Qualitative Research in Behavioral Sciences

Qualitative Research in Behavioral Sciences

The Lived Experiences of Newly Hired Assistant Professors Facing Organizational Bullying in Universities: An Analysis of Consequences and Coping Strategies

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Sajjad Rezaei 1
Maede Shabani 2
ali poursafar 3
iraj shakerinia 1
1 Associate Professor, Department of psychology, University of Guilan, Rasht. Iran
2 Master student in General psychology, department of psychology, University of Guilan, Rasht. Iran
3 Department of Educational Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran:
10.22077/qrbs.2025.8507.1077
Abstract
Background: Nowadays, organizational bullying is a significant challenge in educational environments and can lead to various psychological, physical, and organizational consequences for victims. This study investigates the consequences of organizational bullying for newly appointed assistant professors and explores their coping strategies within the academic environment. It aims to identify and analyze these impacts and examine the strategies faculty members employ to confront this phenomenon.
Method: The present study employed a qualitative research method using descriptive phenomenology. The participants included assistant professors from the University of Guilan who perceived themselves as having experienced bullying in 2022. The sampling method was purposive and snowball sampling, and theoretical saturation was reached after interviewing 16 men and 8 women. Data were collected through semi- structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven- step method.
Results: The data analysis resulted in 15 open codes, 4 subcategories, and 2 main themes. The main themes for the consequences of organizational bullying were individual and organizational consequences. The subcategories related to individual consequences included physical and psychological effects, while the subcategories related to organizational consequences included decreased productivity and weakened organizational culture. Furthermore, 13 open codes, 4 subcategories, and 2 main themes emerged regarding coping strategies for organizational bullying. The main themes included individual coping strategies, with subcategories of acceptance and withdrawal, and seeking social support, with subcategories of seeking support from peers and seeking support from family.
Conclusions: The findings of the study indicate that organizational bullying has profound negative effects on the physical and psychological health of faculty members. These consequences include headaches, migraine attacks, and other related symptoms. On the other hand, the experience of being bullied leads to organizational consequences, such as decreased productivity and weakened organizational culture within the university. Effective coping with this phenomenon requires the creation of supportive and educational environments, strengthening conflict management, and raising awareness of the consequences of bullying. Therefore, individuals can respond more effectively and positively. Additionally, the results showed that social support from colleagues and family plays a key role in reducing the negative effects of this phenomenon.
Keywords
organizational bullying
phenomenology
coping strategies
consequences
university
Subjects

References

  1. Adiyaman, D., & Meier, L. L. (2021). Short-term effects of experienced and observed incivility on mood and self-esteem. Work & Stress, 36(2), 133-146. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2021.1976880
  2. Akbari Bourang, M., & Samirapour, S. (2021). Qualitative data analysis with a phenomenological approach (based on Colaizzi's method). Birjand University Press. https://www.gisoom.com/book/11689731
  3. Attell, B. K., Brown, K. K., & Treiber, L. A. (2017). Workplace bullying, perceived job stressors, and psychological distress: Gender and race differences in the stress process. Social science research, 65, 210-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2017.02.001
  4. Balducci, C., Fraccaroli, F., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2011). Workplace bullying and its relation with work characteristics, personality, and post-traumatic stress symptoms: An integrated model. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 24(5), 499-513. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2011.555533
  5. Barlow, D. H. (2002). Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic (2nd ed.). Guilford Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2001-05896-000
  6. Branch, S., Ramsay, S., & Barker, M. (2013). Workplace bullying, mobbing and general harassment: A review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(3), 280-299. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2012.00339.x
  7. Cassell, M. A. (2011). Bullying in Academe: Prevalent, significant, and incessant. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 4(5), 33-44. https://www.proquest.com/docview/868724932?sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals
  8. Chowdhury, S. R., Kabir, H., Akter, N., Iktidar, M. A., Roy, A. K., Chowdhury, M. R., & Hossain, A. (2023). Impact of workplace bullying and burnout on job satisfaction among bangladeshi nurses: A cross-sectional study. Heliyon, 9(2), e13162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13162
  9. Cook, C. R., Williams, K. R., Guerra, N. G., Kim, T. E., & Sadek, S. (2010). Predictors of bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic investigation. School psychology quarterly, 25(2), 65-83. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0020149
  10. Einarsen, S., Hoel, H., Zapf, D., & Cooper, C. L. (2020). Bullying and harassment in the workplace: Developments in theory, research, and practice. CRC Press. https://books.google.com/books/about/Bullying_and_Harassment_in_the_Workplace.html?id=tll0zAEACAAJ
  11. Elazzazy, O. M. (2023). The moderating role of workplace social support in the relationship between workplace bullying and job performance. Journal of System and Management Sciences, 13(2), 529-542. https://www.aasmr.org/jsms/Vol13/No.2/vol.13.2.36.pdf
  12. Fogg, P. (2008). Academic bullies. Chronicle of Higher Education, 55(3), B10. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ814298
  13. Greenberg, J. (1990). Organizational justice: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Journal of Management, 16(2), 399-432. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639001600208
  14. Guba, E. G. (1981). Criteria for assessing the trustworthiness of naturalistic inquiries. Educational Communication and Technology, 29(2), 75-91. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02766777
  15. Keashly, L., & Neuman, J. H. (2010). Faculty experiences with bullying in higher education: Causes, consequences, and management. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 32(1), 48-70. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2753/ATP1084-1806320103
  16. King, C., & Piotrowski, C. (2015). Bullying of educators by educators: Incivility in higher education. Contemporary Issues in Education Research (CIER), 8(4), 257-262. https://doi.org/10.19030/cier.v8i4.9434
  17. Kowalski, R. M., & Limber, S. P. (2013). Psychological, physical, and academic correlates of cyberbullying and traditional bullying. The Journal of Adolescent Health : Official Publication of The Society for Adolescent Medicine, 53(1), S13-S20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.09.018
  18. Lever, I., Dyball, D., Greenberg, N., & Stevelink, S. A. (2019). Health consequences of bullying in the healthcare workplace: A systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 75(12), 3195-3209. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13986
  19. Lewis, D. (2004). Bullying at work: The impact of shame among university and college lecturers. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 32(3), 281-299. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069880410001723521
  20. Lincoln, Y. S. & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. SAGE, Thousand Oaks, 289-331. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0147-1767(85)90062-8
  21. Lutgen- Sandvik, P., Tracy, S. J., & Alberts, J. K. (2007). Burned by bullying in the American workplace: Prevalence, perception, degree and impact. Journal of Management Studies, 44(6), 837-862. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2007.00715.x
  22. Namie, G. (2021). 2021 Workplace bullying survey results. Workplace Bullying Institute. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.14486.88647
  23. Nielsen, M. B., & Einarsen, S. (2012). Outcomes of exposure to workplace bullying: A meta-analytic review. Work & Stress, 26(4), 309-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2012.734709
  24. Prevost, Ch., & Hunt, E. (2018). Bullying and mobbing in academe: A literature. European Scientific Journal, 14(8), 15. http://dx.doi.org/10.19044/esj.2018.v14n8p1
  25. Rai, A., & Agarwal, U. A. (2017). Exploring the process of workplace bullying in Indian organizations: A grounded theory approach. South Asian Journal of Business Studies, 6(2), 247-273. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAJBS-07-2016-0067
  26. Rodríguez‐Muñoz, A., Moreno‐Jiménez, B., Sanz Vergel, A. I., & Garrosa Hernández, E. (2010). Post‐Traumatic symptoms among victims of workplace bullying: Exploring gender differences and shattered assumptions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 40(10), 2616-2635. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2010.00673.x
  27. Salin, D. (2003). Ways of explaining workplace bullying: A review of enabling, motivating and precipitating structures and processes in the work environment. Human Relations, 56(10), 1213-1232. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267035610003
  28. Salin, D., & Notelaers, G. (2017). The effect of exposure to bullying on turnover intentions: The role of perceived psychological contract violation and benevolent behaviour. Work & Stress, 31(4), 355-374. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2017.1330780
  29. Sepahvand, R., Jad, A., Fathi Chegani, M., Sephond, F., & Massoud, M. (2020). The relationship between organizational bullying and organizational silence with the mediating role of psychological contract failure. Knowledge and Research in Applied Psychology, 21(2), 84-92. https://sanad.iau.ir/en/Journal/jsrp/Article/893929/FullText
  30. Shabani, M., Rezaei, S., Poursafar, A., & Shakerinia, I. (2023). Investigating the formation factors of organizational bullying in the university: The lived experience of young assistant professors of guilan university. Journal of Iranian Higher Education, 15(2), 44-65. https://www.sid.ir/paper/1430428/en
  31. Trépanier, S. G., Fernet, C., & Austin, S. (2013). Workplace bullying and psychological health at work: The mediating role of satisfaction of needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. Work & Stress, 27(2), 123-140. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2013.782158

  • Receive Date 04 December 2024
  • Revise Date 28 February 2025
  • Accept Date 11 March 2025