Voice and Silence in Organizations

Citation

Austin, A. (2009), "Voice and Silence in Organizations", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 30 No. 8, pp. 779-781. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730911003939

This book contains 12 essays on the crucial factors involved in the use of voice and silence in the workplace. The essays are written by some of the best scholars in organizational management, and are collected under four main headings: Basic concepts and issues, Psychological processes, Organizational dynamics, and Conclusion. More accurately, the author/editors have written the one paper under the Basic Concepts and Issues section, as well as the one paper in the Conclusion, with additional help in the first essay from Chad T. Brinsfield.

The sections cover the following concepts and material: Part 1: Basic concepts and issues sets the stage for the other contributors by giving a historical overview and in the process giving the boundaries of the research and literature covered in this volume. Part II examines the emotions, attributions and decision‐making process underlying both the choices to speak up and those to remain silent within the workplace. A model is proposed by Harvey, Martinko and Douglas to demonstrate how attributions and emotions contribute to and influence an employee's decision to engage in whistle‐blowing. Other authors examine motives underlying the use of silence or voice, and the presence of social ostracism. Part III moves on to examine key aspects of organizational dynamics and contextual factors that influence both voice and silence. These include cultural characteristics that influence perceived safety, interpersonal fairness, and reduced status differences. Again, a model was proposed, and was supported by an organizational survey showed that a climate of high procedural fairness in the workgroup moderated voice, or at least reduced silence, and the opposite was true for organizations with low procedural fairness.

The chapters cover such organizational behaviors as whistleblowing, loyalty, bullying, emotional abuse, anger, resentment, ostracism, hierarchical power and psychological safety, which lead to expressions of voice or silence. Sources of behavioral examples are carefully extracted from research papers, both recent and classic. Then, several propositions are put forth to describe the individual's internal or external attributions of either silence or voice to anger. Models of these attributions are constructed by the authors to predict the expression of voice or silence. The underlying psychological make‐up of managers and leaders are considered as influencers and responders to both voice and silence, rather than as cultural or organizational factors.

As the Preface states, this book is intended primarily for scholars. As such, it gives a comprehensive review of the relevant history and literature; presents the current state of research in these areas, posits models to relate the findings, and gives several suggestions for future directions in research. It is a comprehensive survey and discussion of the subject matter. I recommend it highly for researchers and academics, particularly those already immersed in this field. This is a book that requires dedication and commitment to absorb the detailed information contained within. It is a difficult book to simply scan and pick out the main ideas. But there are rewards for that work. Conversely, those looking to apply the latest findings to his or her organization quickly may find this book somewhat ponderous and lacking in implementation recommendations and ideas. As a scholar‐practitioner, I appreciated the meticulous discussions and reporting of the research findings, yet, I felt as if I had just eaten a large multi‐course meal, but one without sufficient seasoning, beverage, or dessert. Traditionally, it has been routine to have theorists and practitioners in separate spheres of operation. In these faster‐paced times, thinking more holistically, and with an integrated systems view seems to serve the beneficiaries more effectively. The view here seems to be that good research holds its own value. Whereas my belief is that research is crucial, but does not stand alone. We need to see recommendations and possibilities for the use of that research. I am hoping that a companion field guide or other application manual is on its way, so we can be informed on how to put this great knowledge to work in improving the success and value of our organizations.