Conflict, Cooperation, Trust, & Deviance Chapter 11 (part 2) March 20, 2008

Deviant Org Behavior Intentional violations of org norms, policies that result in neg outcomes. Workplace violence – –Much attn from media, but still a rare event –Aggression is more common, less severe Examples of passive aggressiveness? –Most often covert rather than overt –What is a likely antecedent?

Employee Theft Minor incidents most common Why do it? –Based on social norms and equity perceptions How to reduce it? –Code of Conduct - –Org climate issues -

National Crime Victimization Survey ( ) National estimates of reported & unreported crimes (via household survey) Here, focus on nonfatal violence (robbery, rape, assault) Workplace violence = 18% of all violent crime Which occupations had highest and lowest rates?

National Crime Victimization Survey ( , cont.) Wkplc violence rate for whites 25% higher than blacks (reverse of overall) Most incidents intraracial (60%) Men most often victims & offenders 12% victims were injured (most minor) 1/3 rd believed offender was drinking or using drugs Most likely to be victimized by stranger

Managing Aggression Through screening –Personality tests –Example? Discipline/punishment – climate issues Focus on procedural justice when imposing unfavorable decision –Structural component – –Social component -

Integrity Testing Selection component –Levi Strauss example (El Paso plant) –wanted to reduce ‘unproductive work behaviors’ (fighting) –Hogan Personality Inventory was used – How?

Integrity Testing HPI is example of covert test – measures constructs linked to aggression –(rather than overt questions) Concept of continuum of counterproductive behaviors (workplace delinquency), –includes theft, lying, sabotage, absenteeism How was it validated?

Context Variables In addition to individual differences in aggressive tendencies, job context may play a role –Fig shows job contexts where people experience the most violence –What are common job characteristics that may be related to workplace violence?

Glomb (2002) Aggression study In-depth interviews with employees about ‘angry incidents’ at work Usually attributed incident to several factors: –Job stress (hectic/stressful day) –Frustration (w/person or job) –Job-related conflicts –Individual factors (personality) –Perceived threat (power struggle) –Perceived injustice (of others, policy)

Glomb (2002) Questionnaire sample – 115 manufacturing ees Asked about aggressive behaviors as target and aggressor What were the most frequent behaviors? Pattern of escalating aggression Murder 9 to 5 Video –Case of Larry Jasion, postal worker who murdered coworkers in Dearborn, Mich. (1993)