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An Enlightened Environment? Workplace Bullying and Incivility in Irish Higher Education

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  • Margaret Hodgins
  • Patricia Mannix McNamara

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of workplace ill-treatment of academic staff in the Irish Higher Education sector, with a focus on organizational response to experienced or witnessed workplace bullying and/or incivility. Workplace bullying is a significant problem, affecting approximately 15% of the workforce, with considerable variation by sector. Educational workplaces typically display prevalence rates that exceed average workplace bullying rates. The negative impacts on health and well-being are well documented and evidence is also emerging to show that organizational responses are less than optimal. The data collected comprise 11 qualitative in-depth interviews with academic staff in three of Ireland’s seven Universities. Applying a phenomenological analysis approach, data revealed that participants’ experiences were overwhelmingly negative in respect of organizational response, despite the fact that each University had an anti-bullying policy. This is explored and discussed in the context of failure to address the complex power relations, which are particularly relevant in professional organizations, intensified by current changes in the higher educational sector. Study limitations include the small number of Universities and small sample size, thus limiting generalizability.

Suggested Citation

  • Margaret Hodgins & Patricia Mannix McNamara, 2019. "An Enlightened Environment? Workplace Bullying and Incivility in Irish Higher Education," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(4), pages 21582440198, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:9:y:2019:i:4:p:2158244019894278
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244019894278
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Hazel Mawdsley & Duncan Lewis, 2017. "Lean and mean: how NPM facilitates the bullying of UK employees with long-term health conditions," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(5), pages 317-324, July.
    3. Leah P. Hollis, 2015. "Bully University? The Cost of Workplace Bullying and Employee Disengagement in American Higher Education," SAGE Open, , vol. 5(2), pages 21582440155, June.
    4. 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.
    5. Niamh Hardiman, 2010. "Economic Crisis and Public Sector Reform: Lessons from Ireland," Working Papers 201013, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jolita Vveinhardt & Włodzimierz Sroka, 2020. "Workplace Mobbing in Polish and Lithuanian Organisations with Regard to Corporate Social Responsibility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-28, April.
    2. Patricia Mannix-McNamara & Niamh Hickey & Sarah MacCurtain & Nicolaas Blom, 2021. "The Dark Side of School Culture," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Margaret Hodgins, 2021. "Taking on the Institution: An Autoethnographic Account," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Teresa Shiels & Neil Kenny & Roy Shiels & Patricia Mannix-McNamara, 2021. "Incivility in Higher Education: Challenges of Inclusion for Neurodiverse Students with Traumatic Brain Injury in Ireland," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-14, June.
    5. Margaret Hodgins & Patricia Mannix-McNamara, 2021. "The Neoliberal University in Ireland: Institutional Bullying by Another Name?," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-20, May.

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