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Just keep silent… Defensive silence as a reaction to successive structural reforms

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Listed:
  • Jan Wynen
  • Bjorn Kleizen
  • Koen Verhoest
  • Per Lægreid
  • Vidar Rolland

Abstract

Employees frequently have ideas and opinions on the execution of tasks or on the organization itself. Yet, sometimes employees remain silent and withhold this valuable input from their organizations because they fear experiencing conflict or controversy, causing both performance and employee morale to suffer. This article tests to what extent such fear of speaking up, referred to as ‘defensive silence,’ is affected by the extent of successive structural reforms an organization endures. Analyses of Norwegian Staff Surveys and of a structural reform database show that repetitive structural reforms affect employee engagement in defensive silence.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Wynen & Bjorn Kleizen & Koen Verhoest & Per Lægreid & Vidar Rolland, 2020. "Just keep silent… Defensive silence as a reaction to successive structural reforms," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 498-526, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rpxmxx:v:22:y:2020:i:4:p:498-526
    DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2019.1588358
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    Cited by:

    1. Pradeepa Dahanayake & Christopher Selvarajah & Diana Rajendran, 2023. "Capturing the missing voices: A ‘fair go’ for sexual and gender minority employees in Australian workplaces," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 48(4), pages 711-731, November.
    2. Bilal Khalid & Rimsha Iqbal & Syed Danial Hashmi, 2020. "Impact of workplace ostracism on knowledge hoarding: mediating role of defensive silence and moderating role of experiential avoidance," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-10, December.

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