Investigating the Relationship between Superior‐Subordinate Relationship Quality and Employee Dissent (original) (raw)
Related papers
Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, 2016
This study examined employees' use of upward dissent tactics to express disagreement with organizational policies or practices to their supervisors. Employees (N = 242) from three organizations completed a survey instrument in which they reported the types of upward dissent tactics and types of conflict management styles they used with their supervisors as well as their perceptions of the quality of those relationships. The integrating conflict management style was positively correlated with the prosocial dissent tactic and negatively correlated with the threatening resignation dissent tactic. The dominating conflict management style was positively correlated with threatening resignation, circumvention, and repetition dissent tactics. When looking at relationships between the use of upward dissent tactics, superior-subordinate relationship quality, and conflict management styles, we found that conflict management styles were a stronger predictor of the use of upward dissent tactics than superior-subordinate relationship quality. Implications for employee voice are discussed.
Consider This: A Comparison of Factors Contributing to Employees' Expressions of Dissent
Communication Quarterly, 2008
In this study, full-time employees were surveyed to determine the degree to which different considerations factored into their decisions to express upward or lateral dissent. Employees rated considerations similarly when reportedly dissenting to either supervisors or coworkers, with organizational climate and organizational attachment considerations being comparatively stronger than concerns associated with being perceived as adversarial and experiencing retaliation. A comparison across types of dissent revealed that organizational climate, organizational attachment, and adversarial perception=retaliation were more important considerations when employees expressed upward versus lateral dissent. Additionally, results suggested no significant differences in the way management and non-management employees weighed considerations when expressing dissent.
Corporate conditions conducive to employee voice: A subordinate perspective
Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 1988
Employees" voice is conceptualized as a necessary condition for organizational success. A model of employee voice is proposed that encompasses employee predispositions, receptivity to employee voice in the microstructure, and affirmative norms for voice in the societal macrostructure. The model was examined by testing the hypothesis that subordinates" satisfaction will be greater when corporate conditions are receptive to employee voice and when the organization is perceived to be committed both to quality in product and quality of employees" work life. A study with 150 employees from a variety of organizations is reported. The results produced rather strong support for the research hypothesis.
E-Mail and Face-to-Face Organizational Dissent as a Function of Leader-Member Exchange Status
International Journal of Business Communication, 2014
The purpose of this study was to examine whether leader-member exchange status (in-group vs. out-group) of employees explains differences in organizational dissent (i.e., articulated, latent, displaced) via e-mail as opposed to face-to-face. Participants were 166 full-time employees working in a variety of organizations. Results indicated that out-group employees were more likely to express articulated dissent through e-mail, whereas in-group employees were more likely to express articulated dissent in person. The results of this study suggest that the quality of the supervisorsubordinate relationship is important in determining how contradictory opinions are communicated in an upward manner via e-mail. Communicating these subordinate opinions in person to a supervisor, instead of sending an e-mail, may be indicative of a better working relationship. Furthermore, e-mail may be a positive venue for outgroup employees, previously unwilling to question management, to dissent.
Subordinates' socio-communicative orientation and their use of conflict strategies with superiors.
Communication Research Reports, 1999
This study investigated the relationship between subordinates’ socio‐communicative orientations and their use of organizational conflict strategies with their superiors. Socio‐communicative orientation is based on a person's assertiveness and responsiveness. There are four socio‐communicative orientations: competent, aggressive, submissive, and noncompetent. Subordinates (N = 228) completed a questionnaire of their socio‐communicative orientations and of their conflict strategies with supervisors. Noncompetents and submissives used nonconfrontation strategies more than competents and aggressives. Competents used collaboration strategies more than submissives and noncompetents. Aggressives and competents reported using control strategies more than submissives and noncompetents.
Leader-member exchange-subordinate outcomes relationship: role of voice and justice
Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 2007
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to explore, deriving from social exchange theory, the process paths between leader-member exchange (LMX) and subordinate outcomes (satisfaction and commitment). LMX is conceptualized as a two-dimensional construct, consisting of LMX-Contribution and LMX-Affect. The two dimensions are hypothesized to have differential impact on subordinate outcomes. Procedural and distributive justice perceptions are hypothesized to mediate the relationship of LMX with subordinate outcomes, and voice is hypothesized to mediate the relationship of LMX with procedural justice. Additionally, alternate models based on the primacy of the procedures are tested. Design/methodology/approach -The study reports responses of 295 professionals from 30 software organizations operating in different parts of India. Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire containing standard scales of LMX, distributive, and procedural justice, voice, satisfaction and commitment. After establishing the psychometric properties of the measures, path analysis of the hypothesized and alternate models was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings -Overall, results provided support for most of the hypotheses with a few exceptions. Specifically, LMX led to distributive justice through procedural justice -a finding consistent with the "procedural primacy hypothesis". Research limitations/implications -The results have implications for LMX interventions. However, the results are to be viewed in the light of common method variance and same source bias. Originality/value -The paper is of value in that its results indicate that the negative effect of work-group differentiation can be neutralized if the leader uses voice mechanisms for improving procedural justice. Also, this study adds to the literature by testing the proposed model in the Indian setting, thus providing some empirical cross-cultural validity to LMX-subordinate outcomes relationships.
Speaking Up Competently: A Comparison of Perceived Competence in Upward Dissent Strategies
Communication Research Reports, 2005
Recent dissent research indicates that employees report using several different strategies for expressing their dissent to management and supervisors (i.e., upward dissent). The purpose of this study was to compare previously recognized upward dissent strategies in terms of perceived competence. Employees completed a survey instrument that asked them to assess the competence of different upward dissent strategies. Results indicate that employees perceived solution presentation to be the most competent upward dissent strategy, followed by direct-factual appeal, repetition, and circumvention. Threatening resignation was perceived as the least competent upward dissent strategy.
Does organizational justice increase or decrease organizational dissent
Pressacademia, 2019
Purpose-This study aims to examine the effect of organizational justice on organizational dissent. Methodology-A quantitative research is conducted on white and blue color employees of large scale and medium sized firms operating in automotive industry in Bursa-Turkey. 105 employees, thorough face-to-face survey administration, filled out questionnaire forms. Convenience sampling method is used. Data obtained from those 105 questionnaires were analyzed through the SPSS statistical packet program. Findings-Research findings revealed the positive effects of procedural and distributive justice on upward organizational dissent, whilst the nonsignificant relation between interactional justice and upward organizational dissent. Analyses results also indicated the non-significant relations of procedural, distributive and interactional justice to latent organizational dissent. Conclusion-The finding of positive effect of procedural justice and distributive justice on dissent behavior, is consistent with the literature, which indicates that justice perceptions of managerial employees increased upward dissent behaviors. However, the finding of this research implying a non-significant effect of interactional justice on organizational justice is inconsistent with the literature, which indicates employees getting better relationship with their managers are more prone to upward dissent. In scope of this survey, employees' dissent behaviors are influenced by fairness of formal rules and procedures, and acquisitions rather than the fairness of managerial relationships. This distinctive result of this survey may stem from employees' distrust in relationship with their managers and their prioritization of formal procedures and concrete acquisitions rather than abstract relationships while evaluating the possible retaliations and results of their dissent.