The role of learned helplessness on the relationship between mobbing and organizational silence: A field research in public and private sector

This study investigates the relationships among mobbing and dimensions of organizational silence and also explores the plausible moderating role of learned helplessness on those relationships. It is proposed that the effect of mobbing on organizational silence is contingent upon the levels of learned helplessness. Such that the effect of mobbing on organizational silence increases when individuals have higher levels of learned helplessness. Data are collected from 210 full-time employees working at different organizations and sectors in Ankara. Participants, chosen by convenience method, completed the questionnarie packages. First, confirmatory factor analyses are conducted to assure the construct validity of the measurement model, then the hypotheses of the research are tested by hierarchical regression analyses. The analyses reveal that both mobbing and learned helplessness variables predict positively the acquiscent and defensive dimensions of organizational silence. Nevertheless, no significant moderating effect of learned helplessness is reported on the relationship between mobbing-acquiescent silence and mobbing-defensive silence relationships. Accordingly, the findings postulate when employees exposure to mobbing, their acquiescent silence and defensive silence scores increases. Likewise, the higher levels of learned helplessness of employees increase their organizational silence scores. Findings are discussed in terms of limitations and implications for future research and practice.