Forms of Workplace Bullying in Institutions of Higher Learning in the Light of the Integral Model of Workplace Bullying

Abstract

This study aims at exploring forms of workplace bullying as psychological violence among academic staff of the National University of Lesotho. The methodology for this study is the qualitative research approach, with an overarching intention of making meaning out of respondents definition of the phenomenon of workplace bullying which they are experiencing. Data for this study are collected through a semi-structured interview on twenty academic staff members of the aforementioned institution. Data analysis is done through the iterative and inductive methods of the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results of the study highlight the following forms of workplace bullying as psychological violence within the context of the study: staff devaluing, expatriate syndrome, authoritarian management, communication bullying, unknown politicized agenda, and economic/financial bullying. The forms of workplace bullying experienced by interviewees are person-related, management-style related, interpersonal, and job resources related, which can be ascribed to the university restructuring programme that is ongoing during the period of this study. From literature review and the findings of the study the researcher has conceived the Integral Model of Workplace Bullying as a conceptual framework for enhancing understanding of forms of workplace bullying within the context of this study.

Keywords: Integral Model of Workplace Bullying, University Restructuring, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Authoritarian Management

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