Name :LATIFA B MOHAMED AWAD

Student Number:210613004

1. Previous Studies

Saleh (2020) study aims to explore the relationships between school climate constructs
and teachers’ organizational silence (OS) and to analyze how school climate predicts
teachers’ OS. The study population comprised all teachers (2,237) working in private
primary schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The sample consisted of 329 responses, which
represented 14.7% of the original population. Structural equation modeling for path
analysis between the main constructs (teacher behavior, principal behavior) and
teachers’ organizational silence revealed the influence of principal behavior on teachers’
silence was significant. However, the influence of teachers’ behavior on teachers’
silence was found to be nonsignificant. The relationships between teachers’ OS and four
school climate constructs (supportive principal behavior, directive principal behavior,
collegial teacher behavior, intimate teacher behavior) were negative, while the
relationships between teachers’ organizational silence and two school climate scales
(restrictive principal behavior, disengaged teacher behavior) were positive. It is
recommended that top educational management officials develop relevant policy
procedures, such as legislating necessary regulations to protect whistle-blowers in the
school environment. Given the increased popularity of the Organizational Climate
Description Questionnaire for Elementary Schools (OCDQ-RE) in measuring school
typology, we encourage the use of this questionnaire to predict other teachers’ behaviors
in the school environment.

In Tutar et al. (2021) study, the mediating role of "organizational cynicism" in the
relationship between "rudeness in the workplace" and "organizational silence" was
examined. The research is a quantitative research cross-sectional study. Research data
were collected using a simple random sampling technique. Data analysis shows a
significant and positive relationship between the participants' perceptions of rudeness in
the workplace and organizational silence. It is understood that the perception of
organizational cynicism also mediates this relationship. It was understood that the high
perception of the workplace laziness of the participants caused the perception of
organizational silence to be high.

Takhsha et al. (2020) study aims to evaluate the effect of workplace ostracism on
organization-based self-esteem (OBSE), organizational silence and knowledge sharing.
The statistical population of this research includes the employees of University of
Isfahan in Iran. The structural equation modeling method is used to analyze the data and
the conceptual model using 130 participants. The empirical results suggest that
ostracism and organizational silence influence knowledge sharing, negatively.
Ostracism influences organizational silence, positively; and ostracism influences OBSE,
negatively. Furthermore, organization-based self-esteem influences knowledge sharing,
positively. In addition, the indirect relationship from ostracism to knowledge sharing
through organizational silence was confirmed; however, the mediating role of OBSE in
the relationship between workplace ostracism and knowledge sharing was not
confirmed. The research is among the first to evaluate the relationship between
workplace ostracism, knowledge sharing, organizational silence and OBSE
simultaneously.

Pheko (2018) study is an exploratory study which used autoethnography to investigate

experiences of academic bullying and mobbing, and relates the practices to power
structures in academic institutions. Specifically, the author shares personal experiences
and explores the physical and emotional pain of being bullied and mobbed. The author
also outlines how both autoethnography and meaning in life strategies were used to
cope with the physical and emotional distresses associated with the negative
experiences. By outlining the success of the meaning in life strategies, the author hopes
to inspire other “victims” to move from victims to being survivors of bullying and
mobbing.

Smith and Coel (2018) paper aim to demonstrate that higher education institutions
should change their Faculty Codes of Conduct to reflect workplace bullying as a form of
harassment that is unacceptable. This paper provides a definition for workplace
bullying; secondly, it offers an analysis of how the First Amendment is not an absolute,
especially in the workplace; thirdly, it examines the scant legislative and judicial
attention that is given to this issue; and finally, an argument is made to show how
colleges and universities are not adequately addressing workplace bullying through
clear policies and procedures that render due process. Results of a thematic analysis of
276 Faculty Codes of Conduct from a variety of universities and colleges across the
United States revealed two primary themes: The Harassment Hang-up and Employee
Engagement. Based on this analysis, higher education institutions should change their
Faculty Codes of Conduct so bullying is defined as a distinctive form of harassment that
is not tolerated, institutions provide faculty and staff clear communications regarding
how to define bullying, and instructions are given for what a person can do as a
bystander or target.

Rai and Agarwal (2018) paper aim to examine the effects of workplace bullying on
employee silence (defensive, relational, and ineffectual silence), and to test the
mediating role of psychological contract violation (PCV) in this relationship and the
extent to which the mediation is moderated by workplace friendship. Data were
collected from 835 full-time Indian managerial employees working in different Indian
organizations. Results revealed that workplace bullying positively correlated with
silence (defensive, relational, and ineffectual silence). The hypothesized moderated
mediation condition was supported as results suggest that PCV mediated the bullying-
silence relationship and workplace friendship moderated this mediating pathway, i.e.
indirect effects of workplace bullying on employee silence via PCV were weaker for
employees with high workplace friendship. A cross-sectional design, use of self-
reported questionnaires, and gender-blind perspective to examine bullying are few
limitations of this study.

Agarwal and Rai (2019) paper aim to explore the phenomenon of workplace bullying –
its nature, antecedents, direct and indirect effects – from victim’s perspective. The study
adopted grounded theory approach and centered on the participants experiences and
interpretations of bullying. A total of 23 self-reported victims formed the sample of our
study. Data from interviews were analyzed using the coding procedure of grounded
theory methodology. To enhance validity of results, in addition to interviews, creative
drawings were used for triangulation. The study reveals some similarities and culturally
relevant variation in the sources and outcomes of bullying. The role of culture on
bullying is visible. The study also adds to the limited literature on underlying and
intervening factors in bullying–outcome relationship. The study examined bullying from
the victim’s perspective. Perpetrator and bystander’s perspectives would have added
interesting insights into the findings. The present study contributes to the workplace
bullying research in general and Indian context in particular by examining contextually
relevant antecedents, consequences as well as underlying and intervening factors.

Hodgins and McNamara (2019) 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.

Freedman and Vreven (2017) study examines the current state of librarians’ perceptions
on workplace incivility and bullying and evaluates the effects of bullying from
organizational and individual perspectives. Bullying was measured based on the
librarian’s responses to the Negative Acts Questionnaire, including both experienced
bullying and witnessed bullying. The authors introduce a conceptual framework to
understand the motivating structures, precipitating circumstances, and enabling
structures that lead to bullying in the library. A statistical analysis using a regression
model revealed several factors that influenced bullying, including a librarian’s ethnicity,
the number of years worked in the library, the type of institution, and a librarian’s
academic status. The findings can be useful for discussions of improving workplace
climate, increasing retention and recruitment for academic librarians, and helping early
career librarians throughout the promotion and tenure processes.

Hodgins et al. (2020) paper aim to explore the role of both individual and organisational
power in the creation and maintenance of the problem. Such an approach moves away
from the specific practice of identifying “bullying” that typically engages targets and
perpetrators in a dance that is really just around the edges of a larger problem; a culture
that permits the abuse of power and ill-treatment of workers, in both practices and
through organisational politics. The paper elucidates key problems with organisational
response as identified in the literature and critically examines weak organisational
response to workplace bullying using the power theory, arguing that while overt
approaches to addressing bullying appear to be underpinned by a simplistic,
functionalist understanding of power, practices on the ground are better explained by
more sophisticated “second-dimension” theorists. There is a need for organisations to
move beyond the current individualistic understanding of bullying towards a more
nuanced understanding of how anti-bullying policies and procedures are themselves an
exercise in institutional power protecting and reinforcing dominant power structures.

According to Hollis (2017) close to two-thirds of American higher education employees

were affected by workplace bullying and often endure the bullying at least two to three
years. While the frequency of workplace bullying has been examined, along with the
corresponding cost of employee disengagement, an analysis of how higher education
employees cope with the stress of workplace bullying is absent from the literature.
Within the theoretical stress and coping frameworks, this essay examined how higher
educational personnel cope with stressful workplace bullying. A chi-square analysis was
utilized on a sample (n=355) of American higher education respondents to determine
the difference of the gender for respondents’ reactions. The chi-square analysis showed
that women were more likely to quit/resign from a job in reaction to workplace
bullying, and men are more likely to take more sick time in response to workplace
bullying.

Hsieh et al. (2019) study aim was to examine the relationship between workplace
bullying, mental health and an intention to leave among nurses, and the mediating role
of self-efficacy. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 385 nurses in Taiwan.
Data were collected by means of self-report questionnaires, including the Negative Acts
Questionnaire-Revised, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Chinese Health
Questionnaire, and the Employee’s Turnover Intentions and Job Destination Choices
Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and hierarchical regression analyses
were used. Bullying was found to negatively correlate with self-efficacy and mental
health, and positively with an intention to leave. Self-efficacy positively correlated with
mental health, and negatively with an intention to leave. Hierarchical regression showed
that bullying and self-efficacy were significant predictors of both mental health and an
intention to leave. Self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between bullying and
mental health, as well as an intention to leave. Self-efficacy acted as a mediator of
workplace bullying, mental health and an intention to leave among nurses. It could
protect victims from the devastating effects of bullying behaviors.

2. Gap

Previous studies have confirmed that higher education professionals endure workplace
bullying at a rate higher than the general population. The authors advocate a realistic
assessment of the role of both individual and organizational power in the creation and
maintenance of workplace bullying, as a way forward to plan appropriate intervention.

One of the most important features of today's working life in the changing world
conditions is the acceptance of the importance of the role played by the human power.
The more efficiently organizations use human labor, the easier it will be for them to
compete in a competitive environment.

The contribution of the employees to the success of the organization is at the highest
level. Organizations that provide the highest efficiency from their employees are less
likely to fail. The ability of employees to work in an organization in a healthy way
depends on the working environment. It is possible for creative ideas to emerge in an
environment where employees can share their ideas and these ideas will be cared for.
Despite that; Intimidation of employees and being forced to accept certain situations by
being intimidated reveal an environment of organizational silence. The concept of
organizational silence is the situation in which employees in the organization keep their
feelings and thoughts about organizational problems hidden and do not express them
openly. In the silence of the employees; Fears such as the thought that speaking frankly
will not make sense, being seen as a complainer, not getting a promotion, being fired are
effective.

Injustices, unethical behaviors, psychological violence, intimidation, harassment and

workplace bullying cause employees to remain silent and unresponsive within the
organization. This is an important danger at the organizational level. The concept of
workplace bullying; It is tried to be defined with various expressions such as mobbing,
intimidation, emotional harassment, psychological violence, psychological terror,
psychological harassment. These definitions may vary according to the culture and
social environment.

Researchers have stated that they encounter the concept of organizational silence in
many organizations and that employees exhibit these attitudes. Employees sometimes
choose to speak up and sometimes choose to remain silent. However, it is necessary to
bring to light important issues such as why they become silent, how they become silent,
with whom they speak and to whom they remain silent, and how silence can be
understood. In terms of recognizing the silence in organizations and taking precautions
for it, the most difficult problems to overcome are again human-induced problems.
Workplace bullying and organizational silence are among these problems.

There are very few studies on the concept of organizational silence that have been
applied to educational institutions in the country or abroad. However, the concept of
silence can affect the entire working system of an organization. The concepts of voice
and silence are very important for an organization. Because these concepts affect many
variables within the organization and are affected by many variables.

In the researches, it was seen whether the concepts of workplace bullying and
organizational silence will be examined together. The results and findings of this
research are important in order to determine whether there is a relationship between
workplace bullying and organizational silence. For this reason, it is thought that
examining and examining the two concepts together in this study will both contribute to
the educational sector and fill a very important gap in the literature.
3. Aim

The main purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between workplace
bullying and organizational silence in educational institutions. In line with the main
purpose of the research, the following questions were tried to be answered:

- What are the demographic characteristics of teachers participating in the

research in educational institutions?

- Does workplace bullying in educational institutions in Libya show a significant

difference according to demographic characteristics?

- Does organizational silence in educational institutions in Libya show a

significant difference according to demographic characteristics?

- What is the level of workplace bullying in educational institutions in Libya?

- What is the level of organizational silence in educational institutions in Libya?

- Is there a relationship between workplace bullying and organizational silence in

educational institutions in Libya?
4. References

Saleh, A. Y. A. (2020). How school climate predicts teachers organizational

silence. International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, 12(1),
12-27.

Tutar, H., Tuzcuoğlu, F., & Sarkhanov, T. (2021). The mediating role of organizational
cynicism in the relationship between workplace incivility and organizational
silence. TEM Journal, 10(2), 563-572.

Takhsha, M., Barahimi, N., Adelpanah, A., & Salehzadeh, R. (2020). The effect of
workplace ostracism on knowledge sharing: the mediating role of organization-based
self-esteem and organizational silence. Journal of Workplace Learning.

Pheko, M. M. (2018). Autoethnography and cognitive adaptation: two powerful buffers

against the negative consequences of workplace bullying and academic
mobbing. International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being, 13(1),
1459134.

Smith, F. L., & Coel, C. R. (2018). Workplace bullying policies, higher education and
the First Amendment: Building bridges not walls. First Amendment Studies, 52(1-2),
96-111.

Rai, A., & Agarwal, U. A. (2018). Workplace bullying and employee silence: A
moderated mediation model of psychological contract violation and workplace
friendship. Personnel Review.

Agarwal, U. A., & Rai, A. (2019). Exploring bullying among Indian managers: a
grounded theory approach. Journal of Asia Business Studies.

Hodgins, M., & McNamara, P. M. (2019). An enlightened environment? Workplace

bullying and incivility in Irish higher education. Sage open, 9(4), 2158244019894278.

Freedman, S., & Vreven, D. (2017). Workplace incivility and bullying in the library:
Perception or reality?. College & Research Libraries, 77(6), 727.
Hodgins, M., MacCurtain, S., & Mannix-McNamara, P. (2020). Power and inaction:
Why organizations fail to address workplace bullying. International Journal of
Workplace Health Management.

Hollis, L. (2017). Evasive Actions: The gendered cycle of stress and coping for those
enduring workplace bullying in American higher education. Available at SSRN
3030904.

Hsieh, Y. H., Wang, H. H., & Ma, S. C. (2019). The mediating role of self-efficacy in
the relationship between workplace bullying, mental health and an intention to leave
among nurses in Taiwan. International journal of occupational medicine and
environmental health, 32(2), 245-254.