An exploration of organization dissent and workplace freedom of speech among young professional intra-urban migrants in Shanghai

Abstract

This study explores the factors influencing the dissent behavior and perceptions of workplace freedom of speech among young Chinese professionals who are intra-urban migrants. It attempts to grasp the role of the Chinese household registration system, referred to as Hukou, in migrants' professional and everyday life. Fourteen interviews were conducted with young, well-educated intra-urban migrants who possessed middle-income jobs, but did not possess a Shanghai registration (Hukou). This study reveals that traditional Confucian values are significant in shaping Chinese migrant workers' expressions of dissent and perceptions of workplace freedom of speech. Findings from this study demonstrate that further attention to professional migrants is warranted to understand their unique position in Chinese society. Internal migration is a global phenomenon particularly prominent in developing countries. This study is an attempt to shed light on internal migrant's social and organizational life in developing economies.

Cultural Distance, Classroom Silence and Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Education: Evidences from Migrant College Students in Shanghai

“…Migrant-specific resources, such as values, culture, optimism, and resilience, may positively influence educational outcomes. Local higher education can provide migrant students with higher perceived learning gains, which can help them participate in the economic, social, and civic life of their communities, and promote their social and emotional well-being during the later transition from college education to career development [ 14 , 92 ]. Hence, it confirms the optimistic view that migrant students with a larger cultural distance can benefit more from higher education in the most developed city in China.…”

“…The Hukou system or linguistic differences were used as measure of cultural distance [ 90 , 91 , 92 ]. However, the Hukou system or linguistic differences are very difficult to measure in a continuously quantitative way.…”

“…Second, all migrant college students in Shanghai were temporarily provided Shanghai urban Hukou during their enrollment period even if they were from a rural area. Hukou has no real and tangible effect on migrant college students’ day-to-day lives as migrant workers [ 92 ]. Third, Shanghainese is a dialect of Wu Chinese, which is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin or other Chinese dialects [ 90 , 91 ].…”

“…However, Mandarin is the official teaching language in Chinese universities and colleges. Linguistic differences on campus are too small to have a real and tangible effect on migrant college students’ day-to-day lives as migrant workers either [ 92 ].…”

Ulusal Kültürün Örgütsel Muhalefet Üzerine Etkisi: Bir Kamu Kurumunda Saha Çalışması (The Impact of National Culture on Organizational Dissent: Fieldwork in aPublic Institution)

“…Toplulukçu kültürlerde, içerisinde bulunan yapının bir parçası olmanın (Bochner, 1994); bireyci kültürlerde ise bireysel hedef ve başarıların önemli olduğu bilinmektedir (Kashima vd., 1995). Ingwar (2014) ve Zeng (2014) çalışmalarında toplulukçu kültür ve muhalefet düzeyleri arasında negatif ilişki olduğunu tespit etmiştir. Örgütsel muhalefetin yapısı gereği örgütsel olandan ayrışma hali olması, toplulukçu kültürlerde bireyin muhalif tutumlarını örgüt dışı unsurlarla paylaşma eğiliminde olacakları beklentisini oluşturmuştur.…”