This study examined how cultural dynamics influence perceptions of workplace bullying among managerial employees in Sri Lanka. A survey was administered to 230 managers in the fast-moving consumer goods industry. The findings showed that person-related bullying, such as ignoring and insulting colleagues, was more prevalent than work-related bullying behaviors. Additionally, some behaviors considered bullying in Western contexts, such as off-hand remarks and jokes, were viewed as normal occurrences. The study suggests that what constitutes bullying may differ across cultures. The results contribute to conceptualizing workplace bullying in Asian cultures and can help organizations design interventions to promote healthy and just work environments.

1. Workplace Bullying; Does Culture
Play a Role?;
Study Conducted among Managerial Level Employees
in Sri Lanka
Sanduni Gunawardena
1

2. Background to the research
• The phenomenon of workplace bullying has captured the
strong interest among researchers and practitioners alike.
• Workplace bullying refers to “situations where a person
repeatedly and over a period of time is exposed to
negative acts (i.e. constant abuse, offensive remarks or
teasing, ridicule or social exclusion, giving
unmanageable workload, setting unrealistic targets, etc )
on the part of coworkers, supervisors, or subordinates”
(Einarsen, 1999, 2000; Mikkelsen & Einarsen, 2002, p.
397).
2

3. But
Manifestation and acceptability (reaction/coping) of workplace
bullying differ based on cultural orientation (Power et al, 2011).
And
Applicability of Western concepts and measurers of workplace
bullying is limited in Eastern cultures (Mabayoje,2014).
Research Problem
This issue prevails in both developing and developed countries,
but research are mainly limited to developed countries such as
United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, USA
(Oghojafar et al. 2012) cited in Obicci 2015, p.277).
3

4. “Cultural variation in construing the meaning of specific
behaviours makes it harder to reveal which behaviours are
and are not to be considered abusive. Some forms of
interaction in the workplace, in certain cultural
environments consider bullying are not considered bullying”
(Escartin,Zaph, Arrieta & Rodriguez-Carballeira, 2010 p.3).
Research Question 1
How Sri Lankan employees construe workplace bullying?
4

5. The Purpose of the research
-To understand what and how cultural dynamics influence in
construing workplace bullying in Sri Lankan context.
5

6. Methodology
Survey Design
Overall Study Design Quantitative Study
Research Instrument Self- administered questionnaire
Analysis of Data Statistical Analysis/AMOS and SPSS and Thematic
analysis
Unit of analysis Individuals
Population Managerial level employees in the FMCG industry
Sample 230 managerial level employees
Sampling Method Convenience sampling method
6

7. Variable Mean Value Standard
deviation
Workplace Bullying 3.190 .369
Dimensions
Person- related Bullying 3.913 .267
Work-related Bullying 2.689 .148
Empirical Findings and Discussion
Note: Five Point Likert Scale 1= never, 2=now & then, 3=monthly,
4=weekly, 5=Daily
Source: Survey Data
• Person-related bullying was the dominant form of bullying.
• Contradictory to many studies conducted in Western contexts including Armstrong (2018),
Nielsen and Einersan (2018), Clausen,Conway and Burr (2017) because many studies
conducted in western countries have found work-related bullying to be dominant aspect of
workplace bullying.
• Empirical data supported that person-related bullying behaviours such as ignoring, insulting,
spreading rumours, yelling, public humiliation are higher than work-related bullying
behaviours such as impossible deadlines, unmanageable workloads, meaningless tasks.
7

8. • Some behaviours such as off-hand remark, and a joke identified as bullying
behaviours in western context were considered normal occurrences by the
participants of this study.
• Even though unmanageable workloads, impossible deadlines are indicators for
measuring workplace bullying in western countries, they were considered day to
day experience and normal in the context of Sri Lankan working environment.
• Abusive supervision and insulting considered as normal behaviour of superiors
to reach organizational goals and deploy human resources.
• Therefore, it can be suggested that bullying behaviour may be subject to cultural
sensitivity and what is considered bullying in one context may not be considered
bullying in another context
8

9. Significance of the study
Theoretical Significance
-Impact of cultural orientation on manifestation and workplace
bullying
-Conceptualise workplace bullying in light of Asian culture
Managerial Significance
-Assist in organizations to design interventions
-Have a healthy working environment
-Employees to fully understand whether they are being
treated with interpersonal justice
-Policy developers in private sector
9

10. Areas for further research
• Workplace bullying research should be conducted in different contexts to
understand differences in manifestations and acceptance.
• Person-related bullying should be given emphasis as it was emerged
strongly in the present study.
10

11. Thank you!!
11