Structural and Individual Determinants of Workplace Victimization: The Effects of Hierarchical Status and Conflict Management Style

Abstract

Most studies of harmful workplace behavior have focused on the motives or characteristics of perpetrators. In contrast, the present study draws from theories of victimization to examine when employees are more likely to perceive themselves as targets of co-workers’ aggressive actions. Individual and organizational structural variables were related to perceived victimization based on prior theory and research. The individual variable was conflict management style; the structural variable was hierarchical status. Direct relationships between the conflict styles and perceived victimization were predicted. The moderating effect of hierarchical status was also tested. Results supported the direct effect of an obliging style on covert aggressive actions. An interaction involving both integrating and obliging styles and hierarchical status was supported for direct forms of interpersonal aggression.