Designing a Contingency Model for Breaking Organizational Silence in Iranian Public Organizations

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to design a contingency model for breaking organizational silence in Iranian public organizations.

Methods and Materials: This study employed a qualitative research design grounded in the philosophical foundations of pragmatism. Initially, the researcher participated in various seminars and workshops held in public organizations and made observations that facilitated familiarity with the phenomenon of organizational silence in these organizations and with manifestations of unethical behavior. Subsequently, the interview questions were developed based on the research literature and the researcher’s observations. Thereafter, the study model was developed using grounded theory, specifically Glaser’s classical approach.

Findings: The findings yielded eight main categories for the model. The first category, “Human Resource Training and Development,” comprised three subcategories: “Employee Participation Training,” “Improvement of Professional Ethical Conduct,” and “Improvement of Individual Skill Levels.” The second category, “Improvement of Organizational Interactions,” included two subcategories: “Improvement of the Quality of Organizational Interactions” and “Healthiness of Organizational Interactions.” The third category, “Organizational Strategic Decisions,” consisted of two subcategories: “Improvement of Strategic Thinking in the Organization” and “Strategic Changes toward Breaking Organizational Silence.” The fourth category, “Organizational Support and Backing,” included four subcategories: “Ensuring Job Security,” “An Organizational Climate Conducive to Breaking Organizational Silence,” “Organizational Support Policies,” and “Job Motivational Factors.” The fifth category, “Leadership and Managerial Factors,” consisted of three subcategories: “Leadership Style,” “Attitudes of Managers and Supervisors,” and “Participative Orientation among Managers.” The sixth category, “Psychological and Mental Factors,” included two subcategories: “Psychological Well-Being Improvement Programs” and “Changes in Employee Attitudes.” The seventh category, “Individual Factors,” consisted of three subcategories: “Observance of Professional Ethics,” “Coping with Fears,” and “Personality Characteristics.” Finally, the eighth category, “Organizational Culture,” included four subcategories: “Increasing Spirituality at Work,” “Creating a Collaborative Culture,” “An Ethical and Criticism-Receptive Climate,” and “Level of Organizational Culture.”

Conclusion: The findings of the present study can assist managers and researchers in designing a contingency model for breaking organizational silence in Iranian public organizations and provide practical guidelines for overcoming organizational silence.