Does Injudicious Kindness Caused by Power Distance Lead to Organizational Silence Behaviors of Research Assistants?

Yıl 2024, Cilt: 53 Sayı: 1, 41 - 60, 30.04.2024

Aoron Cohen Emrah Özsoy Senem Nart Sima Nart

https://doi.org/10.26650/ibr.2024.53.1284601

Öz

Employee silence poses a significant challenge for organizations, hindering the use of innovative ideas and the establishment of democratic work environments. While previous research has predominantly focused on the cultural roots of silence within organizational culture, the influences of broader social-cultural factors have often been overlooked. In addition, investigations into the antecedents of silence have mainly relied on quantitative methodologies, leaving gaps in our understanding. To address these limitations, this study employs an exploratory qualitative case study methodology. Conducted through in-depth interviews with 12 research assistants from state universities, this study investigates the impact of power distance perceptions on academicians’ silence behavior. The findings reveal that research assistants exhibit a heightened perception of power distance, leading to instances of inappropriate deference and a tendency to remain silent on critical issues, even when such silence is undesirable.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Organizational silence, Power distance, Academicians, State universities in Türkiye

Kaynakça

• Akan, B. B., & Oran, F. C. (2017). Akademisyenlerin örgütsel sessizlik algıları: Konuya ilişkin bir uygulama [Perceptions of Academicians’ organizational silence: An application on the subject]. Kırklareli Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 6(5), 72-90. google scholar
• Alparslan, A.M. (2010). Örgutsel sessizlik iklimi ve işgören sessizlik davranışları arasındaki etkileşim: Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi öğretim elemanları üzerinde bir araştırma [The interaction between organizational silence climate and employee silence behaviors: A research on Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University instructors]. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Süleyman Demirel University. google scholar
• Aquino, K., & Bommer, W. (2003). Preferential mistreatment how victim status moderates the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior and workplace victimization. Organization Science, 14(4), 374-385. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.14.4.374.17489 google scholar
• Ayan, A. (2015). Etik liderlik tarzının iş performansı, içsel motivasyon ve duyarsızlaşma üzerine etkisi: Kamu kuruluşunda bir uygulama [The effect of ethical leadership style on job performance, intrinsic mo-tivation and depersonalization: An application in a public institution]. Eskisehir Osmangazi Universitesi IIBF Dergisi, 10(3), 117-141. google scholar
• Aydin, İ., Erdemli, Ö., Demir, T. G., & Toptaş, B. B. (2016). Silence belongs to the young, speech belongs to the old”: The reason why research assistants remain silent. Journal of Education and Human Develop-ment, 5(4), 109-118. https://doi.org/10.15640/jehd.v5n4a11 google scholar
• Aytaç, Ö. (2007). Türk bürokrasi kültürü: Yönetsel ve toplumsal bir perspektif (Turkish bureaucratic culture: An administrative and social perspective). E. Ramazan & Ö. Aytaç (Eds.) Kültürel Bağlamda Yönetsel ve Toplumsal Bir Perspektif (An administrative and social perspective in cultural context (pp. 135-182). Turkish Psychologists Association Publications. google scholar
• Bayram, T. Y. (2010) Organizational silence at universities. Master’s thesis. Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu google scholar
• Blackman, D., & Sadler, E. (2009). The silent and the silenced in organizational knowing and learning, ma-nagement. Learning, 40,(5), 569-585. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350507609340809 google scholar
• Botero, I. C., & Van Dyne, L. (2009). Employee voice behavior: Interactive effects of LMX and power dis-tance in the United States and Colombia. Management Communication Quarterly, 23(1), 84-104. https:// doi.org/10.1177/0893318909335415 google scholar
• Boyukaslan, A., & Aşıkoğlu, H. R. (2022). Does organizational culture impact on firm performance: Eviden-ce from Turkey. Istanbul Business Research, 51(1),149-174. https://doi.org/10.26650/ibr.2022.51.861397 google scholar
• Brinsfield, C. T. (2009). Employee silence: Investigation of dimensionality, development of measures, and examination of related factors. [Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University]. OhioLink. https://etd. ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=osu1236294604&disposition=inline google scholar
• Buyukozturk, S., Cakmak, E. K., Akgun, O. E., Karadeniz, S., & Demirel, F. (2018). Eğitimde bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri [Scientific research methods in education]. Pegem Yayıncılık google scholar
• Castaneda, D.I., & Cuellar, S. (2020). Knowledge sharing and innovation: a systematic review. Knowledge and Process Management, 27(3):159-173. https://doi.org/10.1002/kpm.1637 google scholar
• Cohen, A., & Baruch, Y. (2022). Abuse and exploitation of doctoral students: A conceptual model for tra-versing a long and winding road to academia. Journal of Business Ethics, 180(2), 505-522. https://doi. org/10.1007/s10551-021-04905-1 google scholar
• Cohen, A., & Özsoy, E. (2021). Dark triad and situational variables and their relationship to career success and counterproductive work behaviors among employees in Turkey. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 14(5), 506-525. https://doi.org/DOI 10.1108/IJWHM-02-2020-0019 google scholar
• Kirchmeyer, C., & Cohen, A. (1992). Multicultural groups: Their performance and reactions with constructive conflict. Group & OrganizationManagement, 17(2), 153-170.*ihttps://doi.org/10.1177/1059601192172004 google scholar
• Cullinane, N., & Donaghey, J. (2014). Employee Silence. A. Wilkinson, J. Donaghey, T. Dundon & R.B. Freeman (Eds.), The handbook of research on employee voice. Edward Elgar Publishing. google scholar
• Çaloğlu, D. Ö. (2014). Örgütsel sessizlik ve kültürel değişkenler üzerine ampirik bir araştırma [An empirical research on organizational silence and cultural variables]. [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Ufuk Univer-sity. google scholar
• Çavuşoğlu, S., & Köse, S. (2016). The effect of organizational culture to organizational silence behaviour. Dokuz Eylul University Journal of Graduate School of Social Sciences, 18(1), 115-146. http://dx.doi.org/10.16953/deusbed.46003. google scholar
• Denzin, N.K. (1978). The research ac: A theoretical introduction to sociological methods (2rd ed.). McGraw-Hill google scholar
• Detert, J. R., & Edmondson, A. C. (2005). No exit, no voice: the bind of risky voice opportunities in organisati-ons. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2005(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2005.18780787 google scholar
• Dimitris, B., & Vakola, M. (2007). Organizational silence: A new challenge for human resource management. Economics and Business Faculty of Athens University, pp.1-19. google scholar
• Dyne, L. V., Ang, S., & Botero, I. C. (2003). Conceptualizing employee silence and employee voice as multi-dimensional constructs. Journal of Management Studies, 40(6), 1359-1392. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.00384 google scholar
• Ghosh, A. (2011). Power distance in organizational contexts- A review of collectivist cultures. The Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 47 (1), 89-101. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23070557 google scholar
• Glauser, M. J. (1984). Upward information flow in organizations: Review and conceptual analysis. Human Relations, 37, 613-643. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872678403700804 google scholar
• Hagen, A., Udeh, I., & Wilkie, M. (2011). The way that companies should manage their human resources as their most important asset: Empirical investigation. Journal of Business & Economics Research, 1(1), 81-92. https://doi.org/10.19030/jber.v1i1.2962 google scholar
• Henriksen, K., & Dayton, E. (2006). Organizational silence and hidden threats to patient safety. Health Ser-vices Research, 41(4p2), 1539-1554. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6773.2006.00564.x google scholar
• Hofstede, G. (1984). Culture’s consequences: International differences in work-related values. Abridged Version, Sage publications. google scholar
• Hofstede, G. (1980). Motivation, leadership, and organization: do American theories apply abroad? Organi-zational dynamics, 9(1), 42-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/0090-2616(80)90013-3 google scholar
• Holloway, I., & Wheeler, S. (1996). Qualitative research for nurses. Blackwell Science Ltd. google scholar
• Huang, X., Van de Vliert, E., & Van der Vegt, G. (2005). Breaking the silence culture: Stimulation of parti-cipation and employee opinion withholding cross-nationally. Management and Organization Review, 1, 459-482. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8784.2005.00023.x google scholar
• Johlke, M. C., & Duhan, D. F. (2000). Supervisor communication practices and service employee job outco-mes. Journal of Service Research, 3(2), 154-165. https://doi.org/10.1177/109467050032004 google scholar
• Kiymalioğlu, A., Yaraş, E., & Ünal, D. A. (2018). Keeping up with the Joneses-the effect of individual cultural values on conspicuous consumption. Istanbul Business Research, 47(1), 88-100. http://dx.doi. org/10.26650/ibr.2018.47.01.0005 google scholar
• Kwantes, C., & Boglarsky, C. (2007). Perceptions of organizational culture, leadership effectiveness and personal effectiveness across six countries. Journal of International Management, 13(2), 204-230. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.intman.2007.03.002 google scholar
• Lincoln, S. Y., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage Publications. google scholar
• Milliken, F.J., Morrison, E.W., & Hewlin, P.F. (2003). An exploratory study of employee silence: Issues that employees don’t communicate upward and why. Journal of Management Studies, 40(6), 1453-1476. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.00387. google scholar
• Millon, T., Millon, C. M., Meagher, S. E., Grossman, S. D., & Ramnath, R. (2012). Personality disorders in modern life. John Wiley & Sons google scholar
• Morrison, E. W., & Milliken, F. J. (2000). Organizational silence: A barrier to change and development in a pluralistic world. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 706-725. https://doi.org/10.2307/259200 google scholar
• Morrison, E.W., & Milliken, F.J. (2003). Speaking up, remaining silent: the dynamics of voice and silence in organizations. Journal of Management Studies, 40(6), 1353-1358. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.00383 google scholar
• Morrison, E.W., & Rothman, N.B. (2009). Silence and the dynamics of power. J.Greenberg & M. Edwards (Eds.), Voice and silence in organizations (pp. 175-202).Emerald google scholar
• Nakane, I., (2006). Silence and politeness in intercultural communication in university seminars. Journal of Pragmatics, 38(11), 1811-1835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2006.01.005 google scholar
• Noelle-Neumann, E. (1991). The theory of public opinion: the concept of the spiral of silence. J. A. Anderson (Ed.), Communication Yearbook 14 (pp. 256-287). Sage google scholar
• Ozgan, H., & Külekçi, E. (2012). Öğretim elemanlarının sessizlik nedenleri ve üniversitelerine etkileri [The reasons of academic staff silence and its effect on their university]. e-International Journal of Educational Research, 3(4), 33-49. google scholar
• Özsoy, E., & Ardıç, K. (2020). Çalışanların karanlık kişilik özelliklerinin tükenmişliğe etkisinde genel öz-yeterliliğin düzenleyici rolü. [The moderating role of general self-efficacy on the effect of employe-es’ dark personality traits on burnout]. Manas Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 9(1), 144-154. https://doi. org/10.33206/mjss.509429 google scholar
• Parcham, E., & Ghasemizad, A. (2017). The impact of organizational culture on employees’ organizational silence in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Journal of Health Management and Informatics, 4(1), 25-30. google scholar
• Park, C., & Keil, M. (2009). Organizational silence and whistle-blowing on IT projects: An integrated model. Decision Sciences, 40(4), 901-918. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5915.2009.00255.x google scholar
• Pasa, F. S., Kabasakal, H., & Bodur, M. (2001). Society, organizations, and leadership in Turkey. Applied Psychology, 50(4), 559-589. https://doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00073 google scholar
• Quinn, R. E., & Spreitzer, G. M. (1997). The road to empowerment: Seven questions every leader should consider. Organizational Dynamics, 26(2), 37-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0090-2616(97)90004-8 google scholar
• Rhee, C., Dantes, R., Epstein, L., Murphy, D. J., Seymour, C. W., Iwashyna, T. J., & Jernigan, J. A. (2017). Incidence and trends of sepsis in US hospitals using clinical vs claims data, 2009-2014. Jama, 318(13), 1241-1249. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.13836 google scholar
• Rodrigues, C. A. (1998). Cultural classifications of societies and how they affect cross cultu-ral management. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 5(3), 31-41. https://doi. org/10.1108/13527609810796817 google scholar
• Saglam, A. C., Yorulmaz, Y. I., Anasiz, B. T., Colak, I., & Dumlu, N. N. (2018). Prediction of academic staffs’ organizational silence through their power distance perceptions. Üniversitepark Bülten, 7(2), 143. http:// dx.doi.org/10.22521/unibulletin.2018.72.6 google scholar
• Sadeghi, M., & Razavi, M. R. (2020). Organizational silence, organizational commitment and creativity: The case of directors of Islamic Azad University of Khorasan Razavi. European Review of Applied Psycho-logy, 70(5), 100557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erap.2020.100557 google scholar
• Shenton, A. (2004). Strategies for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research projects. Education for Information, 22, 63-75. https://doi.org/10.3233/EFI-2004-22201 google scholar
• Shojaie, S., Matin, H. Z., & Barani, G. (2011). Analyzing the infrastructures of organizational silence and ways to get rid of it. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 1731-1735. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.334 google scholar
• Solmaz, G., & Serinkan, C. (2020). The relationship between power distance and organizational silence in organizations: A field research. International Journal of Academic Research and Idea, 12(25), 3-19. google scholar
• Turan, S., Durceylan, B., & Sisman, M. (2005). Üniversite yöneticilerinin benimsedikleri idari ve kültürel değerler [Administrative and cultural values adopted by university administrators]. Manas Universitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 13, 181-202. google scholar
• Tutar, H. (2003). Örgütsel iletişim[Organizational communication]. Seçkin Kitabevi. google scholar
• Ulker, F., & Kanten, P. (2009). Örgutlerde sessizlik ikilimi, işgören sessizliği ve örgütsel bağlılık ilişkisine yönelik bir araştırma [A research on the relationship between silence climate, employee silence and organizational commitment in organizations]. Aksaray Universitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakultesi Dergisi, 1(2), 111-126. google scholar
• Vakola, M., & Bouradas, D. (2005). Antecedents and consequences of organisational silence: An empirical investigation. Employee Relations, 27(5), 441-458. https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450510611997 google scholar
• Wasti, S. A. (1998). Cultural barriers in the transferability of Japanese and American human resources prac-tices to developing countries: The Turkish case. The International Journal of Human Resource Manage-ment, 9 (4), 608-631. https://doi.org/10.1080/095851998340928 google scholar
• Yaman, E., Vidinlioglu, O., & Citemel, N. (2010). Mobbing motivation and peace at the workplace: Teachers expect a lot? Mobbing victims on teachers. Journal of Human Sciences, 7(1), 1136-1151. google scholar
• Yıldırım, A., & Simsek, H. (2013). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri [Qualitative research met-hods in the social sciences]. (9rd ed.). Seçkin Yayıncılık. google scholar