The making and breaking of workplace bullying perpetration: A systematic review on the antecedents, moderators, mediators, outcomes of perpetration and suggestions for organizations

Abstract

Research examining workplace bullying (WB) perpetration from the perspective of perpetrators has remained limited compared to the literature on targets and victims. Until now, no systematic review of the studies from the perpetrators' viewpoints has been published. The present review aimed to synthesize the empirical studies that examine antecedents, mediators, moderators, and outcomes of WB perpetration. It also analyzed the practical suggestions given to curb perpetration and the research methods used. A literature search in Scopus, ProQuest, Science Direct, PubMed, and Web of Science databases for empirical studies published between 2003 and 2023 in peer-reviewed journals in English resulted in 50 full-text articles. Antecedent-perpetration relationships were primarily examined based on social and aggression theories. These relationships were analyzed in the silos of work environment or individual factors without diverse moderators and mediators. Research on WB perpetrators largely lacked causality analysis. Perpetration was associated with task-focused, conflict-prone, poorly organized, and stressful work environments. WB perpetrators had undesirable personality characteristics, and they were also being bullied. The outcomes of their behavior were rarely studied. The suggestions the researchers gave to curb WB perpetration seemed unlikely to be implemented by the same management team that created the toxic environment in the first place. Research on WB perpetrators, which is still in its infancy stage, lacks variety in terms of topics studied, the combination of work environment and individual factors, causality analysis and evidence-based interventions.