Year: 2015
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This thesis investigates workplace cyberbullying, defined as a situation where over \ntime, an individual is repeatedly subjected to perceived negative acts conducted through \ntechnology (for example, phone, email, web sites, social media) which are related to their \nwork context. In this situation the target of workplace cyberbullying has difficulty defending \nhim or herself against these actions. The thesis has two broad aims: (1) to develop a \nworkplace cyberbullying measurement scale; and (2) to investigate the impact of workplace \ncyberbullying on employees. Workplace cyberbullying is conceptualised in this thesis by \ndrawing on the traditional workplace bullying and cyberbullying literature. A rationale is \npresented for investigating it as a distinct form of workplace bullying and four separate \nstudies address the development of the workplace cyberbullying measure (WCM). \nThe first study generated measurement items by asking employees to describe \ncyberbullying behaviours. The behaviours were sorted into categories using content analysis \nand converted into measurement items. In the second study, the relative severity of each item \nwas assessed so that the measure could be weighted according to severity. In the third study, \nthe 34 item WCM was completed by a sample of 424 employees. A two factor structure \n(comprising work-related cyberbullying and person-related cyberbullying) was compared to a \nunidimensional factor structure and the measure was refined into a 17 item instrument. \nDuring the fourth study the nomological network of the WCM was constructed and further \nreliability and validity evidence was obtained. \nThe fifth and final study then used the WCM to investigate the impact of workplace \ncyberbullying within a theoretical framework. The theoretical and practical contributions of \nthe studies are discussed along with directions for future research.
Author: Samuel Farley
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2258065526