Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T17:06:38.391Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The relationship between organizational dissent and workplace freedom of speech: A cross-cultural analysis in Singapore

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2017

Stephen M Croucher ,
Cheng Zeng ,
Diyako Rahmani  and
Xuejun Cui
Stephen M Croucher
Affiliation:
Department of Communication, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
Cheng Zeng*
Affiliation:
Department of Communication, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
Diyako Rahmani
Affiliation:
Department of Communication, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
Xuejun Cui
Affiliation:
Department of Communication, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
*
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study is a test of the relationship between organizational dissent and the perception of workplace freedom of speech in Singapore. Through a quantitative analysis of 384 individuals in Singapore, the following was found: articulated dissent and latent dissent are positively correlated with workplace freedom of speech. In addition, multiple analysis of covariance analyses revealed nation of birth exerted considerable influence on articulated dissent, and latent dissent, but not on workplace freedom of speech. The results provide evidence of how nation of birth is related to an individual’s willingness to express dissent. Theoretical and practical implications for research into organizational behavior are discussed.

Keywords

organizational dissentworkplace freedom of speechcross-cultural communicationSingapore
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 24 , Issue 6 , November 2018 , pp. 793 - 807
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Amir, Y., & Sharon, I. (1991). Replication research: A ‘must’ for the scientific advancement of psychology. In J. W. Neuliep (Ed.), Replication research in the social sciences (pp. 51–70). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Arikpo, A. B., Etor, R. B., & Usang, E. (2007). Managing a democracy in the workplace for sustainable productivity in Nigeria. Convergence, XL(1-2), 67–81.Google Scholar
Ashforth, E. B., & Kreiner, E. G. (2014). Contextualizing dirty work: The neglected role of cultural, historical, and demographic context. Journal of Management & Organization, 20, 423–440.Google Scholar
Avtgis, T. A., Thomas-Maddox, C., Taylor, E., & Patterson, B. R. (2007). The influence of employee burnout on the expression of organizational dissent. Communication Research Reports, 24, 97–102.Google Scholar
Beatty, M. J., & McCroskey, J. C. (1998). Interpersonal communication as temperamental expression: A communibiological paradigm. In J. C. McCroskey, J. A. Daly, M. M. Martin, & M. J. Beatty (Eds.), Communication and personality: Trait perspectives (pp. 41–67). Creskill, NJ: Hampton Press.Google Scholar
Bollen, K. A. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. New York, NY: Wiley.Google Scholar
Chan Kwok, B., & Seet Chia, S. (2003). Migrant family drama revisited: Mainland Chinese immigrants in Singapore. Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, 18, 171–200.Google Scholar
Cheung, H. (2014, May 1). ‘No Indians No PRCs’: Singapore’s rental discrimination problem. BBC News Online. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26832115.Google Scholar
Choudry, A., & Thomas, M. (2013). Labour struggles for workplace justice: Migrant and immigrant worker organizing in Canada York University. Canada Journal of Industrial Relations, 55, 212–226.Google Scholar
Croucher, S. M., Braziunaite, R., Homsey, D., Pillai, G., Saxena, J., Saldanha, A., Joshi, V., Jafri, I., Choudhary, P., Bose, L., & Agarwal, K. (2009). Organizational dissent and argumentativeness: A Comparative analysis between American and Indian organizations. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 38, 175–191. doi: 10.1080/17475759.2009.505057.Google Scholar
Croucher, S. M., Braziunaite, R., & Oommen, D. (2012). The effects of religiousness and religious identification on organizational dissent. In S. M. Croucher, & T. M. Harris (Eds.), Religion and communication: An anthology of extensions in theory, research, and method (pp. 69–79). New York: Peter Lang.Google Scholar
Croucher, S. M., Kassing, J. W., & Diers-Lawson, A. (2013). Accuracy, coherence, and discrepancy in self and other reports: Moving toward an interactive perspective of organizational dissent. Management Communication Quarterly, 27, 425–442.Google Scholar
Croucher, S. M., Parrott, K., Zeng, C., & Gomez, O. (2014). A cross-cultural analysis of organizational dissent and workplace freedom in five European economies. Communication Studies, 65, 298–313.Google Scholar
De Dreu, C. K. W., De Vrles, N., Anssen, H., & Altink, W. M. M. (2000). Minority dissent in organizations: Factors influencing willingness to dissent. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 30, 2451–2466.Google Scholar
DeMaris, A. (2004). Regression with social data: Modeling continuous and limited response variables. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.Google Scholar
Frick, R. W. (1998). Interpreting statistical testing: Processes and propensity, not population and random sampling. Behavioral Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 30, 527–535.Google Scholar
Garner, J. T. (2007). Give me liberty or give me (occupational) death: Organizational dissent and workplace freedom of speech. Paper presented at the International Communication Association Convention. San Francisco, CA.Google Scholar
Garner, J. T. (2009). When things go wrong at work: An exploration of organizational dissent messages. Communication Studies, 60, 197–218.Google Scholar
Garner, J. T., & Garner, L. T. (2011). Volunteering an opinion: Organizational voice and volunteer retention in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 40, 813–828.Google Scholar
Garner, J. T., & Wargo, M. (2009). Feedback from the pew: A dual-perspective exploration of organizational dissent in churches. Journal of Communication & Religion, 32, 375–400.Google Scholar
Goodboy, A. K., Chory, R. M., & Dunleavy, K. N. (2008). Organizational dissent as a function of organizational justice. Communication Research Reports, 25, 255–265.Google Scholar
Gorden, W. I., Holmberg, K., & Heisey, D. R. (1994). Equality and the Swedish work environment. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 7, 141–160.Google Scholar
Gorden, W. I., & Infante, D. A. (1991). Test of a communication model of organizational commitment. Communication Quarterly, 39, 144–155.Google Scholar
Gudykunst, W. B. (2002). Issues in cross-cultural communication research. In W. B. Gudykunst, & B. Mody (Eds.), Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication (pp. 165–177). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Hayes, A. F. (2005). Statistical methods for communication science. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Hendrick, C. (1991). Replications, strict replications, and conceptual replications: Are they important? In J. W. Neuliep (Ed.), Replication Research in the Social Sciences (pp. 41–50). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Hornsey, M. J., Oppes, T., & Svensson, A. (2002). It’s ok if we say it, but you can’t. European Journal of Social Psychology, 32, 293–307.Google Scholar
Hui, W., & Hashi, A. (2007). Foreign labor and economic growth policy options for Singapore. Singapore Economic Review, 52, 53–72.Google Scholar
Ji, P., & Skoric, M. M. (2013). Gender and social resources: Digital divides of social network sites and mobile phone use in Singapore. Chinese Journal of Communication, 6, 221–239.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W. (1997). Articulating, antagonizing, and displacing: A model of employee dissent. Communication Studies, 48, 311–332.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W. (1998). Development and validation of the Organizational Dissent Scale. Management Communication Quarterly, 12, 183–229.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W. (2000a). Exploring the relationship between workplace freedom of speech, organizational identification, and employee dissent. Communication Research Reports, 17, 387–396.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W. (2000b). Investigating the relationship between superior-subordinate relationship quality and employee dissent. Communication Research Reports, 17, 58–70.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W. (2002). Speaking up: Identifying employees’upward dissent strategies. Management Communication Quarterly, 16, 187–209.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W. (2006). Employees’ expressions of upward dissent as a function of current and past work experiences. Communication Reports, 19, 79–88.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W. (2008). Consider this: A comparison of factors contributing to expression of employee dissent. Communication Quarterly, 56, 342–355.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W. (2009). ‘In case you didn’t hear me the first time’: An examination of repetitious upward dissent. Management Communication Quarterly, 22, 416–436.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W. (2011). Stressing out about dissent: Examining the relationship between coping strategies and dissent expression. Communication Research Reports, 28, 225–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2011.2011.586075.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W., & Armstrong, T. A. (2002). Someone’s going to hear about this: Examining the association between dissent-triggering events and employees’ dissent expression. Management Communication Quarterly, 16, 39–65.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W., & Avtgis, T. A. (1999). Examining the relationship between organizational dissent and aggressive communication. Management Communication Quarterly, 13, 76–91.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W., & Avtgis, T. A. (2001). Dissension in the organization as a function of control expectancies. Communication Research Reports, 18, 118–127.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W., & DiCioccio, R. L. (2004). Testing a workplace experience explanation of displaced dissent. Communication Reports, 17, 111–120.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W., & McDowell, Z. (2008). Talk about fairness: Exploring the relationship between procedural justice and employee dissent. Communication Research Reports, 25, 1–10.Google Scholar
Kassing, J. W., Piemonte, N. M., Goman, C. C., & Mitchell, C. A. (2013). Dissent expression as an indicator of work engagement and intention to leave. Journal of Business Communication, 49, 237–253.Google Scholar
Khatri, N., Chong, T. F., & Budhwar, P. (2001). Explaining employee turnover in an Asian context. Human Resource Management Journal, 11, 54–74.Google Scholar
Lee, C.-W. (2002). Referent role and styles of handling interpersonal conflict: Evidence from a national sample of Korean local government employees. The International Journal of Conflict Management, 13, 127–141.Google Scholar
Loh, J., Restubog, S., & Zagenczyk, T. (2010). Consequences of workplace bullying on employee identification and satisfaction among Australians and Singaporeans. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 41, 236–252.Google Scholar
Lu, Y., Samaratunge, R., & Härtel, C. E. J (2016). Predictors of acculturation attitudes among professional Chinese immigrants in the Australian workplace. Journal of Management & Organization, 22, 49–67.Google Scholar
Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (2014). Islamic religious council of Singapore. Retrieved from http://www.muis.gov.sg/cms/index.aspx.Google Scholar
Michael Page Singapore Employee Intentions Report (2015). 2015 Employee intentions report Singapore. Retrieved from http://www.michaelpage.com.sg/sites/michaelpage.com.sg/files/2015_SGMP_EMPLOYEE_INTENTIONS_FINAL_0.pdf.Google Scholar
Ministry of Manpower. (2013). Foreign workforce numbers. Retrieved from http://www.mom.gov.sg/documents-and-publications/foreign-workforce-numbers.Google Scholar
Mutalib, H. (2005). Singapore Muslims: The quest for identity in a modern city-State. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 25, 53–72.Google Scholar
Near, J. P., & Jensen, T. C. (1983). The whistleblowing process retaliation and perceived effectiveness. Work and Occupation, 10, 13–28.Google Scholar
Nemeth, C. (1986). Differential contributions of majority and minority influence. Psychological Review, 93, 23–32.Google Scholar
Nemeth, C., & Staw, B. M. (1989). The tradeoffs of control and innovation in groups and organizations. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 22, pp. 175–210). New York, NY: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Ochsen, C., & Welsch, H. (2011). The social costs of unemployment: Accounting for unemployment duration. Applied Economics, 43, 3999–4005.Google Scholar
Ortmann, S. (2009). Singapore: The politics of inventing national identity. Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 23, 37–41.Google Scholar
Payne, H. J. (2007). The role of organization-based self-esteem in employee dissent expression. Communication Research Reports, 24, 235–240.Google Scholar
Pettigrew, T. F., & Meertens, R. W. (1995). Subtle and blatant prejudice in Western Europe. European Journal of Social Psychology, 25, 57–75.Google Scholar
Pheng, L., Ying, L., & Shan, S. (2008). Chinese foreign workers in Singapore’s construction industry. Journal of Technology Management in China, 3, 211–223.Google Scholar
Ray, S. L. (2006). Whistleblowing and organizational ethics. Nursing Ethics, 13, 438–445.Google Scholar
Rubdy, R., & McKay, S. (2013). ‘Foreign workers’ in Singapore: Conflicting discourses, language politics and the negotiation of immigrant identities. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 222, 157–185.Google Scholar
Rupert, J., Jehn, K., Engen, M., & Reuver, R. (2010). Commitment of cultural minorities in organizations: Effects of leadership and pressure to conform. Journal of Business & Psychology, 25, 25–37.Google Scholar
Schweiger, D. M., Sandberg, W. R., & Ragan, J. W. (1986). Group approaches for improving strategic decision making: A comparative analysis of dialectical inquiry, devil’s advocacy, and consensus. Academy of Management Journal, 29, 51–71.Google Scholar
Singapore Human Resources Institute (2008). Singapore employment landscape: Employee turnover and learning and development concerns. Retrieved from http://www.shri.org.sg/recent-works/singapore-employment-landscape-employee-turnover-and-learning-and-development-concerns/#tabs-3.Google Scholar
Soo Siew, C., Hendrik, H., & Keng-Howe, I. (2009). Life values and job satisfaction: Comparing local managers to the Japanese and Chinese expatriates in Singapore. International Journal of Business Studies, 17, 61–106.Google Scholar
Sprague, J. A., & Ruud, G. L. (1988). Boat-rocking in the high technology culture. American Behavioral Scientist, 32, 169–193.Google Scholar
Stephan, W. G., & Stephan, C. W. (1993). Cognition and affect in stereotyping: Parallel interactive networks. In D. M. Mackie, & D. L. Hamilton (Eds.), Affect, cognition, and stereotyping: Interactive processes in group perception (pp. 111–136). Orlando, FL: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Stephan, W. G., & Stephan, C. W. (1996). Predicting prejudice. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 20, 409–426.Google Scholar
Stevens, J. P. (2002). Applied multivariate statistics for the social sciences (4th ed.), Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Suhaimi, N. D., & Sudderudin, S. (2007). Foreign workers at void decks leave residents seething. Straits Times. Retrieved from: http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=2133#more-2133.Google Scholar
Uys, T. (2008). Rational loyalty and whistleblowing: The South African context. Current Sociology, 56, 904–921.Google Scholar
Wang, G., & Chen, Y. K. (2010). Collectivism, relations, and Chinese communication. Chinese Journal of Communication, 3, 1–9.Google Scholar
Wasti, S. A., Tan, H. H., & Erdil, S. E. (2011). Antecedents of trust across foci: A comparative study of Turkey and China. Management and Organization Review, 7, 279–302.Google Scholar
Weiss, M. L. (2011). Diversity, rights, and rigidity in Singapore. North Carolina Journal of International Law & Commercial Regulation, 36, 625–646.Google Scholar
Zaharia, R. M., & Benchea, L. R. (2013). The psychology behind religion: How is it to work for a Muslim Company? Social and Behavioral Sciences, 84, 553–557.Google Scholar