supervisor was known for describing work situations in ethical terms. In addition, the V-shaped relationship between trust-in-supervisor and upward ethical dissent indicated that participants in the high- and low-trust conditions were twice as likely to engage in upward ethical dissent as those in the baseline-control condition. Implications for theory and practice conclude the essay.

Full- and Part-Time Dissent: Examining the Effect of Employment Status on Dissent Expression

This study examined whether employment status affected the amount and type of dissent employees expressed to management. To address this full-time and part-time employees in separate data collections completed the Upward Dissent Scale. A comparison of participant scores indicated that full-time employees used comparatively more prosocial (direct-factual appeals and solution presentation) and repetition upward dissent tactics compared to part-time employees. Contrastingly, part-time employees relied more heavily on upward dissent expressions that involved circumventing their bosses and threatening to quit their jobs. The findings indicate that employment status has a notable effect on the expression of upward dissent—with full- and part-time employees relying on differing tactics.

The Relationship between Organizational Assimilation and Employees’ Upward, Lateral, and Displaced Dissent

This study investigated the relationship between organizational assimilation and the three types of employee dissent (i.e., upward, lateral, displaced). Participants were 186 full-time employees who completed a brief online self-report survey. Results of the study revealed that all seven dimensions of organizational assimilation (i.e., familiarity with coworkers, familiarity with supervisors, acculturation, recognition, involvement, job competency, role negotiation) were related positively to upward dissent, while two dimensions of assimilation (i.e., acculturation, involvement) were related negatively to lateral dissent. No significant relationships existed between the dimensions of organizational assimilation and displaced dissent.

Organization-based Self-esteem as a Moderator of the Relationship between Employee Dissent and Turnover Intention

This study investigates the association between employee dissent and turnover intention, and the moderating role of organization-based self-esteem on this relationship. A survey questionnaire was prepared and distributed by the researchers, with a sample of 211 white-collar employees in Turkey participating. The results point to employee constructive upward dissent, questioning upward dissent, and latent dissent explaining the variance in turnover intention. In addition, partial support was found for the moderating influence of organization-based self-esteem on the relationship between employee dissent and turnover intention.