Learning to Contradict and Standing Up for the Company: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Organizational Dissent, Organizational Assimilation, and Organizational Reputation

Abstract

This study explored relationships between organizational assimilation, organizational reputation, and organizational dissent. Survey data collection using standard instruments was conducted with a sample of employees drawn from three countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia). Analysis revealed that the expression of dissent to management and to coworkers was significantly and positively correlated with both organizational assimilation and organizational reputation. In particular, findings suggest that employees who reported being more socialized within their respective organizations also expressed more dissent to managers and to coworkers. Similarly, employees who reported perceiving their organizations as more ethical and reputable were more likely to express dissent to managers and coworkers. Additional analyses indicated that the relationships identified between variables were immune to the effects of organizational tenure and national culture. In particular, the results show that organizational assimilation is a key determinant of organizational dissent and that organizational reputation is a key reason that employees express it.

Examining the relationships between face concerns and dissent

“…Third, the findings extended our understanding of the relationship between assimilation and articulated dissent (Croucher et al , 2019; Goldman and Myers, 2015) by adding mutual-face concern as the antecedent. The results suggest employees who have mutual-face concern are more likely to express articulated dissent through assimilation.…”

“…However, research has found organizational assimilation is significantly positively related to the frequency of upward dissent (Croucher et al , 2019; Kassing, 1997), implying more assimilated members in an organization are more likely to have better understanding of norms and attitudes of expressing dissent in organizations. Such organizational members tend to be more informative and reflective of previous dissent cases of other organizational members (Croucher et al , 2019). Thus, they become more strategic in choosing upward dissent strategies in terms of face mitigation and competency.…”

“…Research has indicated that employees with stronger assimilation tend to use more articulated dissent (Croucher et al , 2019; Kassing, 1998), because they have closer relationships with their supervisors (Kassing, 2000; Payne, 2014; Turnage and Goodboy, 2016), and are more engaged in and identified with their organizations (Goldman and Myers, 2015). Thus, we put forward that assimilation positively relates to articulated dissent.…”

Science Teacher Candidates’ Epistemological Beliefs and Critical Thinking Disposition

“…This finding is consistent with the findings of theoretical and applied studies. An organization with a high reputation outperforms its rivals and seems more attractive in the eyes of stakeholders (Croucher, Zeng & Kassing, 2019;Fombrun & Shanley, 1990). In other words, a strong reputation towards an organization makes it more preferable by making it more attractive (Chauvin & Guthrie, 1994;Mohammed, 2019).…”

”I don’t know if I can share this.”

“…Lillis, 2001). In a situation of low agency, people may feel excluded from reading and writing certain text genres, or enforced to read and write, and respond with an attitude of non-compliance, opposition or resistance towards the controlling part (Croucher et al, 2019;Thelander & Åkerström, 2019;cf. Thomas & Hardy, 2011;Corely & Gioia 2004).…”