Mobbing a new organizational virus (Mobbing un nuovo virus organizzativo)

The present thesis is entitled "Mobbing. A new organizational virus". Hence, it focuses on workplace bullying, which is a relatively new search topic within psychology. The first part of the thesis clarifies the construct of bullying. Several subtypes of bullying and theoretical models that may constitute a useful categorization are suggested: examples of the former are predatory bullying and retaliation bullying, the latter Giorgi (2004) and Einarsen's (2003) models are presented. Related concepts, such as workplace incivility, workplace deviance and workplace aggression are discussed with reference to bullying. Possible antecedent and outcome factors of workplace bullying, as documented in the research literature, are listed with a particular focus on organizational antecedents. Examples of antecedents that can be examinated are an organizational clture with a "sense of permission to harass" or a deconstructive leadership style. Three empirical papers are presented in the thesis in which a research model based on the Negative Acts Questionnaire Revised is applied. In addition, the prevalence of bullying in Europe is reviewed and given a wider perspective with a study of this phenomenon in Japan: scarcely known to date in literature. The prevalence of Italian bullying is also discussed and compared with other European contries. Finally, suggestions for future research are made.