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Workplace Bullying, Psychological Perspectives and Industrial Relations: Towards a Contextualized and Interdisciplinary Approach
Author(s) -
Hoel Helge,
Beale David
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
british journal of industrial relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.665
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1467-8543
pISSN - 0007-1080
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2006.00496.x
Subject(s) - workplace bullying , context (archaeology) , relevance (law) , resistance (ecology) , perspective (graphical) , industrial relations , sociology , human resource management , public relations , power (physics) , public sector , social psychology , political science , psychology , law , paleontology , ecology , physics , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , computer science , biology
Workplace bullying is increasingly recognized as an important area of debate, particularly among researchers adopting a psychological perspective of work. This paper examines definitions of workplace bullying and explores less orthodox approaches within a British context. It focuses primarily on managers as perpetrators, and comments on the ‘bullying organization’, the relevance of human resource management and of gender. Context, the workplace balance of power, workers’ collective resistance and trade unions are then emphasized as significant factors and the potential for developing a contextualized, politicized and interdisciplinary approach to workplace bullying is suggested. Links with mobilization theory are explored, and the issue is also examined within the UK public sector environment.