Enigma of Silence in Organizations: What Happens To Whom and Why?

Year 2013, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 0 - 0, 01.06.2013

Ebru Yildiz

Abstract

Özet: Organizational silence, which is defined as being employees remaining silent about their views, opinions and concerns about organizational problems, has recently started to receive due interest in organizational behavior literature. This phenomenon, which poses a great barrier to organizational change and development, is frequently experienced in many organizations. Organizational silence is a composition of various personal and organizational factors and thus has negative impacts and results on both individuals and organizations. This study is a qualitative research and has been conducted through face to face interviews with 10 employees who work at the marketing and export departments of a company active in automotive supply industry. Findings of the study suggest that employees experience the phenomenon of organizational silence and the causes that lead to it are in parallel with the ones elaborated on in the literature.

References

• Amah, O. E. and C. A. Okafor (2008). Relationships Among Silence Climate, Employee Silence Behaviour and Work Attitudes: The Role of Self- Esteem and Locus of Control. Asian Journal of Scientific Research, 1 (1), 1-11.
• Ashford, S. J., N. P. Rothbard, S. K. Piderit and J. E. Dutton (1998). Out on a limb: The role of context and impression management in selling gender-equity issues. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 43, No: 1, 23-57.
• Bowen, F. and K. Blackmon (2003). Spirals of Silence: The Dynamic Effects of Diversity on Organizational Voice. Journal of Management Studies, 40: 6, 1393-1417.
• Cakici, A. (2007). Örgütlerde Sessizlik: Sessizliğin Teorik Temelleri ve Dinamikleri. Ç.Ü. Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, Volume 16, Issue 1, 145-162.
• Dyne, L. V., S. Ang and I. C. Botero (2003). Conceptualizing Employee Silence and Employee Voice as Multidimensional Constructs. Journal of Management Studies, 40 (6), 1359-1392.
• Karacaoglu, K. and A. Cingoz (2008). Örgütsel Sessizlik. Ozdevecioglu, M. and H. Karadal (Ed.), Örgütsel Davranışta Seçme Konular, Ankara, 155-167.
• Milliken, F. J. and E. W. Morrison (2003). Shades of Silence: Emerging Themes and Future Directions for Research on Silence in Organizations. Journal of Management Studies, 40 (6), 1563-1568. Morrison, E. W. and F. J. Milliken (2000). Organizational silence: A barrier to change and development in a pluralistic world. Academy of Management Review, 25, 706-725.
• Moskal, B. S. (1991). Is industry ready for adult relationships?. Industry Week, January 21, 18-25.
• Pinder, C. C. and H. P. Harlos (2001). Employee silence: Quiescence and acquiescence as responses to perceived in justice. Research in Personnel and Human Resource Management, 20, 331-369. Tangirala, S. and R. Ramanujam (2008). Employee silence on critical work issues: The cross level effects of procedural justice climate. Personnel Psychology, 61 (1), 37-68.