IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bjw/econen/v14y2024i2p3-22.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Transactional leadership and workplace bullying among employees in Vietnam

Author

Listed:
  • Tam Luong Huynh

    (Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

  • Ha Minh Nguyen

    (Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Abstract

Workplace bullying is negative behavior and has increasingly serious consequences. The cause of this problem is found in the characteristics of the working environment, including leadership style. Transactional leadership is a popular leadership style in Vietnam, but there have not been many studies analyzing in detail the influence of each dimension on workplace bullying. Mixed methods, including qualitative and quantitative research methods, are implemented to accomplish the above purpose. Qualitative research was carried out with group discussion and expert interview stages. After that, quantitative research, with two phases, a pilot test and a formal study, was conducted. After conducting a group discussion with 10 members, an expert interview was conducted with 06 experts who are doctors of business administration. The scale is commented on, supplemented, and revised during this period. After the pilot test with a sample of 207 respondents, the research scale was tested for reliability and adjusted, then used for the formal research. The research’s sample includes 1,206 responses from employees of enterprises in Vietnam. Collected data are processed and analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS software. All three components of manager transactional leadership, including Contingent Reward (CR), active management by exception (MEA), and passive management by exception (MEP), were found to have a negative impact on employees’ workplace bullying. Although there have been many previous studies on workplace bullying and transactional leadership styles, there has not been any research analyzing the detailed influence of each component of this leadership style, especially in Vietnam. Therefore, the study results are a contribution to the theoretical basis of workplace bullying. From this result, this study suggests managerial implications to limit employee workplace bullying.

Suggested Citation

  • Tam Luong Huynh & Ha Minh Nguyen, 2024. "Transactional leadership and workplace bullying among employees in Vietnam," HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE - ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY, vol. 14(2), pages 3-22.
    • Handle: RePEc:bjw:econen:v:14:y:2024:i:2:p:3-22
    DOI: 10.46223/HCMCOUJS.econ.en.14.2.2674.2024
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journalofscience.ou.edu.vn/index.php/econ-en/article/view/2674/1911
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.46223/HCMCOUJS.econ.en.14.2.2674.2024?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Diep T. N. Nguyen & Stephen T. T. Teo & Steven L. Grover & Nguyen Phong Nguyen, 2017. "Psychological safety climate and workplace bullying in Vietnam’s public sector," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(10), pages 1415-1436, November.
    2. 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.
    3. Diep T. N. Nguyen & Stephen T. T. Teo & Khai Cong Dinh, 2020. "Social support as buffer for workplace negative acts of professional public sector employees in Vietnam," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 6-26, January.
    4. Ahmad, Saima, 2018. "Can ethical leadership inhibit workplace bullying across East and West: Exploring cross-cultural interactional justice as a mediating mechanism," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 223-234.
    5. Irsa Kanwal & Rab Nawaz Lodhi & Muhammad Kashif, 2019. "Leadership styles and workplace ostracism among frontline employees," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 42(8), pages 991-1013, May.
    6. Aysegul Ertureten & Zeynep Cemalcilar & Zeynep Aycan, 2013. "The Relationship of Downward Mobbing with Leadership Style and Organizational Attitudes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 205-216, August.
    7. Laura Francioli & Paul Maurice Conway & Åse Marie Hansen & Ann-Louise Holten & Matias Brødsgaard Grynderup & Roger Persson & Eva Gemzøe Mikkelsen & Giovanni Costa & Annie Høgh, 2018. "Quality of Leadership and Workplace Bullying: The Mediating Role of Social Community at Work in a Two-Year Follow-Up Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(4), pages 889-899, February.
    8. Irsa Kanwal & Rab Nawaz Lodhi & Muhammad Kashif, 2019. "Leadership styles and workplace ostracism among frontline employees," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 42(8), pages 991-1013, May.
    9. Richman, J.A. & Rospenda, K.M. & Nawyn, S.J. & Flaherty, J.A. & Fendrich, M. & Drum, M.L. & Johnson, T.P., 1999. "Sexual harassment and generalized workplace abuse among university employees: Prevalence and mental health correlates," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 89(3), pages 358-363.
    10. Diep T. N. Nguyen & Stephen T. T. Teo & Steven L. Grover & Nguyen P. Nguyen, 2019. "Respect, bullying, and public sector work outcomes in Vietnam," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(6), pages 863-889, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dhanakorn Mulaphong, 2023. "Social Undermining in Public Sector Organizations: Examining its Effects on Employees’ Work Attitudes, Behaviors, and Performance," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 1229-1248, September.
    2. Quan Hoang Nguyen Tran, 2023. "Workplace Incivility and Its Demographic Characteristics: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between Chinese and Vietnamese Working Adults," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, July.
    3. Uma Shankar Yadav & Shweta Vyas & Kanchan & Indrajit Ghosal & Ajay Kumar yadav, 2024. "Impact of entrepreneurial leadership, Social media, digital technology, Entrepreneurial orientation and innovation on business performance in the handicraft sector: Talent management as mediating cons," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-34, December.
    4. Bettina West & Mary Foster & Avner Levin & Jocelyn Edmison & Daniela Robibero, 2014. "Cyberbullying at Work: In Search of Effective Guidance," Laws, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-20, August.
    5. Qiang Wang & Nathan A. Bowling & Qi-tao Tian & Gene M. Alarcon & Ho Kwong Kwan, 2018. "Workplace Harassment Intensity and Revenge: Mediation and Moderation Effects," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(1), pages 213-234, August.
    6. Shabnam A. Shaikh & Anna-Maija Lämsä & Suvi Heikkinen, 2023. "Collaborative Leadership in the Institution of Higher Education: A Sociocultural Context of Pakistan," South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, , vol. 12(1), pages 65-80, April.
    7. Hee-Sun Kim & In-Ok Sim, 2021. "The Experience of Clinical Nurses after Korea’s Enactment of Workplace Anti-Bullying Legislation: A Phenomenological Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-15, May.
    8. Mahmoud Salameh Qandeel & Gabriella Kuráth, 2025. "A systematic review and meta-analysis: leadership and interactional justice," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 75(1), pages 391-427, February.
    9. Bentley, Tim A. & Catley, Bevan & Cooper-Thomas, Helena & Gardner, Dianne & O’Driscoll, Michael P. & Dale, Alison & Trenberth, Linda, 2012. "Perceptions of workplace bullying in the New Zealand travel industry: Prevalence and management strategies," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 351-360.
    10. Shannon, Candice A. & Rospenda, Kathleen M. & Richman, Judith A., 2007. "Workplace harassment patterning, gender, and utilization of professional services: Findings from a US national study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(6), pages 1178-1191, March.
    11. Boshra H. Namin & Torvald Øgaard & Jo Røislien, 2021. "Workplace Incivility and Turnover Intention in Organizations: A Meta-Analytic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-19, December.
    12. Cokkie Verschuren & Maria Tims & Annet H. De Lange, 2023. "Beyond Bullying, Aggression, Discrimination, and Social Safety: Development of an Integrated Negative Work Behavior Questionnaire (INWBQ)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-24, August.
    13. Kotiloglu, Serhan & Blettner, Daniela & Lechler, Thomas G., 2024. "Integrating national culture into the organizational performance feedback theory," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 327-347.
    14. Meltem Idig-Camuroglu & Jale Minibas-Poussard, 2015. "Mobbing at banks: Moderating Effect of Negative Emotions on the Relationship between Mobbing and Turnover Intention," Post-Print hal-01615576, HAL.
    15. Sarnecki, Abiola & Diehl, Marjo-Riitta & Richter, Ansgar, 2024. "Organizational injustice and employee affective health: The moderating effects of labor market conditions," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 42(6), pages 883-893.
    16. Jacqueline Tilton & Kristen Lucas & Jennifer J. Kish-Gephart & Justin K. Kent, 2024. "Enduring, Strategizing, and Rising Above: Workplace Dignity Threats and Responses Across Job Levels," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 195(2), pages 353-374, November.
    17. Lorraine Busby & Linda Patrick & Alice Gaudine, 2022. "Upwards Workplace Bullying: A Literature Review," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    18. Margaret Hodgins & Rhona Kane & Yariv Itzkovich & Declan Fahie, 2024. "Workplace Bullying and Harassment in Higher Education Institutions: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(9), pages 1-19, September.
    19. Elfi Baillien & Jeroen Camps & Anja Van den Broeck & Jeroen Stouten & Lode Godderis & Maarten Sercu & Hans De Witte, 2016. "An Eye for an Eye Will Make the Whole World Blind: Conflict Escalation into Workplace Bullying and the Role of Distributive Conflict Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 137(2), pages 415-429, August.
    20. Jacqueline Y. Sánchez-García & Juan E. Núñez-Ríos & Manuel Soto-Pérez & Pedro Pablo Cardoso-Castro & Alejandro Rodríguez-Magaña, 2020. "A Systems Science Approach to Inter-Organisational Complementarity in Tourism SMEs," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 1-25, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    leadership; transactional leadership; Vietnam; workplace behavior; workplace bullying;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management
    • J70 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bjw:econen:v:14:y:2024:i:2:p:3-22. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Vu Tuan Truong (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journalofscience.ou.edu.vn/index.php/econ-en .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.