Document Type : Exploratory
Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the antecedents and consequences of organizational silence in Iranian government organizations using a qualitative approach grounded in grounded theory. The research population consisted of managers and employees in Iranian government organizations who had direct experience with organizational silence. Using purposive sampling and theoretical saturation, 19 participants were selected. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using qualitative content analysis (open, axial, and selective coding). In open coding, over 120 initial concepts were extracted and reduced to 82 codes. In axial coding, these were organized into 28 main concepts and 15 sub-categories, ultimately forming a paradigmatic model. Antecedents of organizational silence were identified in five main categories: structural-cultural factors (e.g., rigid hierarchy and closed culture), leadership factors (e.g., toxic leadership and lack of managerial support), individual-psychological factors (fear of rejection, perceived injustice, and burnout), interpersonal factors (conflicts with colleagues and cultural differences), and emerging contextual factors (e.g., post-pandemic pressures and surveillance technologies). Consequences included reduced organizational innovation and productivity, increased deviant behaviors and burnout, weakened organizational commitment, and overall decline in public service performance. Under proper management, some positive outcomes, such as focus on core tasks, were also observed. The findings indicate that organizational silence in Iranian government organizations is more rooted in centralized structures and ineffective leadership than individual factors, potentially creating a vicious cycle. It is recommended that government managers address this through secure channels for expression, authentic leadership training, and participatory digital transformation.
Keywords
- Organizational silence
- antecedents
- consequences Iranian government organizations
- grounded theory
- human resource management
Main Subjects
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