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Dysfunctional leadership organizations. Dr Alan Goldman, Arizona State University, Arizona, USA
Dysfunctional behavior falls within the broader category of antisocial behavior, which is described as "any behavior that brings harm, or is intended to bring harm, to an organization, its employees, or stakeholders" ([10] Giacalone and Greenberg, 1997, p. vii). Dysfunctional/antisocial behavior, then, may range from low levels of inappropriateness (e.g. inappropriate attire, alcohol use, smoking, inappropriate behaviors, loud talking or radio playing, and tardiness) all the way to sabotage or violent behavior directed toward one or more individuals or the organization as a whole.
Scholars who study dysfunctional work behavior typically have focused most of their attention on the specific individual-level behaviors that might potentially comprise this domain. Such behaviors include but are not limited to workplace deviance, theft, aggression, violence, dishonesty, terrorism, sabotage, and an assortment of other dysfunctional behaviors as reflected in the various papers found in this issue. Most of these scholars, however, tend to ignore or downplay the role of organizational factors in instigating dysfunctional behaviors.
Organizations should be profoundly interested in preventing dysfunctional workplace behavior, particularly violence, because such behaviors can be very costly or damaging to the organization. Indeed, the organization could face legal action if a violent incident occurs and they can't prove that they took steps to prevent it. Such legal action could include worker's compensation claims, OSHA rule violation charges, or even civil liability for negligent hiring. Other costs to an organization include immediate and direct costs of workplace violence - injury or death; clean-up, repair, and replacement; hiring and training of new personnel; increased insurance premiums; lost wages; and the like. There are also less immediate and more difficult to measure costs, including decreased efficiency, productivity, and quality; interruption of business operations; and decreased reputation and credibility of the organization.
This paper will develop the argument that organizational cultures vary in their functionality in terms of contributing to or detracting from organizational performance and effectiveness. A dysfunctional organization culture is defined as one that constrains or limits individual- and group-level capabilities and/or that actually encourages and rewards mediocre individual- and group-level performance. The paper will also develop the argument that an organization's leadership is likely to help create and perpetuate such cultures. Implications for...