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Measuring the Scale and Scope of Workplace Bullying: An Alternative Workplace Bullying Scale

Author

Listed:
  • Ambreen Anjum

    (Department of Applied Psychology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Amina Muazzam

    (Department of Applied Psychology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Farkhanda Manzoor

    (Department of Zoology, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 5400, Pakistan)

  • Anna Visvizi

    (School of Business & Economics, Deree College, The American College of Greece, 153-42 Athens, Greece
    Effat College of Business, Effat University, Jeddah P.O. Box 34689, Saudi Arabia)

  • Gary Pollock

    (Department of Sociology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6BH, UK)

  • Raheel Nawaz

    (Department of Operations, Technology, Events and Hospitality Management, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6BH, UK)

Abstract

The toll of workplace bullying is immense, yet, similarly as with an iceberg, its scope, scale and implications tend to remain underestimated. Several ways of assessing the prevalence of workplace bullying have been proposed in the literature. The most frequently discussed are the ‘subjective method’ assessing individuals’ perceptions of being a victim and the questionnaire, i.e., criterion-based, methods, including Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ) and Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror (LIPT). Since in both cases culture plays a profound role as a mediating factor in the process of identifying, collecting, and processing data, the applicability of these methods across cultures and countries has several limitations. At this stage, it is impossible to determine the impact of the implicit cultural-bias that these methods entail on the research outcomes. This would be possible if an alternative workplace bullying scale (WBS) was at hand and, consequently, a comparative analysis was conducted. This paper, drawing from a study conducted at higher education institutions (HEI) across Pakistan, addresses this issue by devising an alternative WBS. The value added of this paper is three-fold, i.e., it elaborates on the study and the specific methods employed to prove the validity and relevance of the alternative WBS. Moreover, by so doing, it addresses some of the limitations that other methods measuring the prevalence of workplace bullying display. As a result, it adds to the researchers’ and administrators’ toolkit as regards research and policies aimed at mitigating the scope and scale of bullying at HEIs across cultures and countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Ambreen Anjum & Amina Muazzam & Farkhanda Manzoor & Anna Visvizi & Gary Pollock & Raheel Nawaz, 2019. "Measuring the Scale and Scope of Workplace Bullying: An Alternative Workplace Bullying Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-11, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:17:p:4634-:d:260991
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pamela Lutgen‐Sandvik & Sarah J. Tracy & Jess K. Alberts, 2007. "Burned by Bullying in the American Workplace: Prevalence, Perception, Degree and Impact," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(6), pages 837-862, September.
    2. Ambreen Anjum & Amina Muazzam & Farkhanda Manzoor & Anna Visvizi & Raheel Nawaz, 2019. "Mediating Bullying and Strain in Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-11, April.
    3. Power, Jacqueline L. & Brotheridge, Céleste M. & Blenkinsopp, John & Bowes-Sperry, Lynn & Bozionelos, Nikos & Buzády, Zoltán & Chuang, Aichia & Drnevich, Dawn & Garzon-Vico, Antonio & Leighton, Cather, 2013. "Acceptability of workplace bullying: A comparative study on six continents," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(3), pages 374-380.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mahira Ahmad & Amina Muazzam & Ambreen Anjum & Anna Visvizi & Raheel Nawaz, 2020. "Linking Work-Family Conflict (WFC) and Talent Management: Insights from a Developing Country," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-17, April.
    2. Amina Muazzam & Ambreen Anjum & Anna Visvizi, 2020. "Problem-Focused Coping Strategies, Workplace Bullying, and Sustainability of HEIs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Bisma Ejaz & Amina Muazzam & Ambreen Anjum & Gary Pollock & Raheel Nawaz, 2020. "Measuring the Scale and Scope of Social Anxiety among Students in Pakistani Higher Education Institutions: An Alternative Social Anxiety Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-13, March.

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